showing
Active in conformation showing and performance sports. We have owned, shown, and/or bred dogs with over 40 Finnish Lapphunds with conformation titles.
Alberta, Canada
about us
bearspaw finnish lapphunds ckc perm. reg'
Our Values and Philosophy
RAISING PUPPIES
Maintaining the highest scientific stadards in pre-breeding health testing and puppy socialization. This includes ENS, law of 7's, socialization, and Puppy Culture.
breed stewards
Preserving this wonderful breed through DNA imports, mentorship, club involvement, and education. This has involved us hosting breed presentations, 1:1 judges' mentorship, and inviting a Finnish Judge to present in Canada.
global citizens
Seeking to use local products, sustainable products, recycling, reusing, while caring for our dogs and our planet. We feed all the adult dogs locally sources raw food, use a locally manufactured enzyme cleaner in our home, reuse/wash or compost bedding. We have made a number of our own toys, wooden crates, etc.
about us
bearspaw finnish lapphunds ckc perm. reg'
Our History in the Breed
Importing
Dr. Nic Prokopishyn and Leeza Friedman-Prokopishyn has traveled to Finland about a dozen times so far to visit and import dogs. We have also traveled to the US, US, Denmark, and the Netherlands in search of DNA. The COI of most of our breedings is low.
breed community
Leeza was on the founding board of the Finnish Lapphund Club of Canada (FLCC). We are lifetime members of the Lapphund Club of Finland (Lappalaiskoirat ry), members of the FLCC, Alberta Kennel Club, Southern Finnish Lapphund Society (UK), and the Canadian Kennel Club.
breaking ground in canada
We played an active role in helping the breed be fully recognized in Canada through letter writing, phone calls, ad campaigns, breed education, and showing our homebred boy, NBISS BIS MBVIS MBPIS Can Am Ch Can AM Gr Ch Can Gr Ch Ex Bearspaw Sampo HIC TT RN.
breaking ground abroad
We were the first North Americans to export back to Europe (Bel Ch Bearspaw Veikka Karakoram). We were the first North Americans to import back to Finland, or gain a World Winner title (JWW-18 EE JW-18 Bearspaw Innovations So Fiery). We have exported DNA to Belgium, Czech, Austalia, and the US. The second and third generations of our exported progeny reside additionally in Slovenia, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.