Jussi Liimatainen

Finland

I’m a conformation judge from Helsinki, born into a family that was deeply involved with sled dogs. However, my first dog of my own was a Cocker Spaniel, and later I added a Welsh Springer Spaniel and several American Cockers to the family. My first active years in the dog world were spent closely with spaniels, and after that I also became interested in toy breeds.
Before becoming a judge, I spent years handling and grooming dogs owned by others, across most breed groups. I’ve shown over 200 dogs to their champion titles, including dozens of World and European Winners, as well as several Best in Show winners.
In club work, my main roles include serving as Chair of the Finnish Toy Dog Association, being a board member of the Finnish Kennel Club, and serving on the committee for the Winner Shows. I’m also a member of The Royal Kennel Club.
As a judge, I’m qualified for all breeds and judge very actively around the world. I’ve judged in pretty much every European country, as well as on all other continents. As a BIS judge, I’ve had the honor of officiating not only across Europe, but also in North and South America, Asia, South Africa, and Australia.