The story begins with the company’s slogan: For the Love of the Sport. I got my first working-line Labrador, Waterfowler Dynamo—Väpä—in 2012. With Väpä, we competed in breed-specific retriever sports as much as we could and won, among other things, the Uudenmaan Ohjus competition in 2013. That was the moment I became a retriever enthusiast. Being a retriever enthusiast is a category of its own—it takes you in completely.

In 2013, I looked at the Acme whistle hanging around my neck and the plain nylon cord it was attached to. I wanted a nice whistle lanyard, not this boring string. Since I couldn’t find any stylish whistle lanyards anywhere, I started making them myself. One of my professions is a clothing artisan, and I had always enjoyed creating various dog accessories for my own use. As the years went by, I couldn’t stop designing and making new retriever-related products. Demand began to grow, and others wanted to buy the items I designed and crafted. In addition to whistle lanyards, I started designing retriever leads, wool coats, and dummy vests. I love British country style, and it serves as the foundation for all my designs.

Now, I have created the Lost Birds product line, designed specifically for the needs of retriever enthusiasts. Great care has been taken in the design of these products, ensuring they have a unique and distinctive look. Additionally, their development has been carried out in collaboration with industry professionals, with the goal of creating functional, long-lasting, and high-quality products. Initially, I handcrafted the whistle lanyards and retriever leads myself. One of the first products, Sorsapoimuri (Duck Picker), was produced by Susanna, a professional seamstress from Lappeenranta. As an expert, Susanna introduced the most durable technical solutions to the products as part of their development. Over time, operations in Lappeenranta have expanded to include wool coats, tracking lines, and other dog accessories, employing four people by 2025.

I have two working-line Labrador Retrievers. The older yellow one is Waterfowler Hamford, born in 2017, known as Colt. He is also featured in the Noutajakauppa logo. Colt enjoys hunting and has already retired from the competition world. The younger black one is Metsäsuharin Talvipakkanen, born in 2021, known as Adam. Adam competes in all breed-specific retriever sports.

At the time of founding my company, I was just about to complete my higher education degree in business. I thought I would end up working for a big company. I tried for all these years, but I couldn’t stop creating new retriever products. There must be some kind of madness in this, but here you are—on Noutajakauppa’s website—and I welcome you! Alongside my own growing Lost Birds product line, I have searched for the best retriever-related products from around the world to include in my online store—and I will continue searching.

This journey has been one of chasing dreams. When you have a burning passion for something, it won’t leave you alone.

The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.

Noutajakauppa – For the Love of the Sport

Jenna Laakso