First, I want from my heart thank the organization of FMBB and the organization of the breed club for Belgian Shepherd Dog Club in Greece, for inviting me to judge these two big, recognized and important specialities for Belgian Shepherds, I’m really honoured for your invitation.

My name is Sonny Ström I am 67 years old; I live in Sweden and approximately two hours northwest from Stockholm (capital of Sweden). I have twins, Samuel and Zakarias, who are 28 years and live approx. 6 hours by car from me, my wife Lilleba, passed away 2021 and is still heavily missed. I ended my working career in the beginning of February 2025, so being alone it’s a joy for me still be able to have 2 lovely Malinois female at home, one of them is Taikatalven Lily of the Valley and the other one our own bred Thinice Lykke Li. In my early and childhood years I grew up in the countryside with lots of different animals, such as cows, sheep’s, pigs, hen etc. there was also a German Shepherd. Some years later, when I was around 10-11 years old, we got a dachshund, and this dog was my best friend and started my great interest in dogs.

 When I moved from my childhood home there was no possibility for me to have a dog, although in 1981 the opportunity at last appeared, then my long life with dogs started, I have still the same breed that once captured my heart, Belgian Shepherd Dog. Since I bought my first dog in 1981, a Tervueren female, I have experienced and learned so much about dogs. I have trained in a variety of areas, heavily involved in different parts of the dog organization, met many people who influenced and still influenced me, I also learned to correct myself in mistakes I did in the past. Through meetings with people, traveling around the world, breeding, competitions and dogs of various kinds, I have had the privilege of acquiring new experiences and knowledge. From the beginning there was no thought or plan for a life with dogs, plan was a puppy course and little bit of normal obedience, but one thing has given the other and “new paths have been trodden”. Everything probably stems from the fact that I developed an almost nerdy interest in constantly learning more about man’s best friend, the dog and with similar dog people around me, we had so much fun.

 Breeder of Belgian Shepherd/Malinois/Groenendael/Tervueren, 1-2 litters/year.

Since my wife passed away, I have now only 2 Belgian Shepherd Dog/Malinois at home, the years between 1981–2022 we had Belgian Shepherd Dog/Tervueren, in the years between 1988–2022 we had Belgian Shepherd Dog/Groenendael. We have also had the possibility to both import and export several dogs, imports from Belgium, France, Finland, Czech Republic and Netherland, our exports have been to France, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Lithuania. When breeding there have also been some travelling as we have mated with males from France, Belgium, Netherland, Czech Republic, Finland and Denmark.

 Competing with several dogs in elite class track, higher class search, higher class messenger and obedience class 3, between 2002-2006 I trained and educated my own dogs but also a group of people with 8-10 dogs of other breeds, all of them for military service dogs (TJH HV).

 I have been fully occupied with work within many clubs, in the boards and committees, in Dalarnas Kennel Club for 15 years, both as Vice President, secretary, member of the board, the electing committee education committee and show committee. In the Breed Club for Belgian Shepherds (AfBV) for around 40 years, as President, Vice President, secretary, member of the board, Avesta Working Dog Club, Katrineholms Working dog Club, Örnsköldsviks Working Dog Club and Fagersta Working Dog Club, also been a member in the Swedish Kennel Club Committee for Mentality (KHM). From 1985-2020 within the board of the Swedish Breed Club for Belgian Shepherd, as president, vice president, secretary, board member, responsible for the breed committee, working committee, show committee, PR-committee and education committee. Depending on where in Sweden I have lived, I have between 1986-2019 being in board of several local working dog clubs, both as President, Vice President, member of the board, responsible for education committee, competition committee and PR-committee. In Dalarnas Kennel Club, a Regional Kennel Club, I for 15 years had several different assignments, both as Vice President, board member, in the electing committee and the show committee.

 My judging career started when early 1997 I, together with 15 other people, was selected to undergo the Swedish Kennel Club’s judge training program, in August same year I was authorized on my first breeds. Since 1999 I have trained and been authorized at new different breeds, from the beginning working type of breeds from group 1 and 2, since 2018 group all-rounder for both FCI group 1 and 4, and since 2025 also group all-rounder for FCI group 2. Besides these 3 groups I am at this point also authorized for many breeds in FCI group 5, 6, 7 and 9, recently also breeds some breeds from FCI group 3 and 8. I have judged specialties, national and international dog shows for Belgian Shepherds and all kinds of other breeds in all the Nordic countries, in most of the countries around Europe, also judged twice in Australia, besides this, also winner shows Amsterdam Winner, Helsinki Winner, Finnish Winner Helsinki, Dog Fair in Stockholm, Norwegian Winner in Oslo, Birmingham National. I am also very honored for having been invited to judge European Winner 2026 and also invited to judge the American Malinois Specialty in 2026.

 I am also authorized for several different kinds of mental evaluations and meant for different kinds of breeds and ages, one authorization from 2001 as judge for mental description (MH) for younger dogs. Next authorization as judge from 2006 as judge for Mental test (MT) for a bit older dog. The third one is a judge for dogs who are going through Behavior and Personality Assessment Dogs test (BPH), this test mainly meant for all kinds of non-working breeds, but also great for all kinds of working breeds. I have also been instructor for puppy courses, instructor for obedience, instructor for tracking and search courses, staff for working and obedience competitions within Swedish Working Dog Club. Besides all this and working with my dogs, I have also been an instructor at general courses for the average dog owner with their non-competing type of dogs.

I am looking forward to a meeting you all for a lovely show and stay in Greece!

 Sonny Ström.

Vétérinaire de formation, toujours en exercice, J’exerce dans un cabinet, dans les Yvelines (FRANCE), seul, en médecine canine et féline avec un intérêt tout particulier pour la reproduction.

J’ai commencé à m’intéresser personnellement au Chien De Berger Belge il y a presque 20 ans grâce à une femelle malinoise. Porteuse de poil dur, elle m’a donné ma première femelle laekenoise, 14 ans aujourd’hui, mêlant des origines de « la Terre aimée » et « Van de Duvetorre ». J’ai élevé quelques nichées de laekenois sous l’affixe « des rives de l’Opton ».

Passionné par le travail du Chien, j’ai entrainé mes chiennes au mordant et surtout au travail sur troupeau d’ovins.

Parallèlement, j’ai entamé un parcours de juge de conformité au standard, parcours qui s’est achevé en décembre 2022. Depuis, j’ai eu le plaisir de pouvoir officier lors de quelques expositions dont notre Nationale d’Élevage.

Translation by Google:

Studied veterinarian, still practicing, I practice in an office, in Yvelines (FRANCE), alone, in canine and feline medicine with a particular interest in reproduction.

I began to take a personal interest in the Belgian Shepherd Dog almost 20 years ago thanks to a female Malinois. A carrier of wire hair, she gave me my first female Laekenois, 14 years old today, mixing origins of “la Terre aimée” and “Van de Duvetorre”. I raised a few litters of Laekenois under the affix “des rives de l’Opton”.

Passionate about working with dogs, I trained my female dogs to bite and especially to work on sheep flocks.

At the same time, I began a course as a standard conformation judge, which ended in December 2022. Since then, I have had the pleasure of being able to officiate at several exhibitions, including our Nationale d’Élevage.