Wilma Steen

Wilma Steen, Figeholm

The job took her from the west coast to the east coast. Love made her stay. Wilma Steen, entrepreneur and dog handler, has recently moved to Figeholm in the Misterhult countryside. Here she has settled in with five dogs, her partner Niclas, her stepson William, and a growing belly – soon there will be an addition to the family. She starts each day with a morning walk by the water, one of the things she likes best about living in Figeholm.

Wilma grew up in a real dog family in a small town south of Borås. Both parents are dog trainers and the interest is shared by the whole family.

”Our life is built around the dogs. Last summer we went on vacation abroad and the dogs had to stay home, which is not usual, but it didn't take many days before we all became restless and wondered what we would do with all the time,” Wilma recounts, laughing.

The great passion for dogs is something Wilma has chosen to bring into her working life. Since 2018, she has run her own business where she holds courses and gives private lessons in dog training. Her specialty is retrieving courses for competition and hunting. Her largest customer base is in Borås, but she is also hired to hold courses in other locations around Sweden. In her new hometown, Figeholm, she has so far kept a low profile due to her pregnancy.

”It's fantastic to be able to work with my great interest. It's incredibly fun to follow the dog and handler and see how they develop together,” says Wilma.

Wilma shares that she aims to work full-time with dogs in various ways in her business in the future. Right now, she combines her own business with working as a dog handler at a security company. She is also a trained school dog educator, a skill she hopes to use for assignments in the schools in Oskarshamn Municipality.

”School dogs are still a relatively new feature in Sweden, but in other countries, it is more established. Research shows that having dogs in school in various ways yields fantastic results. For example, they can support learning, help increase concentration, create a sense of security, or assist students who have difficulty communicating,” she explains.

The dogs are also indirectly a reason why she left the west coast for the east coast. Wilma and her dog Balder were trained as dog handlers through the security company Avarn Security and then got jobs in Oskarshamn Municipality. Initially, the plan was for her to work for a year to gain experience and then seek to return to Borås again.

”Yes, the idea was that I would only be here for a year, but it didn't quite turn out that way. I met Niclas and now I'm stuck,” says Wilma with a smile.

The couple met through work and of course shares the great interest in dogs. Niclas also works with dogs and together they have five dogs, four retrievers and one shepherd.

Wilma moved permanently to Figeholm in March 2023 and she says that she is really enjoying it, even though it has been an adjustment.

”I grew up in a smaller town, but it's a bit different living here. The most challenging part has been that we don't have the same proximity to a big city, with everything that entails, as I was used to before. Back then, I had less than an hour to Gothenburg and there were always many trains and buses.”

However, the advantages outweigh the challenges and Wilma says that she really appreciates the nature and the archipelago.

”We have access to the sea in a completely different way here. Just being able to jump in the boat and get out among the islands in the archipelago is fantastic.”

Wilma says that living in Figeholm is perfect for the active lifestyle she has with the dogs. Right now, they are renting a house in the village, but hope to buy something more rural in the future.

”It feels incredibly luxurious to live this close to the sea and be able to start the day with a morning walk by the water. There is also varied nature and environments that are great when I train the dogs.”

”Yes, and the weather is much better here too!” concludes Wilma with a laugh.  

Read more about Wilma and her courses: https://wilmasteen.com/

Text and image: Jenny Svendsby