Bernese Mountain Dogs raised in a chalet, not a kennel run.
Our litters grow up in the middle of family life, at the foot of the mountains. At eight weeks, your puppy comes home already used to the world — and already in love with snow.
A small kennel, on purpose.
We never have more than two or three litters a year. That isn't a limitation — it's the only way to know every puppy individually, to handle each one daily, and to know, when placement time comes, which family will suit them.
Our females live with us year-round, at the chalet. They aren't "production dogs" — they're ours, they have two or three litters in their lifetime, and then they retire right here, by the fireplace.
Élise Tanner and Marc Bouchard
Breeders, Lac-Supérieur (Laurentians)
Three commitments, for every puppy.
They apply to every litter we raise — no exceptions, no extra charge.
Health tested before breeding
Hips, elbows, heart, eyes and a genetic panel: our breeding dogs complete every screening recommended for the Bernese Mountain Dog before any litter. You receive the actual results, not a summary.
Socialized at the chalet
Daily handling from day three, gradual exposure to sounds, stairs, children and snow. A calm puppy doesn't happen by accident.
Support for life
We stay reachable long after your puppy leaves — first nights, house-training, feeding, growth. And if you ever can't keep your dog, they come back here. Always.
The Bernese Mountain Dog, and nothing else.
We raise a single breed. The Bernese Mountain Dog comes from the canton of Bern, in Switzerland, where it guarded mountain farms and pulled milk carts — a true "cattle drover" dog, or "bouvier" in French. Its tricolour coat and white chest blaze earned it the nickname "the dog with the Swiss cross".
That origin is where our chalet takes its name. We've known this breed for ten years: its strengths, its gentleness, and the few realities you should accept before adopting one.
From your first question to the ride home.
You write to us
Tell us about your household: children, other pets, living space, experience with large dogs. We reply within one or two days, honestly — sometimes to tell you the Bernese Mountain Dog wouldn't suit you.
We meet at the chalet
Kennel visits by appointment, even before a litter is born. You meet the parents and see where the puppies grow up. A breeder who won't let you visit is telling you something.
Reservation and matching
A $500 deposit confirms your place on the litter. Puppy–family matching happens around week six, based on the temperaments we observe — not on a first-come basis, and not on the markings you picked from a photo.
Going home at eight weeks
Your puppy leaves vaccinated, dewormed, microchipped and examined by our veterinarian, with registration papers, a health record and a blanket that smells like the litter.
What our adopting families say.
"Élise and Marc asked us more questions than we'd prepared for. We understood why once we met Sacha: calm, house-trained within two weeks, already used to kids."
"They warned us about the shedding and the shorter lifespan. We adopted with our eyes open, and two years later we'd make the exact same choice again."
"Visiting the chalet before the litter was even born changed everything. We saw where the parents lived, asked our hardest questions, and left confident instead of rushed."
A litter is expected this fall.
Our puppies are almost always spoken for before they're born. If you're thinking about a Bernese Mountain Dog this year, now is the right time to write — even if you aren't certain yet.