About Us
Wendy Bennett
My husband Russell and I live in a country setting in Nerepis, New Brunswick, CANADA. We have 130 acres with woodland trails, streams, and our pond. Our property borders on the Nerepis River which is a Ducks Unlimited conservation area for all of us to enjoy.
The dogs are very much a part of the family and live in the house. Breeding Bernese is not a business for us, it is a hobby and passion. We have had Berners in our lives since purchasing our first girl from Eve Menegoz in 1991. I enjoy showing in conformation as well as teaching, training and trialing in obedience, rally, draft, hunt tests, etc. Completing draft and obedience titles demonstrates versatility and shows that Bernese can still perform some of the functions that they were originally bred to do. Performance events in general are all about working as a team and building an incredible bond with your dog.
I am a member of the following clubs:
- Life Member of the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC)
- The New Brunswick Kennel Club (NBKC)
- The Charlotte County Kennel Club (CCKC)
- The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada (BMDCC),
- The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America (BMDCA)
I've held executive positions with the NBKC, CCKC, and the BMDCC for a number of years as well as been the CKC Conformation and Draft Dog Representative for Zone 2 (NB & PEI) for many years.
As of January 2015, I am officially a CKC Master Breeder!! This is a very prestigious designation and one that has taken decades of work and dedication to the breed. Thank you to the CKC for recognizing breeders who go the extra distance! Now working towards the International Master Breeder certificate!
I have been breeding Bernese under the Backcountry prefix for +30 years now.
My background in the breed began many years ago, giving me a wealth of knowledge from many of the “old timers” in the breed at the time. I have spent many years increasing my knowledge of genetics, canine health, animal husbandry, movement as well as training, and handling.
With the addition of Darla vom Granzweg from Switzerland in 1998, and multiple other imports since and judicial breeding of their offspring, descendants, and close relatives, we have been blessed with a great many top winners and wonderful companions. During those years it became obvious that more dedicated breeders who shared our thirst for knowledge, ethics, the love of all things Bernese and a willingness to help others were needed to continue what I had started, or when I retired from breeding Bernese this line would be lost like so many others. There are a few selected breeders over North America that we have allowed to use our boys and carry on the genes from them through their breeding programs, however that is just the beginning.
By 2000, I began sharing what I had learned with a wonderful young person named, Bonnie Fisher. She worked hard learning everything Bernese. She is passionate about the breed and a beautiful handler. We have been working together happily since. Bonnie is taking some time away from the breeding to raise her family but is still very much a part of our decision making process.
Bonnie and I have welcomed Lori Bellussi of CT and Jennifer Julian of NS, to our Backcountry family to share and carry forth our vision. They have both been involved with the breed for over 15 years and both have worked very hard for the health and welfare of the breed both inside and outside this breeding program.
I think the future of Bernese, and this breeding program in particular is in good hands with these talented ladies.
Bonnie Fisher
Bonnie has worked tirelessly educating herself within the breed as well as outside the breed. She has owned Bernese for over twenty years now. Before that, her family owned Golden Retrievers which she enjoyed training in obedience and agility. Bonnie shows dogs professionally as well. She lives just outside of Shediac, New Brunswick, CANADA approximately two hours from us, with her husband Scott and their beautiful daughter, Reegan and sons, Frankie and Freddie. Their property backs onto 20 acres of apple tree trails and a pond for the dogs to enjoy hikes and swimming.
Bonnie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Psychology as well as a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors in Psychology. Aside from being a professional All Breed show dog handler and groomer, Bonnie is the research coordinator for the Mount Allison Sexual Health Lab at Mount Allison University.
She is a member of the following clubs:
The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada , and served on the board as Atlantic Director
The Moncton Kennel Club, lifetime member
The Canadian Kennel Club
The Canadian Professional Handlers Association, Atlantic Director
Our common goal in breeding Bernese is simple but not so easy to attain - A healthy, long lived, sweet Bernese that exemplifies the standard. We are very committed to trying to improve the health and longevity of this wonderful breed. You will see in our breeding program that health is a priority from the extensive clearances that we do as well as the pedigrees and clearances of those we choose for our girls.
Lori BellusSi
Lori & John live in Salem, CT, USA on 5.5 acres with lots of trails and streams for both dog and human to enjoy. They enjoy hiking on these nearby trails with their Rhodesian Ridgeback friends as well as strolls on the beach, weather permitting. While searching for her first Bernese Mountain dog which she could show in conformation and performance activities in 1998, she found out about a rescue initiative led by BARC Inc. in which several Bernese had been imported from Russia and being sold at an auction in Texas. They opened their home and hearts to a 6 month old female Bernese that we named Kyra. In doing so, her employer generously matched the adoption fee, resulting in several other Bernese being rescued and placed into forever homes. Lori is very passionate about the breed and has worked very hard for the health and welfare of the breed over the years. Lori is involved in conformation showing, obedience and the sport of draft with her girls.
Lori is a member of:
- The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America,
- The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Nashoba Valley
- The Canadian Kennel Club
Our common goal in breeding Bernese is simple but not so easy to attain- A healthy, long lived, sweet Bernese that exemplifies the standard. We are very committed to trying to improve the health and longevity of this wonderful breed. You will see in our breeding program that health is a priority from the extensive clearances that we do as well as the pedigrees and clearances of those we choose for our girls.
Jenn Julian
In 2003 Jenn got her first Bernese Mountain Dog, marking the beginning of her life altering journey into the world of dogs. She learned about dog shows, performance events and dog breeding, all things that she never expected to devote so much time. In her life outside of dogs, she is a professional who has worked in the corporate world of telecommunications for the better part of the last 20 years. Currently, she lives in Hampton, NB with her Bernese and in her downtime enjoys hiking the trails or walking the beaches with her dogs.
Jenn is active in performance events competing in draft, obedience, agility, and rally. Recently, also stepping into the conformation ring and is learning how to show. Of all the events she competes in, draft is her passion, as she loves the bond it creates with the dogs.
Jenn works hard to promote & grow the sport in the Maritimes and is a CKC Draft Dog Judge as well as a CKC Draft Council member. She is the current Vice President for the BMDCC.
Jenn is a member of:
- The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC)
- The New Brunswick Kennel Club (NBKC)
- The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada (BMDCC)
- The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America (BMDCA)
Jenn, like her other Backcountry family members is very passionate about the health & welfare of this breed. She has been blessed to be welcomed into the Backcountry family by Wendy & Bonnie and provided unequaled mentorship for over a decade. She strives to maintain the standards put in place by Wendy, while holding strong to her own values, morals, and ethics for the breed. She devotes time to researching and continuous learning in an effort to improve the breed. The words spoken to her very early on by Wendy, “Good breeders are the ones who make the hard decisions” has resonated with her and served as a reminder that being a reputable breeder is not an easy task, or for the faint of heart.
The common goal she supports and works to obtain as part of the Backcountry family is to produce healthy, long lived Bernese, with sweet confident temperaments that exemplify the breed standard. She feels health and temperament are two of the most important parts of the breeds foundation, and as such should not be compromised in any breeding program.
We hope you enjoy your visit to our virtual home and we welcome you to come and visit us in person should you ever have the chance, please do.