At Bear Mountain Kennels, raising animals has always been part of our family’s story. Long before our breeding program became what it is today, our family was surrounded by animals — learning from them, caring for them, and building a life around the joy they bring.

In the 1980s, our animal journey began with snakes and other reptiles. We even put on reptile shows at local public schools, sharing our love of animals with children in the community. When we moved to our farm in Squaw Valley, California in 2000, we had the space to expand into farm and exotic animals, including fainting goats, alpacas, llamas, emus, horses, miniature donkeys, and more. Animals have never just been a hobby for our family — they have been woven into the way we learn, work, serve, and connect with others.

When we moved to the farm and had more space, we especially loved raising goats and being surrounded by animals every day. During that season, we began looking for a service dog for our son Samuel. Samuel has Down syndrome, and when he was little, he was a “runner,” which meant we needed a very specific kind of dog — one with the right temperament, instincts, trainability, and connection for our unique family.

Finding the right fit was not easy. After a long search, we found our first Newfoundland, Elvira, and she changed everything. Elvira became trained for service work, including helping us find Samuel when needed. Through training her, we learned so much about obedience, Rally, scent work, and the steady temperament required for service and therapy work. Elvira went on to earn many titles, and the journey with her opened our eyes to the powerful ways the right dog can bless a family.

That experience became a turning point for Bear Mountain Kennels. As we grew in knowledge, training, and experience, we began to understand how to raise dogs with the confidence, stability, structure, and heart needed for therapy work, service potential, comfort, and deeply connected family companionship. What started as a need within our own family became a calling to help other families find exceptional dogs, too.