Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Size
Medium (11kg - 27kg)
Exercise
40 min/day
Training
Weekly
Size of home
House with garden
Time at home
Alone with support
Grooming
Weekly
Barking preference
Low
Personality
Independent + affectionate

Breeder List

Breeder - Mrs Tina Paul (Tolleron)

shantinga@gmail.com
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1. Owned by CR RA Jones 2000257040. Photo by Michelle Guerney

What’s in a name? A great deal in fact. It’s all in the name when it comes to the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Tolling means ‘to call in’, ‘to entice, or lure’ and the Toller is a born Retriever.

History

A versatile breed with a list of achievements longer than its name, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a multitasker. History records an all-round farm dog of mixed origins that performed everyday chores such as pulling carts, herding sheep, enticing birds within range of the hunter and bringing back game.

The Toller’s medium to heavy bone structure enabled it to carry out such tasks.

This is of major importance, due to the need to enter icy waters to retrieve ducks as well as Canada geese. The Toller must also be nimble and agile – hence the movement transferring weight with a rear jaunty gait, typical of the breed. Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, is the home of the originally named Little RiverDuck Dog or Little River Dog. As one travels around those parts of Canada, small Red Retrievers with or without white markings can be seen.

General appearance

It is widely believed that the Toller’s make-up includes a Kooikerhundje type dog, a decoy found in the lowlands of Europe, Belgium and Holland. The Kooiker is smaller, has a long plumed tail that it raises in action and is white with large patches of chestnut red, the opposite colouring to a Toller.

Today’s Toller is of medium size with a powerful, compact and well-muscled build. The breed may exhibit a slightly sad expression until it goes to work. From that point its aspect changes to one of intense concentration and excitement.

When at work, the Toller displays a speeding, rushing action, with the head carried out almost level with the back and its heavily feathered tail in constant motion.

The breed’s coat is made up of various shades of red or orange and usually features at least one of the following white markings: tip of tail, feet (not exceeding beyond the pasterns), chest and blaze. The coat may have a slight wave on the back, but is otherwise straight.

Temperament & Suitability

The Toller is a wonderful dog to train. The breed exhibits great focus and excels in Agility, Flyball and jumping, as well as any activity that involves being a loyal companion to its owner. It is truly an all-round dog.

The breed is highly intelligent and displays a strong desire to both retrieve and play: these qualities are essential to its tolling ability. The Toller loves its family but can be reserved with strangers, without being aggressive or overly shy.

It is a suitable breed for families with children and other dogs, particularly those who lead an active lifestyle. Plenty of exercise is required to keep the Toller fit and happy and swimming is a great way to do this.

Health & Maintenance

Considering the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever of today is derived from five dogs, it is a remarkably sound dog. Health issues are minimal and the breeders in Canada and elsewhere generously support university studies that have resulted in tests available for Heritable Thyroidism (USA lab), PRAcd and Collie Eye.

There are reports of late onset immune mediated disorders but these are common with many breeds. If fed natural foods and exercised well, the Toller is a hardy, healthy dog that can live for up to 16-17 years.

Since it was bred to retrieve from icy waters, the Toller has a water-repellent double coat of medium length and softness, and a more dense, softer undercoat. The breed is easy to care for and a weekly brush should keep its coat in check. The feathering around the ears requires occasional stripping to prevent tangles.

While neatening of the ears and feet is permitted, the Toller should always appear natural.

Words: Denise Jacoby

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, you may think that this is the dog for you. Before you make a decision, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and its needs, and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle.

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 02 Jul 2009)

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Breed Standard - Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

The Toller is a medium-sized, powerful, compact, balanced, well-muscled dog; medium to heavy in bone, with a high degree of agility, alertness and determination. Many Tollers have a slightly sad expression until they go to work, when their aspect changes to intense concentration and excitement. At work, the dog has a speeding, rushing action, with the head carried out almost level with the back and heavily feathered tail in constant motion.

Characteristics

A strong and able swimmer, he is a natural and tenacious retriever on land and from water, setting himself for springy action the moment the slightest indication is given that retrieving is required. His strong retrieving desire and playfulness are qualities essential to his tolling ability.

Temperament

The Toller is highly intelligent, easy to train and has great endurance. Loving and playful to his family, he can be reserved with strangers, without being aggressive or overly shy. Aggression is not to be tolerated.

Physical Standards

Head and Skull	Skull- The head, which should be in proportion to the body size, is clean-cut and slightly wedge-shaped when viewed from above. The broad skull is only slightly rounded, the occiput not prominent and the cheeks flat. Length from occiput to stop should roughly equal that of stop to tip of nose. The stop is moderate.Muzzle, Tapers in a clean line from stop to nose, with the lower jaw strong but not prominent. The underline of the muzzle runs almost in a straight line from the corner of the lip to the corner of the jawbone, with depth at the stop being greater than at the nose. Hair on the muzzle is short and fine. Whiskers are not removed.Nose, Tapers from bridge to tip with nostrils well open. Colour should blend with that of the coat or be black.Lips, Fit fairly tightly forming a gentle curve in profile, with no heaviness in flews.
Eyes	Set well apart, almond shaped, medium sized. Colour, amber to brown. Expression is friendly, alert and intelligent. Flesh around the eyes should be the same colour as the lips.
Ears	Triangular; rounded at the tips, medium-sized and carried in a dropped fashion. They are set high and well back on the skull, with the base held very slightly erect so that the edge of the ear is carried to the side of the head. They are well feathered at and behind the fold, with short hair at the tips.
Mouth	The correct bite is tight scissors, full dentition is required. Overshot by more than 3 mm (1/8 inch), undershot and wry mouth are highly undesirable.Jaws, Are strong enough to carry a sizeable bird, and softness in mouth is essential.
Neck	Slightly arched, strongly muscled and well set-on, of medium length, with no indication of throatiness.
Forequarters	Should be muscular, with the blade well laid back and well laid on, giving good withers sloping into the short back. The blade and upper arm are roughly equal in length with the upper arm well angled back under the body. Elbows should be close to the body, turning neither in nor out, working cleanly and evenly. The forelegs should appear as parallel columns, straight and strong in bone. The pasterns are strong and slightly sloping.
Body	Deep-chested with good spring of rib, brisket reaching to the elbow. The back is short and straight, the topline level, the loins strong and muscular.The ribs are well-sprung, neither barrel-shaped nor flat. Tuck-up is moderate.
Hindquarters	Muscular, broad and square in appearance. Rear and front angulation should be in balance. Thighs are very muscular, upper and lower sections being moderately equal in length. Stifles are well bent and hocks well let down, turning neither in nor out. Dewclaws must not be present.
Feet	The strongly-webbed feet are tight and round with well arched toes, thick pads and strong nails, and are in proportion to the size of the dog. Dewclaws may be removed.
Tail	Following the natural, very slight slope of the croup, broad at the base, luxuriant and heavily feathered, with the last vertebra reaching at least to the hock joint. The tail may be carried below the level of the back except when the dog is alert when it curves high over, though not touching the back.
Gait/Movement	The Toller combines an impression of power with a springy, jaunty gait, showing good reach in front and a strong driving rear. Feet should turn neither in nor out and the legs travel in a straight line. As speed increases, the dog should single-track, topline remaining level, and covering ground with economy of movement.
Coat	The Toller was bred to retrieve from icy waters and must have a water-repellent, double coat of medium length and softness, with a softer, dense undercoat. The coat may have a slight wave on the back, but is otherwise straight. Some winter coats may form a long, loose curl at the throat.Featherings are soft at the throat, behind the ears and at the back of the thighs, and forelegs are moderately feathered. While neatening of the ears and feet is permitted, the Toller should always appear natural.
Colour	Various shades of red or orange with lighter featherings and underside of tail, and usually at least one of the following white markings , tip of tail, feet (not exceeding beyond the pasterns), chest, and blaze.A dog of otherwise high quality is not to be penalised for lack of white. The pigment of the nose, lips and eye rims should match, and be flesh-coloured blending with coat, or be black.
Size	Ideal heightfor males over 18 months is 48-51 cms (19-20 ins);for females over 18 months 45-48 cms (18-19 ins)3 cms (1 ins) over or under ideal height is allowed.Weight should be in proportion to the height and bone of the dog.Guidelines: 20-23 kgs (45-51 lbs) for adult males17-20 kgs (37-43 lbs) for adult bitches.

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog, and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.1. Dogs more than 3 cm (one inch) over or under ideal height.2. Lack of substance in adult dog.3. Dish or down-faced.4. Abrupt stop.5. Nose, eye rims and eyes not of prescribed colour.6. Bright pink nose.7. Large, round eyes.8. Overshot bite.9. Roached, sway back, slack loins.10. Splayed or paper feet, down in pasterns.11. Tail too short, kinked or curled over touching the back.12. Tail carried below level of back when dog gaiting.13. Open coatDISQUALIFICATIONS1. Undershot bite, wry mouth.2. Overshot by more than 3 mm [1/8 inch]3. Butterfly nose.4. Lack of webbing.5. Any colour other than red or orange shades.6. White on shoulders, around ears, on back of neck, across back or flanks.7. Silvery coat, grey in coat, black areas in coat.8. In Adult classes, any shyness.