Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

Yarmouth Toller Little River Duck Dog Little Red Duck Dog (nick Toller)

Basic Info

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is one of the most unusual breeds of gundog, The Toller should be athletic, well-muscled, compact, and powerful. All tollers should be capable of tolling, and physical faults that inhibit working ability are heavily penalised. They should be of moderate build, a lack of substance or a heavy build are penalised, as both detract from the type and athletisism. An important feature of the breed is its head, which should resemble that of a fox, and must never be blocky like that of a Golden Retriever. Coat The coat is of moderate length and consists of a waterproof outer coat with a dense undercoat for warmth. Any dog without a double coat should be severely penalised. The tail is heavily feathered and the legs are moderately feathered. The coat color may be any shade of red or orange, with deeper colouring preferred. There is usually some white on the chest, feet, nose, head, and tip of tail. One unusual feature of this breed is the webbed feet that permits them to swim easily, along with the "feathered" tail that they use for added balance. A curry comb brush is useful for grooming. Size Tollers range in height from 18 to 20 inches (43-53 cm) at the withers for males, and weigh 45 to 51 pounds (17-23 kg); females are slightly shorter and lighter. There has been a trend towards larger dogs in recent years, however this is not correct breed type and is unacceptable.

Health

Tollers are generally hardy. However, they, like almost all dog breeds, have certain genetic disorders that are prevalent in the breed. This is sometimes blamed on a relatively small gene pool, a problem that is aggravated by the fact that some people buying Tollers only want dogs that are bred in Nova Scotia, beliving that Nova Scotian dogs are the only "true" Tollers. The Toller's hereditary diseases include: -Addison's Disease -Progressive retinal atrophy -Hip dysplasia

Habitat

N/A

Behavior

The Toller is a gentle but active breed. They are highly intelligent and easy to train, although many get bored with repetition. The dog requires extensive daily exercise, as well as regular grooming. They are excellent with older children, but can be wary of strange adults. They do not have the all-forgiving temperament of a Golden Retriever and should not be left unsupervised with young children who have not yet learned how to interact with dogs. Potential owners should note the "Toller scream," a high-pitched and very loud utterance made up of a growl, whine, bark, and howl. The dog will do this to show great excitement and, depending on the dog, any other reason.

Origin

Canada (Nova Scotia)

History

The breed was developed in the Little River district of Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia around the beginning of the 19th Century, and was officially admitted to the Canadian Kennel Club in 1945. 56 years later on June 11, 2001 it was approved for admission into the Miscellaneous Class of the American Kennel Club and was granted full recognition into the Sporting Group on July 1, 2003. The exact origins of the breed are not known, but it appears that some Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, and/or Irish Setter may have gone into the mix. It may share origins with the smaller Kooikerhondje.

Common Foods

pellet dog food