Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is one of the most unusual breeds of gundog, at least in terms of how the dog works. The hunter stays hidden in a blind and sends the dog out to romp and play near the water, usually by tossing a ball or stick to be retrieved. The dog's crazy antics and white markings pique the curiosity of waterfowl, who swim over to investigate. The act of enticing or luring game to approach is known as tolling. When the birds are close, the hunter calls the dog back to the blind, then rises, putting the birds to flight, and shoots them. The Toller then retrieves any downed birds.
Appearance
According to the breed standard, the Toller should be athletic, well-muscled, compact, and powerful. Conformation judges require Tollers to be capable of tolling, and physical faults that inhibit working ability are heavily penalized. They should be of moderate build—a lack of substance or a heavy build are penalized by judges, as both detract from the type and athletisism. Those who breed Tollers for conformation shows consider the head to be an important feature, and believe it should resemble that of a fox and must never be blocky like that of a Golden Retriever.
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 will be severely penalized by a judge. The tail is heavily feathered and the legs are moderately feathered. The coat colour may be any shade of red or orange, with deeper colouring preferred by many. 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.
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. Tollers are traditionally the smallest breed of the retriever family.
Temperament
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.
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, believing that Nova Scotian dogs are the only "true" Tollers. The Toller's hereditary diseases include:
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.
A common myth about Tollers is that they descend from red fox/dog hybrids. This is easily disproved as fox/dog hybrids cannot produce fertile offspring.