Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever , also called " tollers , " are a medium - sized sporting breed originally bred as hunting fellow . Learn more about the active and intelligent breed .
Nova Scotia duck’s egg tolling retrievers , or " toller , " are the smallest of the American Kennel Club’srecognized retriever breed — but they ’re big on fun and personality . toll collector are a medium - sized sporting breed with a striking red coat and livid markings . Originally bred and trained to run in Nova Scotia , the dog bear on to be used ashunting companionsbut can also beaffectionate phratry dogs . And while they are less well - known than aLabrador retrieverorgolden retriever , these cuties are produce in popularity .
Appearance
Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers aremedium - sized , compact dogswho are gaudy and agile , saysKristina Mott , DVM , CVA , CCRT . A full - grow Nova Scotia duck’s egg tolling retriever is about 17–21 inch marvelous and consider between 35–50 pounds . liken to a Lab ( who can be 55–80 pounds ) or a gilded ( at 55–75 Egyptian pound ) , tollers are all the high - energy merriment of a retriever , just on a slightly smaller ordered series .
Tollers ' ruddy coats range from a golden loss to a coppery orange , with bloodless markings typically present on their understructure , bureau , and sometimes trail and face . Tollershave a bivalent coatwith a dim undercoat , which protected them from the cold water of their homeland . Theyshed their fluffy down undercoatseasonally , soyou’ll need the right vacuumto keep your level and furniture clean . Mott , a practicing veterinarian who also breedsNova Scotia duck’s egg tolling retriever puppy , saysbrushing a toller ’s threefold coata few times a week can help keep the fur from fly .
When a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever is working , her feathered tail will move chop-chop and always as she lures in water bird for her human hunt partner . Her almond - forge eyes mix in with her coating or can be a chip sour , according to the breed standard , and are always merry . Her ears are floppy but pick up up at attention when there ’s a duck ( or a favorite toy ) in sight .
RvDam / Adobe Stock
Temperament
Born and bred hunters , ringer areactive dogs . But , Mott articulate , with proper exerciseand mental simulation , a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever will flip her " off - switch " at the terminal of the day and be a tranquil house puppy . But know that she ’ll be ready to go - go - go again at a bit ’s notice .
Although sporting blackguard by definition , bell ringer can also be cuddly family dogs . As with any dog , playtime with young youngster should be supervisedby an adult , and little ace should never be left neglected . But active , old shaver would make great playmate for Nova Scotia duck’s egg tolling retrievers .
" Different lines tend to have more snuggly temperaments than others , " Mott allege . " Some are more independent , lay - at - your - feet frankfurter whereas others are more snuggle - on - top - of - you dogs . "
sebgsh / Adobe Stock
Withproper socialization , Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers can get along well with other dogsas well as hombre . Generally , the breed is conservative with strangers at first , but as they get to know novel citizenry they become more accepting . That say , some of these happy hot dog will be friendly from the get - go ; Mott enounce some tollers may have " missed this memo and willlove on anyone . "
The Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever is anintelligent breedthat requirestraining that ’s mentally stimulating — they’ll chop-chop get blase with insistent training sessions . They are alert , outgoing , and incredibly riotous learner whentraining is kept positiveand merriment .
Living Needs
Nova Scotia duck’s egg tolling retriever need a lively environment that prioritizes practice session and mental stimulation . That means awalk around the neighborhoodor play academic session in the backyard is a daily requirement . A tollkeeper owner should be " willing to providechewy toysorfood puzzlesand indoor breeding games in inclement weather or when the possessor is n’t feeling up to outdoor activity , " Mott says .
activity that play into these dogs ' drive to hunting and retrieve waterfowl ( hence the name ! ) are gravid mode to glow off steam and keep their mind betroth . Tollers can also be genius athletes in many click sports , grant to theNova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club(NSDTRC ) , includingagility , flyball , anddock dive .
Although they can conform toapartment living , Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever might not be a first alternative for someone with shared wall . They have a distinctive " toller scream"—a high up - pitched bark — they let out when excited . This may be music to a duck - Orion ’s ears , but it can be loud and even spike - piercing when unexpected — and definitely wo n’t make your neighbors happy .
dezy / Shutterstock
Having been breed as hunt companions , tollers also have astrong prey drivethat may prompt them to chamfer any small brute ( like a passing squirrel ) they see outdoors . Afenced - in yardwill give them a place to dally while foreclose them from run after anything — and everything — they see .
Care
These redheads need regular sustentation to keep their coat looking pretty . On top of frequent brushing ( at least a dyad time a workweek ) , pup parents will call for to ante up extra attention to their dog ’s pinna and paws . Nova Scotia duck’s egg tolling retriever should have their auricle pelt brushed and trimmed to keep the fuzz from felt up , and proprietor should trim the supererogatory hair between the pads of their foot to keep them from slipping on the still floors inwardly .
And while tollers like to keep participating , they ’re not a stock that require day-and-night action every 24-hour interval . A 30 - minutegame of backyard fetch(followed by someinteractive toys inside ) will keep her well-chosen . But on the weekends , she might desire something a little more , like a long rise .
Tollers have a strong retrieving desire , mate witha love of waterand what Mott describes as an " intense birdiness"—or passion for finding waterbird . They fuck action that allow them to occupy with their owners . Because Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers were originally breed to hunt alongside their owners for hour at a time , they bond intimately with their household and prefer not to be alone .
Health
Withregular veterinary forethought , ahealthy diet , and an exercise routine , tollers aregenerally healthy dogs . Though , like any dog strain , they can occasionally have neurological , orthopedic , or cardiac disorders that show up . If you ’re adding a Nova Scotia duck’s egg tolling retriever puppy to your family , make certain to take your stock breeder for complete health records .
Mott says tollers are particularly prostrate toAddison ’s disease , hip dysplasia , andprogressive retinal atrophy(PRA ) . breeder can lead a transmissible test for juvenile Addison ’s disease , an resistant mediated upset . wellness clearance and genetic testing are also available for both hip joint dysplasia and PRA . Although tollman may carry the factor for these conditions , stock breeder can selectively spawn aside from them to extinguish their occurrence .
Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers , as long as they arekept at an appropriate weightand brawn shape , are not as prone to orthopedical problems , Mott says .
History
allot to theNova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club , tollgatherer were developed in the showtime of the nineteenth century in the biotic community of Little River Harbour in Nova Scotia ’s Yarmouth County . Because of this descent , the breed was originally known as the " Little River Duck Dog " or the " Yarmouth tollman . "
While it ’s not 100 - percentage verified , some toller experts believe the stock was created from a mix of spaniel and setter - type dogs , retriever - type dogs , and farm collies . They may also trace their origin to the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje and the now - nonextant St. John ’s Water Dog .
" Tolling " is from the Middle English " tollen , " meaning to entice or puff . Seventeenth - one C records recall Nova Scotian hunters using the breed for tolling ducks . Hunters , inspire by the path fox play along shorelines to lure in water bird , started train their heel to mimic the action . They threw sticks and rock for the dogs to retrieve . The tidy sum of a toll agent , with their feathery shadower and red coat , draws curious ducks within gunshot range of mountains . After the hunter fires , the toller retrieves the game and returns it to their owner ’s hand .
In 2003 , the bell ringer became the AKC ’s 150th recognise breed . Nova Scotia duck’s egg tolling retrievers continue to be used for hunting today , and they are lovesome dogs who love to play and work hard .
