The Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever, known in Spanish as the Nova Scotia retriever dog, was created in the 19th century to attract, guide towards the hunter and charge waterfowl. The toller, as it is colloquially known, is a medium-sized, powerful and compact dog. At the same time, it is the smallest of the retrievers and some people find it somewhat resembling a small golden retriever.
This dog is very agile and determined and is always alert. He may have a sad or wistful appearance when he is calm, but as soon as the activity starts he shows his true cheerful and dynamic disposition. If you are interested in adopting a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, take a look at this breed file on our site where you will discover all the information you need to know before adopting a dog of this type so that it grows up he althy and happy in your life. side.
Origin of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Although There are no reliable records of the development of this breed, it is widely accepted that it originated during the 19th century in Nova Scotia, Canada. It seems that the founding dogs of the breed belonged to a group of red decoy dogs brought from Europe to Canada by the first settlers. Later, those dogs would have interbred with local dogs and hunting dog breeds brought in from elsewhere. Although the breeds of dogs that participated in the creation of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever are not exactly known, it is thought that they were setter, spaniel and, of course, different types of retrievers.
These dogs were originally known as little river duck dogs or Yarmouth toller. These names arose from the particular way in which these dogs were used for hunting.
The recognition of the breed by the Canadian Kennel Club came in 1945. It was in that year that it was determined that the official name of the breed would be the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. The International Cinological Federation (FCI) recognized this breed in 1982. These dogs are still little known in the world, which is why their population is small and there is a small genetic pool. However, they are relatively popular with hunters in Canada and the United States.
The curious style of hunting with the Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever
The hunting style with these dogs consists of the dogs playing tag with the hunter, who is hidden. They go to and from the blind, picking up a stick or ball thrown by the hunter, which attracts the attention of the ducks. The ducks then move closer to shore until they come within firing range. It is at this moment that the hunter can shoot and, later, the dog collects the injured and dead ducks.
It is said that foxes use a similar strategy to hunt ducks, playing between two foxes… and, of course, without using weapons of fire. It is also said that the indigenous people of Nova Scotia used a similar practice to lure ducks to shore by repeatedly tossing a fox pelt tied to a thin line and drawing it back towards them.
Although this style of hunting has been practiced for a long time, some hunters believe that it is simply a myth that ducks are attracted by the dog playing near the shore. They believe that the frequency with which the ducks approach the shore is the same when there is a dog playing than when there is not.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Physical Characteristics
The males reach a height at the withers that is between 48 and 51 centimeters. In addition, your weight must be between 20 and 23 kilograms. The height of the females is between 45 and 48 centimeters, while their weight is between 17 and 20 kilograms.
The head of these dogs is slightly wedge-shaped and well defined by a broad, slightly rounded skull. The stop is moderate and the nose is black or harmonizes with the color of the coat. The lips are tight and thin, while the strong jaws close in a firm scissor bite.
The toller's eyes are medium-sized, almond-shaped, and range in color from amber to brown. The look has an alert, intelligent and friendly expression. The ears of this dog are triangular, medium in size and set well up and back on the skull. The base of the ears is slightly erect. The neck is of medium length, is strong and has no jowls.
The body of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is slightly longer than it is tall, medium, compact and muscular, and has bones ranging medium to thick. The topline is horizontal, the back is short and straight, and the loin is strong and muscular. The deep chest of these dogs drops to the elbows and the belly is slightly drawn in.
The tail is broad at the base and abundantly fringed with fur. Its last vertebra reaches to the hock and, when the dog is at rest, the tail can hang down. When the dog is active, it lifts and curls its tail, but never touches its body with it.
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever's forelimbs are parallel, straight, with strong bones, muscular shoulders, and elbows close to the body. For their part, the hind limbs have muscular thighs and well-angled knees. Medium, round feet have close-knit, arched toes.
These dogs have a double coat, resistant to water The undercoat is soft and dense, while the outer coat is moderately long and soft. The latter can be slightly wavy on the back of the body, but should be straight on the rest.
Accepted coat colors for this breed are various shades of red or orange, with the fringes and underside of the tail being lighter shades than the rest of the body. Dogs with white markings on the tip of the tail, feet, and chest, and a white ribbon on their forehead are more common and preferred. However, solid color dogs are welcome. The nose, the lips and the rim of the eyes must be flesh-colored, harmonizing with the coat of the hair, or black.
Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever character
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a dog enthusiastic, playful, very active, confident, gentle and sweet He is also a very intelligent that is easy to train, although it is always preferable to use dog training methods based on positive reinforcement.
he is also a dog with a lot of energy, but at the same time he is usually very patient with children (of course, this depends largely on the socialization that each dog receives). Despite his high energy, he is a docile dog who can make an excellent pet if given the physical and mental exercise he needs.
Like all other retrievers, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a fan of retrieving, playing games and swimming. If possible, he should be allowed to swim from time to time.
However, unlike the "typical" retriever, the toller tends to be reserved in unfamiliar situations. To prevent this, it is good to socialize them from puppies and get them used to different situations.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Care
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever can adapt to living in a small apartment if given the necessary exercise. Being a very active and energetic dog, he needs a lot of physical and mental exercise, as well as daily games. If possible, give him the opportunity to burn off energy by swimming.
The coat of these dogs is a good insulator against the cold, so they adjust well to living in cold climates.
The breed regularly sheds. The coat of these dogs should be maintained by daily brushing and combing It is also recommended not to bathe the dog too often so as not to remove the natural protection provided by its fur. Bathing should be done only when the dog is dirty.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Education
To avoid active reactions and future fears, it is important to socialize the Nova Scotia Duck Tollind Retriever from an early age with all kinds of people, animals and environments, in order to have a he althy and balanced dog.
Thanks to the great intelligence that the toller possesses, it will be very easy to educate him in canine obedience, always using positive reinforcement methods, and never with physical damage, choke collars or traditional dog training methods that base the correction of bad behaviors with punishments that subsequently generate poor mental he alth in the dog. Before any suspicion of the appearance of behavioral problems, you should go to a canine educator or ethologist and let yourself be guided by the experience of a professional.
After socialization, we can continue educating the toller with the basic orders of obedience, essential for a good relationship with people and other animals. Ideally, spend 5-10 minutes a day reviewing commands you've already learned and learning about new ones. Intelligence games, new experiences and stimulating the physical and mental development of the dog will make it develop correctly and be happy.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever He alth
This breed is relatively he althy when compared to other dog breeds and has a life expectancy of between 12 and 14 years. However, its small population means that the genetic pool of the breed is reduced and, in turn, this causes a certain predisposition to some diseases of genetic origin The potential hereditary diseases of these dogs include thyroid and autoimmune problems, as well as progressive retinal atrophy.
Even when the dog is he althy, it is necessary to follow the vaccination schedule strictly and take it to the vet for 6 months if possible to prevent and detect any he alth problem.
