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42-541: The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a medium-sized gundog bred primarily for hunting. It is often referred to as a "toller". It is the smallest of the retrievers, and is often mistaken for a small Golden Retriever . Tollers are intelligent, eager to please, alert, and energetic. The name "toller" is derived from their ability to lure waterfowl within gunshot range. The breed originated in Yarmouth County , Nova Scotia , Canada. The American Kennel Club ranks

84-511: A farm collie mongrel , although the latter has yet to be confirmed. The breed was perfected in the second half of the 19th century. The breed gained national recognition in 1980 and was declared the provincial dog of Nova Scotia in 1995, when two Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers were awarded Best in Show at championship events that included many breeds. Tollers are named for their ability to entice or lure waterfowl within gunshot range, which

126-421: A golden red through dark coppery red with lighter featherings on the underside of the tail, pantaloons, and body. The lighter shades of golden red are deeply pigmented and rich in colour. The Toller should not be buff, brown, or beige, though some buff and sable tollers do appear in breeding lines. It is common for a toller to have at least one of the following white markings: tip of tail, feet (not extending above

168-444: A majority of waterfowl hunting employs the use of small boats in winter conditions, retrievers are expected to remain sitting calmly and quietly until sent to retrieve. As birds move into range, a well-trained retriever will watch and follow the handler's gun as he shoots, marking, and remembering each bird that is downed. This is called "marking off the gun", and the downed birds are called "marks". Retrievers often are expected to recall

210-401: A priority issue, together with epilepsy and hip dysplasia. As many as 1 in 6 Tollers may have autoimmune thyroiditis . Symptoms of thyroid problems includes weight gain, skin and hair problems including hair loss, weakness, cold intolerance or infertility. Addison's disease affected 1% of Tollers in a health survey, an incidence rate 10 times more than the general dog population. Carrier rate

252-418: A soft 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 and moderate in length. The tail is well feathered and held jauntily when the dog is excited or moving. The hair on the muzzle is short and fine. Seasonal shedding is to be expected. Those who breed Tollers for conformation shows consider

294-575: A strong prey drive and may chase after cats or other small animals. Their prey drive can be avoided if cats, for example, are introduced early on in a toller's life. Failure to properly socialize tollers at a young age may result in aggressive, destructive, or timid behaviour in maturity. A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 13.2 years from a sample of 47 deaths for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds . Tollers are generally hardy. However, like almost all dog breeds, certain genetic disorders are known to occur in

336-479: A team, one works close in while the other ranges out in larger circles. If either dog becomes birdy, the other dog works its way over to assist. Good bird dogs are alert to their handlers and to the disposition of other dogs in the field. They should readily comply if the handler casts them to an area of particular interest, such as a brush pile. When game is detected, a dog freezes, either pointing or crouching. If other dogs are present, they also freeze, "honoring"

378-403: Is also important in jumping, as the shoulder must rotate back for the horse to bring its foreleg parallel to the ground, which will then raise the animal's knees upward and get the lower part of the forelegs out of the way. Therefore, the withers have a direct impact on one of the most important points of conformation : the shoulder. In dogs , the height of the withers is often used to determine

420-418: Is called "tolling". 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 appearance is similar to that of a fox. Its unusual activity and white markings pique the curiosity of ducks and geese, which swim over to investigate. When the birds are close, the hunter calls the dog back to the blind, then rises, putting

462-532: Is categorized as a "sporting" dog under the CKC and AKA organizations making tollers ideal dogs for various physical activities. Other kennel clubs such as the AKNC and UKC categorize tollers as a " gundog " which depicts their drive, mental intelligence, and intuitive hunting sense. Kennel clubs throughout the world recognize Tollers as an athletic, intelligent, and a driven breed that has the innate ability to excel in any of

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504-410: Is deep. 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, with a lack of substance or a heavy build being penalized by judges for detracting from the breed standard and athleticism. A toller's legs are sturdy and solid and they have webbed feet. Tollers can be any shade of red ranging from

546-510: Is estimated at 18%. This disease is also considered an important issue in the breed. Signs include lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, increased drinking and urination, and shivering. Aseptic meningitis (sometimes called steroid-responsive meningitis) has been diagnosed in increasing numbers in the Norwegian Toller population in recent years. Symptoms include intensive neck pain, fever, and lethargy. Prevalence

588-492: Is estimated at 2.5% in the Norwegian population. Health tests are available for both eye diseases and autoimmune thyroiditis. A test for Addison's disease is available but it is only for one form of the disease and there are other forms which also affect the breed. A test is also available for one form of cleft palate that is exclusive to Tollers. Early testing shows a carrier rate of about 15%. A survey conducted in 2002 by

630-559: The American Kennel Club group them in a sporting group. Withers Withers are the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped . In many species, this ridge is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle are often measured to the top of the hips. The term (pronounced / ˈ w ɪ ð . ər z / ) derives from Old English wither ("against'), because

672-402: The pasterns ), and chest. Lack of white is not a fault as tollers can be born without white markings. Dogs with white on the shoulders, around ears, back of neck, across back or flanks, or with silvery, grey or black areas in coat are disqualified from conformation shows. The toller was bred to retrieve from icy waters and must have a water-repellent double coat of medium length and softness and

714-409: The withers , and weigh 30–50 lb (14–23 kg), with females being slightly shorter and lighter. Tollers are a medium-sized breed. Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers are known to be very intelligent, curious, alert, outgoing, and high-energy dogs. They are affectionate, eager to please, busy, and get along well with children. They are good family dogs. However, potential owners should be wary of

756-596: The Canadian Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever breed club to discover which diseases and conditions occur in the Toller population, involving owners of 1180 dogs worldwide, showed 73% reported in excellent health and a total of 7.5% reporting poor or bad health. 141 dogs (12%) were reported as deceased with the average age at death being 6.4 years. The most common cause of death was cancer, reported in 25% of deaths, with old age being

798-473: The birds to flight and allowing themselves a shot. The toller then retrieves any downed birds. They are particularly suited for retrieving in cold water climates because of their water-repellent double coat. Tollers are often mistaken for small Golden Retrievers , but the toller is more active, both physically and mentally. According to the breed standards , the toller is athletic, muscular, compact, medium to heavy boned, balanced and powerful. The toller's chest

840-502: The breed is known as progressive rod-cone degeneration. The disease causes cells in the retina to degenerate and die. This causes night blindness at first and eventually complete blindness. Collie eye anomaly is estimated to have a carrier rate of 5% and an affected rate of 0.5%. It generally only causes mildly impaired vision, although in more severe cases it can lead to retinal hemorrhaging and detachments resulting in blindness. Thyroid problems have been identified by American breeders as

882-472: The breed is not able to maintain a steady level of inbreeding in the long term. The Toller is known to excel in various sporting and obedience activities, and health and safety related jobs. The breeds' high energy and intelligence makes them perfect candidates for difficult jobs that require tremendous dedication and skill. Tollers enjoy working and being outside, therefore, it is no surprise that they excel at various sport and job related activities. The breed

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924-463: The breed. This is sometimes blamed on a relatively small gene pool. The Finnish breed club states the largest health problems in the breed tend to be immunity related. They can be affected by eye problems and hip dysplasia and are predisposed to immune-mediated rheumatic disease and steroid-responsive meningitis–arthritis. Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) affects about 7% of Tollers with an estimated 40% being carriers. The type of PRA associated with

966-408: The capacity to be very social dogs as long as they are sufficiently socialized early on in life. While tollers are energetic and outgoing around their owners and family, their cautious nature makes them reserved around strangers. Exposure to new people, locations, smells, and sights are crucial to the healthy development of the toller breed. They tend to get along well with other dogs. However, they have

1008-481: The dog is performing a retrieve. Retrievers are taught to ignore these "diversions" until the current retrieve has been completed. Also at times multiple dogs are used on a hunt, and retrievers are also taught to "honor" another dog's retrieve by remaining calm and quiet while the other dog is working. When competing in conformation shows most kennel clubs , including The Kennel Club group pedigree gun dog breeds together in their own gun dog group, whilst some such as

1050-414: The dog should have a strong retrieving drive, intense birdiness, endurance, and a love for water. Tollers do not have an aggressive bark. Some have a unique sounding bark known as the "toller scream", which is a high-pitched howl -like sound which is often referred to as "singing". They do not use this bark in violent situations, rather; the "toller scream" is expressed when they are excited. Tollers have

1092-409: The dog's initial exuberance and may help the dog establish its bearings and form a "background" upon which game smells will be processed. The dog then begins working back and forth, starting near the hunter and slowly ranging out. The dog repeats this process as the hunters move through the field. How far a handler allows the dog to range is a matter of personal preference. When a pair of dogs work as

1134-534: The first dog's point. The pointing dog remains motionless until the hunters are in position. Handlers give the command whoa , instructing the dog to remain still. What happens next depends on the dog's training. Some trainers train the dog to stay motionless while the hunter steps forward and flushes the game. Other trainers direct the dog to flush the game with a command such as get it! Pointing dogs excel on covey type birds such as bobwhite , quail , and grouse as these birds will hold in position well, allowing

1176-539: The flight of the bird and mark the fallen birds for retrieval. A dog which does this successfully is referred to as "steady to wing and shot". Steadiness is the hallmark of the finished spaniel. When a bird is shot, the dog should mark where it fell and wait until given the command to retrieve. Once commanded, the dog will race to the point of fall, pick up the bird, and return it to the handler. Retrievers are typically used when waterfowl hunting , although they can also be employed in hunting upland birds as well. Since

1218-470: The following activities: dog agility , dock jumping , disc catching , flyball , lure coursing , obedience , search and rescue , therapy dog , and hunting . Gundog There are several breeds used as gundogs with varying instinctive skill sets for each one. Gun dogs are divided into three primary types: retrievers , pointing breeds , and water dogs . Although classified according to method of work, gun dogs often have skills extending beyond

1260-427: The head (clean cut, slightly wedge-shaped) 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 ears are triangular and set high and well back from the skull. The pigment on a toller's nose, lips, and eye rims should match, appearing either black (which normally fades with age) or liver, blending into the coat. Lips fit fairly tightly around

1302-404: The horse are considered in evaluating conformation. Generally, a horse should have well-defined withers, as they are considered an important attachment point for the muscles of the torso. Withers of medium height are preferred, as high withers make it difficult to fit a saddle and are often associated with a narrow chest, and low withers (known as "mutton withers") do not provide a ridge to help keep

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1344-465: The horse's head does, the withers are used as the measuring point for the height of a horse. Horses are sometimes measured in hands – one hand is 4 inches (10.2 cm). Horse heights are extremely variable, from small pony breeds to large draft breeds. The height at the withers of an average thoroughbred is 163 centimetres (16.0 hands; 5 ft 4 in), and ponies are up to 147 centimetres (14.2 hands; 4 ft 10 in). The withers of

1386-455: The hunter to approach and get into position. If a bird is downed, the dogs are instructed to search for and retrieve it with the command dead bird , or simply dead . When hunting upland game , flushing dogs (spaniels and retrievers) work much more closely with the hunter. Flushers will not cover the same amount of ground as a pointing dog as the flusher must be kept within shotgun distance. Flushing dogs are often used on birds that run from

1428-409: The hunter. On such birds as pheasant , an aggressive flush is necessary to spring the bird to wing. Flushing dogs excel on these types of bird because they do not point the birds, giving them little time for escape on the ground. Pointing breeds are used on such birds, but must be well trained to know when the bird pointed has moved. Once a bird has been flushed, the dog will sit or "hup" to watch

1470-455: The location of many downed birds in one sitting before they retrieve game. Once the shooting has ceased, the handler commands the dog to retrieve each bird that has been downed. If a dog did not see the bird fall, a retriever takes direction from the handler, who can use hand and whistle signals to guide the dog to the unseen downed bird. This is called a "blind" retrieve. During a typical day of shooting, additional birds are frequently downed while

1512-424: The mouth. The correct bite is a scissor bite with full dentition required. A toller's jaws are strong enough to carry a large bird but they must have a soft mouth, too. Eyes are set well apart, almond shaped, and medium-sized and amber to dark brown in colour. Expression is friendly, alert, and intelligent. Tollers are the smallest of all the retriever breeds. They range in height from 17–21 in (43–53 cm) at

1554-547: The next most common at 9%. A worldwide study of the Tollers' registration history in 17 countries shows that about 90% of the genetic diversity present in the founding population has been lost. Tollers born between 1999 and 2008 have an effective founder size of 9.8, realized effective population size of 18 and an average inbreeding coefficient of 0.26. Breeders are working to prevent losing heterozygosity and to maintain sufficient genetic variations. High kinship value means

1596-624: The physical and mental commitment that is required in order to keep a toller busy. Physical stimulation should be provided for these dogs each day since they may become destructive when they are not exercised enough or are left alone for long periods of time. Duck Tollers are working animals and are happiest when they have a job to do. Tollers are excellent hunting companions. They excel at many types of sporting competitions such as agility, dock diving, and obedience. Their keen sense of smell, intelligence, drive for work, and small size make them perfect search and rescue dogs . The breed standard states that

1638-401: The saddle in place. More importantly, the dorsal spinal processes provide an attachment for the muscles that support the shoulder and neck. Horses do not have a clavicle , so the shoulder can freely rotate backwards. If the vertebrae of the withers are long front-to-back, the shoulder is freer to move backwards. This allows for an increase of stride length. thus increasing the horse's speed. It

1680-464: The tasks outlined for their classification. Depending upon how they are trained, dogs may be useful in a variety of hunting situations. The methods described here are analogous to human-canine hunting going back tens of thousands of years. Upon reaching the field, the handler often will cast or direct the dog in a wide circle. Experienced dogs will search the edges of the field knowing that birds are usually found there. This wide run helps to burn off

1722-634: The toller as the 87th most popular dog breed. The breed was developed in the Acadian community of Little River Harbour in Yarmouth County , Nova Scotia around the beginning of the 19th century. The toller was originally referred to as the Little River Duck Dog before being officially recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1945 as a purebred dog. The toller is a mixture of retriever , spaniel , setter , and possibly

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1764-409: The withers are the part of a draft animal that pushes against a load . The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the 3rd through 11th thoracic vertebrae , which are unusually long in this area. Most horses have 18 thoracic vertebrae. The processes at the withers can be more than 30 centimetres (12 in) long. Since they do not move relative to the ground as

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