Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

It isn't really known how the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever developed, but it is thought that the basic stock for this breed was the red decoy dog-probably brought to Nova Scotia with the early setters from Europe. Crosses with other breeds, most likely spaniel and setter-type dogs, and farm collies, produced today's Toller. They were originally known as the Little River Duck Dog after the district of Yarmouth County, or as a Yarmouth Toller. The Toller has bred true for generations, and was granted official breed status by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1945. Tollers were rarely ever seen outside of Nova Scotia, but today they are spread all across Canada and the United States as well as in Europe and Australia.

A few of these dogs were introduced into the US in the 1960s, but it wasn't until the late 1970s and early 1980s that serious breeders got interested. The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club of American was formed in 1984 to promote interest of the Toller, and safeguard the future for the breed in this country.

They were originally bred in the early 19th century to toll, lure and retrieve waterfowl. The playful action of the Toller retrieving a stick or ball along the shoreline arouses the curiosity of the ducks offshore. They are lured within gunshot range and the dog is then sent out to retrieve the dead or wounded birds.

Males should be 18-21 inches tall, females 17-20 inches. They are medium boned, and weight should be proportionate to height. Their coat is a water repellent double coat of medium length. Color is any shade of red, ranging from a golden red through dark coppery red.

Health issues in the breed include Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) which is a degenerative disease of the retinal visual cells which leads to blindness, Hip dysplasia which is a painful condition caused by abnormally formed hips, and Megaesophagus which is when Food/water travels into the esophagus, but does not move into the stomach.

There are over 40 known diseases which are autoimmune based and a number have been reported in Tollers including (but not limited to): systemic lupus erythematosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated inflammatory bowel disease, immune-mediated poly-arthritis, Addison's Disease, autoimmune mediated vasculitis, immune-mediated thrombocytepia.