What is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, and do they make good pets? 

Tollers 

Known as tollers for short, the breed was only recognised by the UK Kennel Club in 1993. Originally developed in Nova Scotia, Canada in the 19^th century, they only reached Britain in 1988. There is no official list of the breeds that went in to creating these retrievers, but it is believed that they were originally created from a mixture of other retriever breeds, collies, setters and spaniels. 

The result of their breeding is that they are the smallest of the retrievers. Although males are larger than females, there is not a big size difference between the sexes. Adults will usually stand at 45-51 cm in height, with a weight of 17-23kg. This classes them as a medium dog breed. 

Tollers are typically a light orange or copper red in colour and often have white markings. Their double coat is made up of a softer, denser under coat, and a mid-length outer coat that is usually straight. They have a feathered tail which adds to their distinguished looks. 

Tollers as Pets 

The breed’s origins are as a gundog to aid with hunting waterfowl. The word tolling comes from a Middle English word that relates to luring or enticing something. First, they would be playful at the water’s edge to grab the attention of the ducks, and once distracted, the hunter could shoot their prey at closer range before these retrievers would happily enter the water to fetch their winnings. 

This energetic eagerness to please and interact makes them a pet with a lot of energy. They are highly intelligent and outgoing as well as agile, so prospective owners need to be confident they can provide both mental and physical stimulation for these dogs. Their medium size means they are suitable for many sizes of home, as long as outdoor space and activities can be catered for. 

Not only are tollers affectionate and loyal companions, but they are great dogs in a family set-up. They are usually good with children, although all dogs of any breed should always be supervised with young children. They are not known for barking much beyond an initial alert, and their friendliness makes them poor guard dogs. 

An active family is ideal to keep them occupied and busy. Their endless energy benefits from several walks a day, ideally totalling two or more hours. Walks need to be vigorous and high energy, and they are an ideal dog for doing agility or other mental games with. They are also naturals in the water with webbed feet making them ideal swimmers. 

With all their potential play and swimming, their coat maintenance needs to be catered for. A mid-length coat makes them prone to muddiness, and the fur behind the ears is prone to knotting. Their overall coat is ideally groomed at least weekly, but this should be increased to daily during their times of shed. The fur around the ears, feet, armpits, and groin should be especially checked regularly to remove hidden vegetation such as grass seeds. 

Although usually very amenable, it is important with any new dog, to train them as a puppy to be comfortable with their coat being brushed and their nails being trimmed. Training is also important in smart and energetic dogs to assist with resting behaviours, and any retriever should be reward trained to swap items or relinquish items that they choose to carry around in their mouths. 

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Health Considerations 

As with any breed, although many individuals will live full healthy lives, Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers have some breed-associated health risks. Many of these are related to recessive genes, which means that both parents need to pass on an abnormal gene for the condition to manifest. If only one parent passes on the gene, the offspring will be a carrier and could pass it on to their offspring. Several pre-breeding screening tests are advised for those breeding these dogs, so prospective owners should discuss these prior to purchase. 

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a hereditary degenerative eye condition that leads to blindness. A DNA test is available to screen for the PRA-prcd gene. A veterinary ophthalmologist can perform a visual assessment of the back of the eye where this condition occurs. Dogs considered for breeding should ideally be screened for this prior, or if you already own a toller, and have concerns about this condition, your vet can assist with investigations and referral as required. 

An ophthalmologist can also assess the eye for choroidal hypoplasia which is a mild form of collie eye anomaly. This condition can affect the development or pigment of the part of the eye called the choroid. In many affected animals, this is an incidental finding, but occasionally it can be more severe. A genetic test is available for this condition. 

Another condition where both parents have to pass on the abnormal gene is degenerative myelopathy. This is a condition that causes deterioration of the spinal cord with age, leading to weakness of the back legs. This usually isn’t seen until 8-10 years of age, although a genetic test is available. 

Similarly, degenerative encephalopathy is a recessive gene abnormality that can affect the part of the brain that controls coordination. It may also affect other aspects of your dog’s behaviour. Where present, it can affect dogs as young as 3-5 years. A genetic screen is available for this condition. 

Screening is available for hip dysplasia which involves submitting x-rays of the dog’s hips through the hip dysplasia scheme run jointly through the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Kennel Club. Ideally, dogs and bitches would be screened prior to breeding, but if you have concerns with your dog’s mobility, your vet can help with preliminary assessments and advise on the best course of action from that. 

Addison’s disease, otherwise called hypoadrenocorticism, is a hormonal imbalance resulting from a disorder of the adrenal glands. These glands produce the stress hormone cortisol, and another hormone, aldosterone, which balances the body’s salt and water levels. With this condition, both hormones are not produced in enough quantities which leads to various symptoms including reduced energy, digestive system symptoms, and altered thirst levels. 

Although Addison’s disease can occur in any individual of any breed, toller’s have a higher-than-average likelihood of developing this condition. Usually a condition of middle-aged dogs (and more common in females), a recessive gene exists in this breed that can trigger a juvenile-onset Addison’s condition. Unlike the other genetic conditions, not all individuals that inherit both recessive genes from their parents will develop symptoms. As any individual can get Addison’s disease, an absence of the gene does not mean they can’t get the condition. A genetic test is available though. 

As a breed, tollers have an increased potential to develop autoimmune conditions in their lifetime. Autoimmune diseases are a group of various conditions that result from an over-sensitive immune system attacking the body’s own cells and tissues as if they are a foreign invader. This can occur anywhere in the body, but the thyroid gland, the tissues around the brain (meninges), and the tissues of the joints are seen most often with this breed. No genetic testing is available for this condition. 

Other conditions seen more often in this breed are epilepsy-related seizures, and a cleft palate. A genetic test is available for the cleft palate. It is important to note though that the commonality of abnormal genes across the hereditary conditions varies between countries. This needs bearing in mind if individuals are imported, as the incidence in UK registered tollers may differ from overseas. 

Conclusion 

Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers are energetic dogs that are sociable and eager to please. Tollers will fit in well with active families and outdoorsy owners. Some genetic conditions should be considered before purchasing or breeding a dog of this breed. As active and intelligent dogs, their main needs as companions revolve around physical and mental stimulation.