- Colour is various shades of red or orange with lighter featherings and underside of tail, and usually at least one of the following white markings : tip of tail, feet (not extending beyond the pasterns), chest and blaze.
- A dog of otherwise high quality is not to be penalized for lack of white.
- The pigment of the nose, lips, and eye rims to be flesh-coloured, blending with coat, or black
About the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Origin: Canada
- Typical life span
- 12-14 years
- Size
- Medium — from its typical weight
- Weight
- 16-23 kg
- Height
- Male
- 46-53 cm
- Female
- 43-51 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs
- Origin
- Canada
- Also called
- Perro Cobrador de Nueva Escocia
- Known hereditary risks
- 7 documented conditions, with the test for each
About
What is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever?
The smallest of the retrievers, this medium-sized, athletic sporting dog is known for its distinctive reddish coat with white markings and enthusiastic personality. Originally bred for luring and retrieving waterfowl by playing along the shoreline.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever history and origins
Developed in early 19th century Nova Scotia, specifically in the Little River Harbour area of Yarmouth County, to 'toll' (lure) ducks within gunshot range by playing along the shoreline, then retrieve shot birds. Recognized by AKC in 2003.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever appearance and size
Males typically stand 46-53 cm at the shoulder and females 43-51 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- The Tolling dog runs, jumps and plays along the shoreline in full view of a flock of ducks, occasionally disappearing from sight and then quickly reappearing, aided by the hidden hunter, who throws small sticks or a ball for the dog. The dog’s playful actions arouse the curiosity of the ducks swimming offshore and they are lured within gunshot range. The Toller is subsequently sent out to retrieve the dead or wounded birds
- Behaviour and temperament
“The Toller is highly intelligent, easy to train and has great endurance. A strong and able swimmer, he is a natural and tenacious retriever on land and from water setting himself for springy action the moment the slightest indication is given that retrieving is required. His strong retrieving desire and playfulness are qualities essential to his tolling ability”
Quoted from FCI standard n°312. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Medium
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “The Tolling dog runs, jumps and plays along the shoreline in full view of a flock of ducks, occasionally disappearing from sight and then quickly reappearing, aided by the hidden hunter, who throws small sticks or a ball for the dog. The dog’s playful actions arouse the curiosity of the ducks swimming offshore and they are lured within gunshot range. The Toller is subsequently sent out to retrieve the dead or wounded birds” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 4 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 4 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- 7 conditions documented
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
What you get with the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
- Purpose stated in the standard: “The Tolling dog runs, jumps and plays along the shoreline in full view of a flock of ducks, occasionally disappearing from sight and then quickly…”
- The standard describes the breed as: “The Toller is highly intelligent, easy to train and has great endurance”
What you are taking on
- 5 serious inherited conditions are documented, mainly in eyes and heart & circulation. The health guide tab has the test to ask for on each.
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “Some winter coats may form a long, loose curl at the throat.”
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard; UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory — Cardiac Laminopathy (CLAM) in the NSDTR. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Coat
The Toller was bred to retrieve from icy waters and must have a water-repellent double coat of medium length and softness with a softer, 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 at the throat, behind the ears and at the back of the thighs, and forelegs are moderately feathered
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°312 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the breed standard says
- Size
- “Ideal height for males over 18 months is 19-20 ins. (48-51 cm); females over 18 months 18-19 ins. (45-48 cm). One inch (2,5 cm) over or under ideal height is allowed. Weight: Should be in proportion to the height and bone of the dog - Guidelines: 45-51 lbs. (20-23 kg) for adult males; bitches 37-43 lbs. (17-20 kg)”
- FCI gives a bound on one side only, so there is no range to state.
Quoted from FCI standard n°312. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
What the standard penalises
What a judge marks the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.
Disqualifying faults
Puts an animal out of the ring altogether.
- Butterfly nose.
- Overshot of more than 1/8 inch (3 mm).
- Undershot bite, wry mouth.
- Lack of webbing.
- White on shoulders, around ears, on back of neck, across back or flanks.
- Silvery coat, grey in coat, black areas in coat.
- Any colour other than red or orange shades
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
Health & screening guide for the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Known hereditary risks for the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
7 conditions documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Heart & circulation
Cardiac laminopathy (CLAM)
Serious
A recently identified, fatal heart condition causing dilated cardiomyopathy and sudden death in young adult dogs, typically before 18 months old. There is no treatment.
What to ask for
DNA test for the LMNA gene deletion on both parents
Bones & joints
Hip dysplasia
Monitor
Malformation of the hip joint that can progress to osteoarthritis. OFA's own aggregated results put this breed's dysplasia rate moderately above average for a medium-sized breed.
What to ask for
Hip evaluation from OFA or PennHIP on both parents
Brain & nerves
Cerebellar degeneration and myositis complex (CDMC)
Serious
A recently characterised condition affecting the cerebellum, causing a progressive loss of coordination and balance from as young as 10 weeks to 6 months old.
What to ask for
DNA test for CDMC on both parents
Degenerative myelopathy (DM)
Monitor
A slow, progressive disease of the spinal cord causing weakness and eventual paralysis of the hind legs, usually starting between 8 and 14 years old. There is no cure, only management.
What to ask for
DNA test for the SOD1 gene mutation on both parents
Eyes
Collie eye anomaly / choroidal hypoplasia (CEA/CH)
Serious
An inherited eye malformation ranging from a small area of underdeveloped tissue at the back of the eye with no effect on sight, to retinal detachment and blindness in its more severe form. It is present from birth and normally checked for in puppies before sale.
What to ask for
DNA test for CEA/CH on both parents, or an eye examination under a recognised scheme (CAER/BVA-KC-ISDS) on puppies before 8 weeks old
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Serious
Progressive, incurable degeneration of the retina leading to blindness.
What to ask for
DNA test for prcd-PRA on both parents
Hormones & metabolism
Juvenile Addison's disease (JADD)
Serious
A juvenile form of hypoadrenocorticism in which the adrenal glands stop producing essential hormones, typically appearing around 5 months of age with lethargy, vomiting and diarrhoea, sometimes alongside eye inflammation. It needs lifelong hormone replacement once diagnosed.
What to ask for
DNA test for the RESF1 gene variant on both parents
How long the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever lives, in the records
Median survival 13.2 years
95% confidence interval from 12.2 years, upper bound not estimable, from 47 recorded deaths among 248 dogs
Mortality hazard 0.65 (0.49, 0.87) relative to crossbred dogs, whose median is 12.0 years.
Few deaths recorded for this breed, so the figure is imprecise.
Measured in the United Kingdom from 584,734 dogs. Median survival is not a prediction for an individual dog.
McMillan, K.M., Bielby, J., Williams, C.L., Upjohn, M.M., Casey, R.A. & Christley, R.M. (2024) Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531.
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