The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is acknowledged by the Canadian Kennel Club since 1945. The tolling Retriever of Nova Scotia, the peninsula on the Eastcoast of Canada is the national dog of Nova Scotia. He is a specialized hunting dog in the true sense of the word and was bred to toll ducks close to the shore, similar as the Decoydogs did in the Netherlands and in Great Britain, for example the Kooikerhondjes, which where especially used from the 17th to the 19th century in this or similar duck hunts methods.

 

When tolling ducks the hunter ist throwing little sticks from his  blind. The Toller will retrieve them endlesly in a playful action. By this the ducks will get interested of what is going on and will come closer. Perhaps they think that this dog might be a fox and that´s why they want to have control on the enemy  by keeping an eye on him. As soon as the ducks are in reach of the gun the dog will be stopped in perfect steadyness by using the whistle. The ducks are downed end the toller will retrieve them like clockwork.

 

There are different theories concerning the ancestors of the tollers. One theory is that the Kooikerhondje has played a major role and that the breed came from the Netherlands and England to Canada where it was deleveloped to what they are nowadays. Other people will tell you that the american natives bred this breed inspired by watching foxes hunting and that´s why Tollers have that foxy look. It is prooved that imigrants have reported about tolling foxes in the middle of the 17th century and that these foxes where successful duck hunters. So they started to improve and to train the breeds which where already in place. How ever it happened: The Toller is a little bit different compared to the classic english Retrievers, quicker more cute, intelligent and playful

 

It is owing to Colonel Coldwell that the breed was acknowledged by the CKC in 1945. He started his interests in the breed around 1920 and he purchased his first toller in 1924. He soon realized that this unique breed might die out soon because two horrendous temper epidemics in 1908 and 1912 almost wiped out the small toller population.  In his efforts to save the breed he travelled all over Nova Scotia to find a suitable breeding stock. In a period of 30 years he owned about 82 Tollers and tried to form a standard for the breed. In 1945  15 Tollers where registered by the Candian Kennel Club.

 

Another person with an extreme influence on the breed was Avery Nickerson with his Harbourlight Kennel. He already was an inspired waterfowl and pheasant hunter when he was a young boy. He especially improved the breed´s ability for upland hunting. Nowadays nearly all Tollers have a Harbourlights dog in their pedigree.

 

Tollers spread over Canada and the U.S.first. In 1980 the first Toller reached Denmark, in 1984 Sweden, in 1985 Finnland and in 1988 England. Meanwhile Sweden is the country with the largest toller population (3.200), followed by Canada (2.500). In Germany there are only about 200 registered Tollers and another 200 non registered dogs.

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