Toller temperament & personality
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever—or Toller—is known for its intelligent, energetic, and affectionate nature. Here’s a breakdown of their temperament*:
Highly Intelligent: Tollers are one of the smartest retriever breeds, making them quick learners and eager to please.
Energetic & Playful: They thrive on activity and love running, swimming, and playing fetch.
Hardworking & Driven: Originally bred for hunting, they enjoy having a job to do and excel in agility and obedience training
Great with Families: Tollers are affectionate and playful, making them excellent companions for children.
Aloof with Strangers: Some Tollers may be reserved around new people, but early socialization helps them become more outgoing.
Strong Prey Drive: They may chase smaller animals like cats or squirrels.
The “Toller Scream”: When excited, they emit a unique high-pitched yelp, which can be surprising to new owners.
*Per www.dogtemperament.com & www.dogster.com
History of the Breed
The Toller was developed in Nova Scotia Canada in the mid-to-late 1800’s. It is unlikely that any purebred breeds were used in the development of the Toller. A purebred dog in those days would be prohibitively expensive. The people who developed the breed were sustenance hunters, farmers, fisherman, traders and trappers. They would not be wealthy enough to purchase a purebred dog. It is thought that Tollers were developed from progenitors, or mixes, of Flat Coated Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, some kind of Spaniel, and farm Collies. This breed originated in Yarmouth, Canada, so they were developed for cold weather hunting, but also tolerate hot weather very well.
Toller Description
Height: 17 to 21 inches at the withers. Weight: Normally 30 to 50 pounds.
Males are usually larger than females and dogs over 50 pounds or under 30 are less common and definitely not preferred. The breed is still developing so different sizes, types, or lines are common. The Toller is considered to be a medium sized dog and the smallest of the retrievers.
The Toller head and neck are carried slightly elevated. Ears are triangular in shape and down close to the head and forward when alert. The skull is broad and flat between the ears. The muzzle is moderately broad with a scissor bite.
The Toller is considered to be a medium sized dog and the smallest of the retrievers.
The nose and eye-rim color are what we call “self-colored” which mean they blend into the dog, however, a black nose and pigment is acceptable, and more common in rescues than is found in the general Toller population. Their chest tends to be deep and wide. The gaze will express intelligence and alertness. Their double coat is shiny, straight or slightly wavy, and can range in length but usually around 2 inches long. The coat color is varying shades of red, from a light red golden orange through dark copper. The longer featherings are generally lighter in shade than the body coat. While there are some variations seen in the breed, Tollers do not normally come in any other color and do not have black in their coat. Tollers also normally have some white markings. These are typically found on the feet, chest/throat, tail tip and blaze. In rescues it is not uncommon to see very little white or “mis marks” that have a patch of white on their shoulders like a Collie or Sheltie. The topline is straight; their tail is bushy and is usually carried even or slightly above the back when moving. The length of the tail should reach the hock. The tail may form a “C” over the back when alert.