The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, or Toller for short, is one of the most unusual breeds of gundog in how the dog works. The hunter stays hidden in a blind and sends the dog out to romp and play near the water, usually by tossing a ball or stick to be retrieved. Just like the fox the dog's activity and white markings pique the curiosity of waterfowl, who swim over to investigate. The act of enticing or luring game to approach is known as "t...
more
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, or Toller for short, is one of the most unusual breeds of gundog in how the dog works. The hunter stays hidden in a blind and sends the dog out to romp and play near the water, usually by tossing a ball or stick to be retrieved. Just like the fox the dog's activity and white markings pique the curiosity of waterfowl, who swim over to investigate. The act of enticing or luring game to approach is known as "tolling". When the birds are close, the hunter calls the dog back to the blind, then rises, putting the birds to flight, allowing him a shot. The Toller then retrieves any downed birds.
The breed was developed in the community of Little River Harbour in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia around the beginning of the 20th Century to toll waterfowl. Its exact origins are not known but it appears that some Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, or Irish Setter may have gone into the mix. It may share origins with the smaller Kooikerhondje, which has a similar...
less
