The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever - or Toller, as it is commonly called - is one of the six retriever breeds. The other five retriever breeds are Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Flatcoated Retriever, Chesapeake Retriever, and Curly Coated Retriever.

It is important to emphasize that they are six different breeds, and the "surname" Retriever simply means that they are bred for the same purpose - retrieving shot game. That is, it is a dog that primarily works after the shot. Several hunters also use their Toller for driving game.

The Toller has another task - namely to lure ducks and geese within shooting range. The word "to toll" means "to lure." The way it is done is that the hunter and the Toller hide behind a blind near the water and wait for a flock of birds to settle on the water. When the birds have settled on the water, the hunter repeatedly throws a stick or a ball from the blind and lets the Toller retrieve it. The dog comes out of the blind, runs along the water's edge, possibly plays a bit with the ball, wags its bushy tail, and disappears behind the blind again. This arouses the birds' interest, and they begin to swim closer to land. If the dog is always visible to the birds, they can lose interest and swim away again. Therefore, the hunter occasionally lets the dog take a break behind the blind. When the birds are close enough, the hunter rises from the blind. This scares the birds into flying up from the water, and the hunter shoots the birds. Now it is the Toller's job to retrieve the shot birds from the water.

The breed was developed in the community of Little River Harbour in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, around the beginning of the 19th century to lure waterfowl and as an all-around hunting dog. The breed was originally known as the Little River Duck Dog or Yarmouth Toller. Its precise origin is unknown, but it appears that spaniel- and setter-like dogs, retriever-like dogs, and rabbit dogs may have been used to develop the breed. Farm collies were also mixed in, as many were herding dogs as well as hunting dogs and family pets.

The Toller was officially recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1945. In 1995, the breed was declared Nova Scotia's provincial dog, and it is the only Canadian breed recognized in this way.

The first Tollers came to Denmark in 1982, and in 1997 the Danish Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club was founded.

If you want to know more about the breed's history, it is recommended to look at the Toller Club's website. Here you can also find the breed standard.

The Tollers that exist today all descend from the same 10-12 dogs from around 1960. This can mean that diseases in the breed can be difficult to eradicate, so it is extremely important to think carefully if you want to use your female or male dog for breeding, or if you want to buy a puppy.

Most Tollers today live as family dogs, but it is important to be aware of their fundamental breed characteristics in everyday life with your Toller. The Toller is an active dog that needs to exercise both its body and mind every day. It will not thrive with a quiet and passive life.

When you buy a Toller, you must be prepared to have an extra family member who needs attention and meaningful activity throughout its life. Being a dog owner can be a time-consuming task, and every day you will need to spend energy and time on the dog's companionship and upbringing.

A Toller is, in our opinion, a fantastic family dog - if you ensure to stimulate and activate it correctly.

It is often not a dog that can settle for three daily walks in the neighborhood. Taking it along on the family's runs or bike rides will not meet its needs either. Physical activity is good and keeps the dog in good condition. But if you do not plan to activate/stimulate your Toller in some way, it will rarely be a positive experience to own a Toller.

There are many ways you can activate/stimulate your Toller. As it is a retrieving hunting dog, it would be obvious to engage in some form of hunting training with it. But as the Toller is also a versatile dog, tracking, obedience, rally obedience, nose work, etc., would also be good options.

If you ensure to activate/stimulate your Toller, you will have a wonderful family dog that loves to be part of the family's daily life.