Where did Tollers come from?

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers ("Tollers", also known as "Yarmouth Tollers", "Duck Tollers", or "Little River Duck Tollers") have an origin lost to history. It is believed that the original stock may have been European and/or English decoy dogs, used by hunters to lure ducks close enough to net; these were brought to Nova Scotia by settlers, where other breeds such as the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Spaniels, and probably the old Scotch Collie (farm collie) were used to add useful traits to the breed. The goal was to create a small red dog which looked fox-like and could be reliably used to "toll" (decoy) ducks and geese in to the hunters and then retrieve the shot birds, usually from water.

Strong, smart, and small enough to fit well into a small boat or duck blind, these dogs were rare and relatively unknown outside of Nova Scotia until Col. Cyril Colwell collected and documented the breeding of 15 dogs and received recognition from the Canadian Kennel Club for the breed, which he named the "Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever" in 1945. Dogs of the Chin-Peek, Schubendorf, and Green Meadows (Harbourlight) bloodlines were registered with the Canadian Kennel Club in 1958 and 1962, and all registered Tollers world-wide are descended from these few dogs. It should be remembered that many of the original breeders bred only for hunting and companions, and were not interested in registering their dogs; the gene-pool for our registered Tollers is much more limited in origin as a result.

For a more thorough discussion of the origin of Tollers and the early breeders, we recommend the books The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, by Alison Strang and Gail MacMillan, A Breed Apart: Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, by Gail MacMillan and The "Love" of Tollers by Douglas Coldwell.

What is "tolling"?

Tolling is the act of attracting (decoying) ducks and geese toward the shore or down a decoy tube such as the "Nacton Decoy" in England for the purpose of hunting or capturing the birds for banding. The dog is sent out to playfully retrieve an object, ignoring the birds while vigorously waving his tail and "dancing" along the shore. This act is repeated until the birds come near enough to be shot or captured; the dog is then called back to the blind while the hunter is shooting. Then the dog is sent out to retrieve the downed birds. Some hunters traditionally only used the Toller for tolling, using a larger dog to retrieve the downed birds. Tolling is an inborn ability (comparable to pointing in pointers), and even dogs who are never used in hunting have been known to toll birds in - it is a funny sight to see a dog walking on a leash with several mallards following after!

What can Tollers do, other than toll?

Tollers are truly a versatile breed. Originally bred primarily for duck hunting, they have also been used for upland game hunting, for luring birds for banding and photography, for the sports of agility, flyball, and frizbee, for conformation showing (dog shows), for hunt tests and trials, for obedience, for therapy and service dogs, for police and customs work, for search and rescue, for tracking, for herding, and for cuddling and lap-sitting. Most do more than one of the above tasks; their high-energy level and outgoing personality makes it imperative that they have an outlet for that energy, and consistent, loving discipline to ensure that they learn self-control in varied settings. Many of them will retrieve until the thrower is exhausted….

How big are Tollers?

Tollers are the smallest of the retrievers. Ideal height at the withers for males (over 18 months old) is 18 to 21 inches, the ideal being 19 inches; for females (over 18 months old)it is 17 to 20 inches, the ideal being 18 inches. Weight should be in proportion to both height and bone of the dog, and the body proportions should be just slightly longer than height. Though medium in body size, they have the "spunk" (or "attitude") of a dog three times their size; this does not mean aggression, but vigor and enthusiasm and intensity of spirit.