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.

Appearance

According to the breed standards, the Toller should be athletic, well-muscled, compact, medium boned, balanced and powerful. The chest is deep. Conformation judges require Tollers to be capable of tolling, and physical faults that inhibit working ability are heavily penalised. They should be of moderate build—a lack of substance or a heavy build are penalised by judges, as both detract from the type and athleticism. The legs are sturdy and solid.

Those who breed Tollers for conformation shows consider the head (clean cut, slightly wedge-shaped) to be an important feature, and believe it should resemble that of a fox and must never be blocky like that of a Golden Retriever. The ears are triangular and set high and well back from the skull.

The tail is well-feathered and held jauntily when the dog is excited or moving.

Coat and colour

Colour is any shade of red, ranging from a golden red through dark coppery red, with lighter featherings on the underside of the tail, pantaloons, and body. Even the lighter shades of golden red are deeply pigmented and rich in colour. The Toller should not be buff or brown. Although very rare, there are chocolate/liver brown Duck Tollers.

The Toller has usually at least one of the following white markings – tip of tail, feet (not extending above the pasterns) chest and blaze. Lack of white is not a fault.

“The Toller was bred to retrieve from icy waters and must have a water-repellent double coat of medium length and softness, and a soft dense undercoat. The coat may have a slight wave on the back, but is otherwise straight. Some winter coats may form a long loose curl at the throat. Featherings are soft and moderate in length. The hair on the muzzle is short and fine. Seasonal shedding is to be expected.” Over-coated specimens are not appropriate for a working dog.

Size and proportions

Tollers are the smallest of all the retriever breeds. Tollers range in height from 17 to 21 inches at the withers, and weigh 37 to 51 pounds (17-23 kg); females are slightly shorter and lighter. Tollers are always a medium-sized breed, never large, however there has been a trend towards larger dogs in recent years.

Tollers should be slightly longer than tall (a ratio of approximately 10 to 9). However, they should not appear long-backed either.

Temperament

“The Toller is highly intelligent, alert, outgoing, loving, and ready for action, though not to the point of nervousness or hyperactivity. It is affectionate with family members and is good with children, showing patience. Some individuals may display reserved behaviour in new situations, but this is not to be confused with shyness… The Toller’s strong retrieving desire coupled with his love of water, endurance and intense birdiness, is essential for its role as a tolling retriever.

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The Norwich Terrier is a breed of dog that originates in the United Kingdom and was bred to hunt small vermin or rodents.

Appearance

These terriers are one of the smallest terriers (11-12 lb, 5-5.4 kg; 9-10 inches (24-25.5 cm) at the withers), with prick ears and a double coat, which come in red, tan, wheaten, black and tan, and grizzle.

Temperament

These small but hardy dogs are courageous, remarkably intelligent and wonderfully affectionate. They can be assertive but it is not typical for them to be aggressive, quarrelsome or shy. They are energetic and thrive on an active life. They are eager to please but have definite minds of their own. They are sensitive to scolding but 100% Terrier. They should never be kept outside or in a kennel setting because they love the companionship of their owners too much. Norwich are not given to unnecessary barking but they will warn of a stranger approaching. Norwich are good with children. If introduced to other household pets as a puppy they generally co-habit peacefully, though caution should be observed around rodent pets as they may be mistaken for prey.

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The Norfolk Terrier is the smallest of the working Terriers. Prior to 1960, when it gained recognition as an independent breed, it was a variety of the Norwich Terrier, distinguished from the Norwich by its “drop”, or folded ears.

Appearance

The Norfolk Terrier has a wire-haired coat which, according to the various national kennel club breed standards, can be “all shades of red, wheaten, black and tan, or grizzle.”

They are the smallest of the working Terriers. They are active and compact, free moving, with good substance and bone. Good substance means good spring of rib and bone that matches the body such that the dog can be a very agile ratter, the function for which it was bred.

Norfolk terriers are moderately proportioned dogs. A too heavy dog would not be agile. A too refined dog would make it a toy breed. Norfolks generally have more reach and drive and a stronger rear angulation, hence cover more ground than their Norwich cousins. Norfolk have good side gait owed to their balanced angulation front and rear and their slightly longer length of back.

The ideal height is 10 to 12 inches (25-30 cm) at the withers and weight is about 11 pounds (5 kg).

Temperament

Norfolks are described as fearless, but should not be aggressive despite being capable of defending themselves if need be. They, along with Norwich Terriers and Border Terriers, have the softest temperaments of the Terrier Group. Norfolks work in packs and must get along with other dogs. As companions, they love people and children and do make good pets. Their activity level is generally reflective of the pace of their environment. This breed should not be kept or live outside since they thrive on human contact. Generally, Norfolks are not given to digging but, like any dog, will dig out of boredom when left alone for too long a period. Norfolks can be barkers and are very vocal. They generally cohabit well with other household pets when introduced as a puppy. Outdoors, they are natural hunters with a strong prey drive for small vermin.

Norfolks are self confident and carry themselves with presence and importance, holding their heads and tails erect. A Norfolk that is shy or that carries its tail between its legs is atypical, as is a dog that is hot tempered and aggressive with other dogs; these traits are not the standard. A Norfolk’s typical temperament is happy, spirited, and self confident. The greatest punishment to a dog is for his owner to ignore him.

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The Newfoundland is a large dog that can be black, brown, grey, or black and white (Landseer). They were originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in Newfoundland, Canada. They are famously known for their giant size and tremendous strength, sweet dispositions, and loyalty. Newfoundland dogs excel at water rescue, due to their great muscles and their webbed feet and acute swimming abilities. Newfoundland dogs require daily (possibly every 2 days) brushing with a hard brush. Newfoundland puppies are laid-back and considered easy to housebreak.The breed is thought to be the strongest of any dog breed—even beating some characteristics of the Great Dane, Mastiff, or Irish Wolfhound.

Appearance

Newfoundlands (‘Newfs’ or ‘Newfies’) have webbed feet and a water-resistant coat. Males weigh 60–70 kg (130-150 lb), and females 45–55 kg (100-120 lb), placing them in the “Giant” weight range. Some Newfoundland dogs have been known to weigh over 90 kg (200 lb). The largest Newfoundland on record weighed 120 kg (260 lbs) and measured over 6 feet from nose to tail, ranking it among the biggest Mastiffs and St. Bernards. They may grow up to 22-28 inches tall at the shoulder.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) standard colours of the Newfoundland dogs are black, brown, grey, and landseer (black or brown head and white and black body); The Kennel Club (KC) permits only black, brown, and landseer; the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) permanents are only black and landseer. The Landseer is named after the artist Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, who featured them in many of his paintings. AKC, CKC, and KC all treat Landseer as part of the breed. Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) consider the Landseer to be a separate breed; others consider it only a Newfoundland colour variation.

The Newfoundland’s extremely large bones give him mass, while his mammoth musculature gives him the power he needs to take on rough ocean waves and powerful tides. He has an enormous lung capacity for swimming extremely long distances, and a thick, oily and waterproof double coat which protects him from the chill of icy waters. His droopy lips and jowls make the dog drool, but the purpose of his design gives passageways that allow him to breathe even when his mouth is full and swamped by waves.

In the water, his massive webbed paws gives the Newfoundland another advantage, giving him maximum propulsion with every stroke. The stroke is not an ordinary dog paddle. Unlike other dogs, the Newfoundland moves his limbs in a down-and-out motion, which can be seen as a modified breaststroke. This gives him more power with every stroke.

Temperament

The Newfoundland dog is legendarily known for its benevolence and strength. It is known to be one of the kindest and gentlest of all dogs. It is for this reason that this breed is known as “the gentle giant”. International kennel clubs generally describe the breed as having a sweet temper. It has a deep bark, is easy to train, makes a fine guardian or watchdog, and is extremely good with children.

The Newfoundland dog is also extremely good with other animals. Its caring and gentle nature comes out in play and interaction with humans and animals alike. As with any breed, the Newfoundland can have dominance issues, but this is unusual for the breed. “Sweetness of temperament is the hallmark of the Newfoundland; this is the most important single characteristic of the breed.” – Newfoundland Club Of America.

“Its soft expression reflects its benevolent and dignified temperament.” – Animal Planet about the great Newfoundland Dog.

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The Miniature Schnauzer is a breed of small dog of the Schnauzer type that originated in Germany in the mid-to-late 19th century. Miniature Schnauzers developed from crosses between the Standard Schnauzer and one or more smaller breeds such as the Poodle or Affenpinscher.

The breed remains one of the most popular, and as of 2008 is the 11th most popular breed in the U.S, primarily for its temperament and relatively small size. The American Kennel Club recognises only three colours for the Miniature Schnauzer: salt-and-pepper, black-and-silver, and solid black. Solid white is considered a disqualification, although, a small patch of white is allowed on the solid black. In the United Kingdom, the small white patch on a solid black is also considered a fault. Colours such as white, parti (multi), chocolate and liver are available on the pet trade and can be registered as pure-breds by some organisations, but are not currently recognised by any legitimate clubs for conformation shows.

Appearance

Miniature Schnauzers normally have a small, squarely proportioned build, measuring 12 to 14 inches (30 to 36 cm) tall and weighing 11 to 15 pounds (5.0 to 6.8 kg) for females and 14 to 18 pounds (6.4 to 8.2 kg) for males. They have a double coat. The exterior fur is wiry and the undercoat is softer. The coat is trimmed short on the body, but the hair on ears, legs, and edge of the body, a.k.a. the “furnishings”, are retained. The first Breed Standard for the Schnauzer, established in 1907, required specific colour formation: “Colour: All salt and pepper colour shades or similar bristly equal colour mixtures and solid black. Faults: …All white, speckled, brindles, red, or bran colours.”

Miniature Schnauzers are often described as non-shedding dogs, and while this is not entirely true, their shedding is minimal and generally unnoticeable. They are characterised by a long head with bushy beard, moustache and eyebrows; teeth that meet in a “scissor bite”; oval and dark coloured eyes; and v-shaped, natural forward-folding ears. (When cropped, the ears point straight upward and come to a sharp point.) Their tails are naturally thin and short, and may be docked (where permitted). They will also have very straight, rigid front legs, and feet that are short and round (so-called “cat feet”Wink with thick, black pads.

Temperament

The Official Standard of the Miniature Schnauzer describes temperament as “alert and spirited, yet obedient to command. He is friendly, intelligent and willing to please. He should never be overaggressive or timid.” Usually easy to train, they tend to be excellent watchdogs, with a good territorial instinct, but more inclined toward vocal notification than attack. They are often guarded towards strangers until the owners of the home welcome the guest, upon which they are typically very friendly to them; unlike some of their terrier cousins, they are not typically aggressive. However, they will express themselves vocally, and may bark to greet their owner, or to express joy, excitement, or displeasure.

Proper socialisation with other dogs and people is important. The breed is generally good with children, but as with any dog, play with small children should be supervised. They are highly playful dogs, and if not given the outlet required for their energy they can become bored and invent their own “fun.” Schnauzers have a “high prey drive” (appropriate for a ratting dog), which means they may attack other small pets such as birds, snakes, and rodents. Many will also attack cats, but this may be curbed with training, or if the dog is raised with cats.

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