Plate 086 · The Americas
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
新斯科舍诱鸭寻回犬
“A retriever that lures ducks by playing like a fox.”
- Origin
- Canada
- Little River district, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia
- Region of origin
- Marker at Yarmouth, the county town; the breed comes from the Little River district of Yarmouth County, not the town itself.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- 19th century
- Today
- Hunting dog · Companion · Dog sports
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Little River district, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia
The smallest retriever, developed by hunters in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, to lure ducks within range.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
'Tolling': the dog plays fetch along the shore, its fox-like colour and movement draw curious waterfowl closer, and it then retrieves the birds shot.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Its exact ancestry is not known; retriever, spaniel and setter types are usually named. The Canadian Kennel Club recognized it in 1945, and it was declared Nova Scotia's provincial dog in 1995.
04 · Today
Hunting dog · Companion · Dog sports
An active family dog and a keen competitor in agility, field and other dog sports; still used for hunting.
Personality
- Intelligent
- Affectionate
- Outgoing
- Energetic
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Needs real daily exercise and play, such as fetch, swimming or dog sports.
- Grooming
- Brush weekly, daily while shedding; keep the hair between the paw pads trimmed.
- Training
- Quick to learn with rewards; keep sessions short and fun.
Living with one
- Size
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 12–14 years
- Coat
- Water-repellent double coat in shades of red or orange, usually with white on the chest, feet or tail tip
Field note
'Toll' here comes from the Middle English 'tollen', meaning to lure or summon.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Sporting Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 8, standard 312), Canadian Kennel Club
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Sporting Group, recognized 2003.
AKC registrations: ranked 69 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/nova-scotia-duck-tolling-retriever/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_Scotia_Duck_Tolling_Retriever
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Little River Harbour origin, Canadian Kennel Club recognition (1945), provincial dog (1995), tolling method.
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/NOVA-SCOTIA-DUCK-TOLLING-RETRIEVER-312.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Canada; Group 8, section "Retrievers"; definitive acceptance 30 November 1981.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Marker at Yarmouth, the county town; the breed comes from the Little River district of Yarmouth County, not the town itself.
