Nova Scotia Retriever - breed description and dog character

Nova Scotia retrievers are also called tollers. They are the smallest representatives among all retrievers. But these representatives are not inferior to their brothers in strength and power. They are excellent hunters who please their owner in everything. Very good companions are made from tollers. Due to their qualities, they become favorites for the whole family. They love communication, take part in games with great pleasure. These dogs also have wonderful relationships with children.

There are several versions about the origin of this breed. She appeared recently. The first representatives came from Nova Scotia, which gave these dogs their name.

Breed history

Researchers can only speculate for what purpose the Nova Scotia retriever was bred. Perhaps the breed was intended for hunting ducks. They are really excellent hunters. Their developed muscles allow dogs to quickly gain high speed. On the American continent, dogs were imported from European countries. Dogs, which coped well with luring various waterfowl, gained great fame here.

Among the dogs that participated in the selection were Irish setters, Sheltie, English Spaniels and other breeds that belong to the hunting. The result is small dogs of a fiery color. They hunted foxes very efficiently. In Canada, this breed became the pride of County Yarmouth, which is located in Nova Scotia. The breed gained its popularity quite quickly. At one time, it was forbidden to export representatives of the breed outside the country.

The breed was officially recognized in 1945. At first, only the Canadian club did it. At the international level, the breed gained recognition after another 50 years.

In Europe, Scottish retriever appeared in the 80s. The abilities of these dogs made them popular there. They were in special demand in the Scandinavian countries.

But in the USA, the breed was recognized only in 2003. By this time, in the UK and many other European countries, the breed was already in great demand. In Canada, dogs of this breed are simply adored.

The nature of tollers

The uniqueness of this breed lies in the fact that dogs have the ability to lure waterfowl, as well as bring them to the owner. The dog plays along the coastline, which attracts the attention of ducks. In this way, they make ducks vigilant. The bird approaches the distance of the shot, after which the hunter shoots it. Then the dog brings the bird to the owner. These dogs have a waterproof coat, so they are not afraid of even the coldest water.

In the family, this dog will be a cheerful companion who has a large charge of energy and loves to play. At home, the dog may show signs of melancholy. But as soon as he gets to nature, the mood changes dramatically. Representatives have a pronounced hunting instinct, and also love to swim. In the water they are ready to be at least for days on end.

In addition, tollers have a very good security instinct. The dog treats strangers with caution. Toller will get used to a new person for a long time, treating him coolly. But, when the dog understands that the person is not a danger, he can get close to him.

In general, tollers are quite mild, but can be aggressive towards a drunk person or someone else's animal. Although this behavior is rare.A representative of this breed is quite difficult to get out of a state of calm. They have a very good sense of smell and are hardy.

Another ancestor of the breed is a curly-haired retriever. They are also called curls. These are good dogs, which are distinguished by very good qualities of a hunter. From this breed, the tollers took a wide sternum and an elongated muzzle.

Puppies of this breed are very fond of playing. They can ruin all the property that they only find. Specialists note that the education and training of tollers will be a very difficult process, since their intelligence level is not high. The dog can behave very noisy, barking when he wants to play with the owner and household.

If you plan to keep such a dog in the apartment, then special attention should be paid to education. It is recommended to start raising such a dog from the age of 5-6 months. They need to be given as much attention as possible. Left alone, they immediately miss and miss. Therefore, wherever the owner goes, the dog will follow him everywhere. Such a dog can be started, even if there is a baby in the house. The dog in no case will not offend the child. Even if a small child plays with the dog, dragging her by the ears, the dog will not react aggressively to this.

Breed standard

According to the standard, the dog looks like this:

1. The growth of males is from 47 to 51 cm. In this case, bitches are only 2 cm lower. The small size of the dog makes it suitable for keeping in the apartment. By nature, such dogs are good-natured and cute. Next to the child, the toller will behave very carefully.
2. Males weigh 20-23 kg. Bitches are slightly lighter - 17-20 kg. If you want to buy toller, it is important to know that they like to overeat, which often leads to rapid weight gain.
3. The body of the breed has well-developed muscles. The size is compact. The skeleton is powerful, which indicates good physical abilities.
4. Strong limbs of tollers allow them to quickly accelerate and jump quite high.
5. The head is wedge-shaped.
6. As already noted, representatives of the breed have a waterproof coat. The undercoat is thick.
7. Color can have different shades of orange. White markings are desirable.
8. The medium-sized toller ears are triangular in shape.

The dog looks like a fox not only in appearance. He has the same manner of luring ducks. The character of the dog is usually cheerful, especially when it is in nature.

Characteristics of the breed:

• The birthplace of the breed is Canada.
• Representatives of the Scottish retriever breed live for about 12-15 years.
• The breed belongs to the group of retrievers.

disadvantages

If you take care of the dog properly, it will practically not hurt. But the breed is prone to many inherited diseases. Therefore, breeding should be done with special attention.

Among possible genetic diseases, Addison's juvenile disease, joint dysplasia may develop. These diseases can very badly affect the quality of life of the animal. Therefore, the owners should monitor the health of the pet, showing it to the veterinarian as often as possible. If these diseases are identified before they have yet to develop, the consequences can be prevented.

Care and maintenance

If the education and training are treated correctly, then you can raise not only a cheerful companion, but also a smart obedient dog. But stubbornness is present in the character, so you need to raise a dog from an early age. Otherwise, he will grow out of control, his actions will depend on his own will, and not on the commands of the owner. From an early age, attention must be paid to socialization. The dog must get used to other animals. Otherwise, each walk will be accompanied by a race for the cat.

If the dog’s life is monotonous, it will quickly get tired of it. May be moody.Such a breed is desirable to those who are actually engaged in hunting. Without this, the dog will be bored. If hunting is alien to you, you can replace it with active games.

Another nuance that causes inconvenience in the housing of the Scottish retriever is the pet's hair, which falls especially abundantly during molting. At this time, the pet should be combed out very often.

Due to the fact that these dogs have a silky coat, it is not exposed to severe pollution. You need to bathe such a dog only if necessary. In this case, you need to use special shampoos that do not harm the skin of the pet. Claws do not need to be cut, they grind on their own.

The dog must constantly maintain communication with the owner. But, if he is busy, the dog will wait patiently. The small size of the dog does not allow to stop the thief, but she will try to do it.

Important! In no case can you keep such a dog on the chain.

If there are other animals in the house, then the toller will be able to get along with them. Difficulties may arise when the second dog also tends to dominate. If the second dog does not show such an initiative, then the relationship between them will be excellent.

The presence of another dog in the house will even be beneficial. They will be able to play and run together. When the owner is busy, the dog will not be so bored.

Subject to the basic rules of care, keeping a pet will not cause big problems. Let's consider the rules in more detail.

1. Wool cleaning. A special brush is suitable for this. You need to comb out the dog as often as possible, at least once in three days. The coat of representatives of this breed, subject to good care, will look very attractive. This is one of those properties that is the pride of a dog.
2. If necessary, the nails are sheared every six weeks.
3. To avoid diseases, it is necessary to give the dog all the necessary vaccinations. An inquisitive and friendly dog ​​may become infected by contact with other animals.
4. Representatives of the breed are very fond of splashing. Therefore, you can bathe them at least every day. But at the same time, shampoo should be used only once every few months.

Today, the breed is becoming increasingly popular. The main thing in its content is the love and attention of the owner and family members.

Due to its activity, this breed is famous as a destroyer of property. But in fact, they spoil things no more than any other dog. If you treat the pet with love and attention and properly educate it, it will cease to encroach on the property in the house.

Nutrition

You can feed the toller with dry food, if you do not have time to prepare food for it. But for the dog, natural food will still be more beneficial. Representatives of this breed are not prone to allergies. The diet of toller must be balanced. It must contain vitamins.

You can find a lot of information about the nutrition of these dogs. They will eat any food offered. But when feeding, it should be borne in mind that chicken is not recommended for tollers. Chicken bones will harm the stomach and intestines, as they will scratch their inner surface.

Retriever tends to drink a lot. Therefore, you need to constantly add water to their bowl.

Until two months of age, puppies of this breed feed only on mother's milk. After this, you can gradually begin to feed them porridge with pieces of meat. Meat is introduced into the diet, starting with a small amount. The dog's body must get used to it.

At the age of six months, the dog will eat almost everything. The daily portion should be divided into parts, as representatives of the breed can eat everything at once and constant overeating will lead to obesity.

Training

It is recommended to start classes when the pet is 6 months old. Representatives of the breed are not particularly smart. This is offset by their good natured character.During the lessons, the dog and the owner will have fun. If you approach the training responsibly, and make an effort, then the dog will be able to learn how to perform many commands.

By choosing toller as your pet, you will receive a faithful and attached family member, a good defender. They practically do not show aggression. A representative of the breed will become a friend for both adults and kids, if they are in the family. In Russia, there are about 10 nurseries in which you can get such a puppy.

Video: Dog breed Nova Scotia Retriever