Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever vs Austrailian Blue Heeler - Breed Comparison

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever dog was bred in the 19th-century in Nova Scotia, Eastern Canada.

They were used as hunting dogs. Known as the ‘Toller’, the dog was at first referred to as the Little River Duck Dog but it was in 1945 that it became officially recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club as a pure breed.

The dog is a mix of retriever, setter, spaniel and possibly a farm collie mix breed. It was in 1980 that the breed gained national recognition, being declared the provincial dog of Nova Scotia in 1995.

In 1840, George Elliott made a match with Australian Dingo and Collie and got a clever and very active dog breed – Australian Blue Heeler. Soon, he showed his good herding instincts and protective nature and got really popular among the cattlemen and ranchers. Soon, as the USA soldiers arrived in Australia, they decided that it will be a great dog to bring home.

Australian Blue Heeler has short, double coat. The coat is water resistant and helps them when the temperature is too high as well. Their coat is rough to the touch, naturally. They can be found in blue or red coat colour mix. The Blue Heeler isn’t actually blue, but their black coat has a bluish tint. Red Heelers have red fur instead of black. They have long tails, strong legs, Dingo-like heads with pointy ears and muscular necks and balanced and athletic bodies.

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a medium-sized gundog. Both male and female stand at about 42 to 54cm in height and they weigh anything from 17 to 23kg.

This beautiful dog is looked upon as the smallest of the retriever dogs. He has a remarkable medium-length, feathery red, copper or golden coat with some white markings and a long feathery tail with medium length, floppy ears. The coat will need brushing twice a week.

He is a powerful dog and also agile with a somewhat worried expression on his face. The expression becomes bright and animated when he is busy working and you’ll notice that the feathery tail is held high with confidence and delight when he is busy working or doing some activity he loves.

Temperament:

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is an intelligent, alert dog who is eager to please its owners.

They are affectionate dogs too, making a splendid family pet. If you’ve got kids in the home, you can trust this dog to get on well with them.

He is energetic, thriving on both physical and mental stimulation. He’ll love a walk every day as this will give him the chance to get out and sniff around. He won’t be content though with just a walk and will want ball games, walks in the park, hikes and swimming. This dog loves water and is well equipped for it with his double coat and webbed paws.

This breed is somehow designed for an outdoor life and outdoor activity. This implies that Blue Heelers have nature made of the high dose of energy. They are always ready to go anywhere you go, and they will be a loyal friend. They are actually very clever, intelligent and ready to help.

If you are a type of the person who prefers being indoors and having minimal physical activity, Blue heelers are not the type of a furry companion for you. They have a high daily need for the activity, and they love having lots of space to run and explore. Sometimes, you will realize that having a leash is a must because they will get so playful that they will forget about you!

If you start teaching them to be friendly with other dogs while they are still pups, they will accept that kind of lifestyle. But, if your Blue Heeler is raised as the only dog on the ranch, note that they won’t be very friendly toward other dogs.

Since most of the herd dogs usually respond to only one person, most of the Blue Heelers can follow this old instinct. They can be very independent, as well, and they are usually not the type of the dog that will always be around your leg waiting for a cuddle or ear scratch. But, they build the respect towards humans depending on how they treat him so they can be very lovable and friendly pets.

If you are still confused about their name, you must know that the Blue Heelers can actually lightly nip your heel for attention. They are not aggressive, but they tend to be very protective of the family, humans around them and their property.

Your Toller is a high energy dog, and with the right family he is going to be an absolute joy to have. Give him lots of activities to stimulate him physically and mentally as he is an intelligent dog.

He is playful and social and full of life, although he is wary around strangers. Just like with most dogs, he will need training and socialization to round him off, making him obedient and well balanced.

With this good-natured pet, you will have a wonderful family friend and enthusiastic sport companion.

Children friendliness

They are generally good with children, but you must be aware of their inherent desire to herd. Always supervise when your Blue Heeler is around small children.

Special Talents

Ball tricks, frisbee fun, running companion, herding cattle.

Adaptability

It is best to buy a puppy. These dogs get attached to one human and to the territory.

Learning ability

They are generally quick learners. If you teach them to be playful, friendly and loving, they will learn it in no time. So be aware of the decisions that can cost you when the dog grows up.

These dogs are robust, but certain genetic disorders do occur in the breed because of the smallish gene pool. Some of the biggest health problems they face are hip dysplasia and progressive retinal atrophy.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

This eye disease is all about a group of degenerative eye disorders that cause blindness in both eyes of the dog.

The first symptom of this disease is night blindness where you see your dog being reluctant to go outside or to go up and down stairs in dim light. The surface of the eyes will get that cloudy, glazed-over look and as the disease progresses, you’ll find your pet bumping into things.

Mercifully it isn’t painful but you will need to get your pet to the vet to manage the condition.

Eye problems

Progressive Retinal Atrophy usually causes slow and painless loss of sight. This process takes years, but there are cases where this disease took only months before the dog ended up completely blind. It is advisable to take your Blue Heeler to the vet for a test that can tell you if your dog is carrying the gene for this disease.

Lens luxation is a disease where the lens of dog’s eye separates partially or completely. Good news is that this disease can be treated.

Joint diseases

Most common is the hip or elbow dysplasia. This is the disease where hip joints do not develop properly and begin to grind. This condition can sometimes be treated with physiotherapy, but there is a chance that your Blue Heeler will need a surgery. If you have a habit of regular vet checks and keeping your dog slim and fed with quality food, you can a make a big difference.

Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) causes the dog to have excess cartilage and deficient bone, where cartilage does not get replaced by bone during fetal development. This disease usually requires surgery and prescribed medicines.

Deafness

Congenital hereditary sensorineural deafness – CHSD is a common form of deafness.

Bilateral deafness can be identified when the dog is still a puppy, more-less at six weeks of age. A puppy with deafness in only one ear is harder to identify, but it can happen.

Portosystemic shunt means that the blood flow is getting back into the bloodstream instead of passing through the liver. That means that liver can’t clear out the toxins, and the organ itself fails to grow properly. This inherited type of shunt can be treated with surgery if the diagnose is set on time.

Exercise:

Tollers are energetic dogs and you won’t have to extend a second invitation to this dog to join you on your walks, hikes, hunting and swimming. It is perhaps why he is better suited to country living as opposed to living in the city.

Diet:

You want to ensure the best food for your four-legged friend, but the idea is to keep things simple and nutritious for your dog.

Your pet can’t tell you when he’s got a stomach-ache from eating the wrong foods so you have to be careful what you feed him. You want to make sure that the food you give your dog is balanced for the stage of life he or she is in – puppy, young adult, pregnancy, ill dog or senior dog.

You’ve also got to see whether your dog is small or large, active or a couch-potato type of dog, and choose commercially manufactured foods that cater for the kind of dog he is.

It is fine to feed your dog a kibble food or you can mix in some chopped up boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach. Some raw meat added in when you can afford it, will also do your pet the world of good.

You can see from this diet, it is uncomplicated, plain, wholesome food and will do your pet good.

Always be careful of bones with your dog and speak to your vet first before you opt to give your dog bones.

Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Training and Socialization:

Both dogs and owners benefit when a dog has been trained and socialized. The dog is balanced and obedient and a stronger relationship develops between owner and dog because of the dog being well behaved. The Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever is an intelligent dog so he won’t have any trouble with training.

Feeding the puppy

Choose a dog food that will provide nutrients that will help in the bone developing. Since they are more likely to suffer from joint diseases, you must take this advice seriously. It would be great if you speak about this with your vet before you choose food on your own.

Feeding the adult

The best food for Blue Heeler is a high-quality food which supplies them with premium nutrition to fuel their activity.

They also drink a lot of water, so be sure that they always have a fresh water available.

Points for Good Health

Lots and lots of the outdoor activity and a quality food. You must be very cautious because this kind of dogs gets overweight easily because they just love the treats and extra food portion.

Games and Exercises

Any outdoor activity that is mentally challenging and interesting enough to keep them from running in the field trying to catch anything that moves.