Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever is originated from Canada but Chow Chow is originated from China. Both Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever and Chow Chow are having almost same height. Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever may weigh 9 kg / 19 pounds lesser than Chow Chow. Both Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever and Chow Chow has almost same life span. Both Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever and Chow Chow has almost same litter size. Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever requires Moderate maintenance. But Chow Chow requires High maintenance
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.
Northern China is the original home of the Chow Chow. In that region of China, the breed was known as the Songshi Quan – “the puffy-lion” dog. They have also been known in China as the “Dog of the Tang Empire” or the Tang Quan. The Chow is believed to be an ancient breed that the Foo Dog, or stone dog guardians of Buddhist palaces and temples, is modeled after. It is one of the most ancient of dog breeds that are still around today.
It is believed that they have existed for around 2000 years or perhaps even as far back as 3000 years, starting out in Mongolia and migrating to China. The ancientness of the Chow Chow has been validated through DNA testing. In China all those centuries ago, the Chow Chow was born to be a working dog. They hunted, herded, guarded and pulled carts. They went on quests with the Mongolian armies when China was invaded, as well as when the Mongolians invaded the Middle East and Europe later on.
Today’s Canadian Kennel Club has about 350 Chows registered while the AKC gets 10,000 new registrations every year.
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.
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.
The Chow really does look like a small lion with a black tongue. The dog is sturdy and square with erect, small ears on a broad skull. They have a very dense double coat. Their eyes are deep set and look like almonds, while they all have that very distinctive purple or black tongue. Their lips are also distinctive with their blue color. The nose is black, but some Chows might have a blue nose. The tail is curly.
These are medium size dogs when it comes to height and weight, but they are powerfully built for their size. Their power is in their compact body holding the energy and strength of a much larger dog. Its hind legs are almost entirely straight, unusual for any dog. They get their lion appearance from the huge ruff that stands behind their heads. Their chest is broad and deep.
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.
Loyal and true to their family and those they know; the Chow Chow is a little standoffish with strangers. They are very protective and usually attach themselves to one or two people. They are intelligent but stubborn, which can affect your training with them. They need to respect their people and Chows respect hose who take care of them. They can be aggressive toward dogs of their same sex especially if those dogs are the same breed as well.
They are known to be very clean and many have compared them to cats in that regard. They appear to be dignified and refined. They are usually very quiet but very adaptable dogs.
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.
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.
Although an ancient breed that obviously has survived many centuries of trials, the Cho Chow of today is prone to several different health conditions. These include:
This condition can require surgery to keep the turning eyelid from injuring the eye ball.
This can cause lameness and arthritis.
This can cause lameness and arthritis.
Make sure you keep the ears clean and keep an eye on them.
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.
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.
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.
Don’t overfeed a Chow Chow as they are hard workers and big eaters. Feed them at least twice a day.
This eye disease can lead to blindness if not checked and treated.
These can be removed from an adolescent puppy.
Again, the Chow is susceptible to cancer.
Can lead to heart or kidney problems if left untreated.
Keep a close eye on your Chow Chow skin.
The Chow Chow was developed as working dog, but today’s version is more laid back and doesn’t need excessive exercise. Daily walks will suffice. They live very happily in the city if walked regularly. They are not really a competitive breed outside of obedience and confirmation. They are seldom seen in sports like agility or frisbee.