Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever vs New Zealand Huntaway - 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.

The New Zealand Huntaway was developed in New Zealand. The dog was brought about by mixing the Border Collie with a number of other breeds, of which the Doberman Pinscher is one.

The idea was to have a skilled herding dog for livestock, and the Huntaway is known for its loud bark which it uses to herd.

The dog is looked upon as as a fairly new breed, dating from the late 19th century. These days it is a popular companion dog, and in 2013 was recognized by the New Zealand Kennel Club.

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.

As a deep chested, medium to large sized dog, the New Zealand Huntaway stands at between 50 and 60cm and weighs roughly 25 to 40kg.

The eyes are soft and kind. The coat is usually black and tan colored, although it can be brindle too. The coat is in different textures and can be mostly smooth, but also fairly rough textured. The ears are usually medium length and floppy, the legs straight and long and the tail is long.

Temperament:

These dogs are good natured and are guaranteed to make a splendid family pet. Because they have always been used to life in the country, they are more suited to this lifestyle than for living in the city.

They are friendly, energetic dogs and will require a good deal of exercise.They don’t take easily to lying around bored and this lifestyle will just lead to frustration and destructive behavior, through no fault of their own.

Just like with any other dog, the New Zealand Huntaway will need to be trained and socialized so that he becomes obedient and well rounded. This is necessary for him as he is an independent canine with a determined streak.

His intelligence will mean he is able to learn easily. He also is gentle and kind-hearted, and gets on well with kids and pets in the home.

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.

The Huntaway has got so much going for him to make him a splendid family pet. Not only is he intelligent, but he is evenly balanced, friendly, social and active.

He can easily be trained and socialized. He is friendly and gentle with other pets in the home as well as with children. With a firm, fair, kind, patient and consistent owner in his life, this dog with the gentle brown eyes will be a fantastic pet for you.

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.

The Huntaway is the kind of dog that won’t require you having to rush off to the vet with him. Good care with nutritious food and exercise can see him reaching 14 years of age or so.

Some common dog illnesses to look out for include -

Dilated Caridomyopathy:

This disease is about degeneration of the heart muscle with the muscle becoming thinner. The pressure of the blood inside the heart causes these thin walls to stretch, resulting in the heart becoming enlarged.

Although heart disease develops slowly, severe congestive heart failure can develop quickly and you may notice rapid breathing and a blue tongue. It is imperative to get your pet to the vet immediately.

Small studies have revealed that the rate of Dilated Caridomyopathy could be higher in Huntaways.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is an issue where the hips haven’t formed properly. Affected dogs lose their mobility and battle with pain and lameness. Certainly you will need to get your pet to the vet to make sure that he is pain-free and comfortable.

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.

Grooming:

This dog is an average shedder and fairly low maintenance, requiring you to brush him twice a week to keep the coat shiny and free from loose hairs.

Dogs that have floppy- or folded ears need to have their ears checked for infection as well as their eyes. They also need to have the nails trimmed as left long, they can hook onto things which can rip into the dog’s flesh.

Diet:

The Huntaway is a herding dog, and even though your dog today is more of a companion dog, he will need to be fed a high-quality commercial dog food which has been particularly formulated for active working dog breeds.

It is a good idea to sometimes break away from a bowl of kibble and to mix in some homemade food. The simpler the better for your dog, and boiled chicken, some brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach mixed into his kibble occasionally will do him the world of good.

Now and then you can also add in some raw meat if possible. Avoid exotic, spicy foods with your pet to avoid digestive problems.

Exercise:

This dog has always been a hunting, herding dog so it is going to require a lot of exercise to keep him content and happy.

He won’t only need physical exercise but will also need mental stimulation as he is an intelligent dog too. Apart from taking him for walks and giving him ball- and rope games, for mental stimulation, why not consider some food puzzle toys?

These are sturdy containers that hold dog food and treats inside. Dogs have to paw at it, lick, shake and think up ways to get at the tasty treat. These food puzzle toys will keep your pet occupied for a while and keep him happily thinking.