Retriever (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling)
Group: Gundog
Size: Medium
Coat length: Medium
Grooming required: More than once a week
Coat sheds: No
Home size: Small or Large House
Garden size: Small/Medium
Lifespan: Over 10 Years
Exercise: Up to 1 hour per day
They look a little like a smaller version of the Golden Retriever with similar shape and colouring although they also usually have white markings on the feet, chest and tail. The double coat is water-repellent and their feet are webbed.
They come from Canada where they were bred to help hunters with hunting water fowl.
They are intelligent, easy to train and devoted to their family. They do well in active dog sports such as agility and make excellent companion dogs as long as they are given enough opportunity to exercise.
They are normally friendly toward other animals and excellent with children although can be a little more reserved around strangers than the Golden Retriever. They have a lot of energy and enjoy good daily exercise and opportunities to swim.
Their coat should be brushed and combed regularly but not bathed too often as it removes the coat's natural oils. They are prone to thyroid and auto-immune problems and there have been some reported cases of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).