Have You Met all 6 Breeds of Retrievers?

Frequently, when I ask what breed of dog someone has, I hear “a Retriever” as the response. When I press further, “What kind of Retriever?” answers are either immediate — a Golden or a lab, or I get a confused look in response. Do you know that there are actually 6 recognized breeds of Retrievers. Everyone knows Labs and Goldens, but have you heard of the Curly-coat? What about the Flat-coat? And there’s even 2 more…

Let’s Start with the Toller (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever)

You’ve all likely seen these two characters — Reggie and Ned. They are Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers and are actually one of the few breeds indigenous to Canada. They are the smallest of the 6 Retrievers, bred to toll waterfowl and then to retrieve them once they are shot by the hunter.

To toll means to lure or entice game. Tolling is actually a natural phenomenon. Foxes will often utilize tolling as a hunting tactic. Basically, one fox will play along a shoreline. Certain waterfowl birds will become naturally transfixed by the fox’s actions and will swim in closer to investigate the fox. Once the birds are closer to the shoreline…