Breed standard
Use:
The dog plays, runs, and jumps along the shore, where a flock of ducks can observe it well; during play, it occasionally runs to a hidden hunter who throws it retrieves; the ducks are so engrossed in this game that they come within shotgun range; the retriever then brings back the prey.
Overall appearance:
A medium-sized, strong, compact, harmonious, and muscular dog; it is alert, agile, attentive, and determined; many retrievers from Nova Scotia look a little sad until they get to work, then their expression shows intense concentration and excitement; the toller works quickly and eagerly, carrying its head in line with its back and wagging its tail constantly.
Behaviour and character:
Very intelligent, docile, and very persistent; a gifted swimmer and reliable retriever both in water and on land; retrieves even the smallest stimulus; playfulness and retrieving are the basis of its work.
Facial part
Nose: Tapering towards the end and nostrils are nicely open; the color of the nose should match the coat color or be black.
Muzzle: Tapering in a clear line from the forehead to the nose; the lower jaw is strong, although not very prominent; the lower line of the jaw runs horizontally from the front of the lips to the end of the jaw, the muzzle is deeper at the stop than at the nose; the coat on the muzzle is short and fine.
Lips: Well fitting, cut in a slight curve, but not pendulous.
Jaws/Teeth: Correct scissor bite, complete dentition is required; the jaws should be strong enough to carry even larger birds; must have a sensitive muzzle.
Eyes: Correctly spaced, medium-sized and almond-shaped, amber or brown in color; they have a friendly, alert, and intelligent expression; the eyelids should be the same color as the lips.
Ears: Triangular, medium-sized, set far back on the skull, slightly raised at the root, with tufts at the break, short hair at the tips.
Neck: Muscular and correctly set, medium length without the slightest sign of loose skin.
Head
Skull: The broad skull is only slightly rounded, the occipital protuberance does not protrude and the cheeks are not prominent; the correct distance between the ears is about 14 cm, narrowing to 4 cm at the end of the nasal bone; the length of the head is about 23 cm from the tip of the nose to the protrusion of the interorbital bone, but always in correct proportion to the body.
Forehead slope: slight
Body
Top line: Straight
Back: Short and straight
Loins: Strong and muscular
Chest: deep, neither barrel-shaped nor flat Deep and well arched, sternum reaching to the elbows, ribs well arched, neither barrel-shaped nor flat.
Underline: Slightly tucked up
Tail: continuation of the slightly sloping croup, strong at the root, richly coated, reaching at least to the hocks; the Toller usually carries its tail below the level of the back, but in action it may raise and curl it, without touching the body with the tip.
Coat
The Toller was bred to retrieve from icy water, so it must have a water-resistant double coat that is medium-length, soft with an even softer undercoat, and smooth except for permissible waviness on the back; sometimes the winter coat is longer on the neck; the feathering on the neck, behind the ears, on the back of the thighs and lower legs is soft, the front legs have less feathering.
Limbs
Forequarters: They look like two parallel columns, straight and with strong bones.
Shoulders: Muscular, the shoulder blade is sloping and the withers are pronounced and merge into a short back; the shoulder blade and upper arm are approximately the same length.
Elbows: close to the body, neither turned in nor out
Chest: strong and slightly sloping
Hindquarters: muscular, broad, limbs straight and parallel; front and hind limbs are equally angulated; thighs are as long as the lower thighs.
Thighs: very muscular
Knees: well angulated
Hocks: low set, not turned in or out; dewclaws must not be present.
Paws: with prominent membranes, medium-sized, closed and round, toes arched and pads thick; dewclaws are removed.
Colour
Various shades of red or orange, tufts and underside of tail are lighter; white markings usually occur at least at the end of the tail, on the paws above the toes, on the chest, and may also have a white blaze; a high-quality Toller should not be judged negatively for the absence of white markings; the color of the lips, mucous membranes, and eyelids is flesh-colored in accordance with the coat color or black.
Errors
Any deviation from the above points shall be considered an error, the assessment of which shall be in direct proportion to the degree of deviation.
Disqualifying faults:
Spotted depigmentation of the nose, undershot bite greater than 3 mm, overshot bite, crossbite, insufficient webbing between the toes, white color on the shoulders and ears, on the upper side of the neck, on the back or on the groin, silver color, greyish tinge, black spots on the coat, any color other than shades of red and orange, any sign of shyness in adult dogs.
Note:
Males must have two apparently normal balls fully descended into the scrotum.
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