Toller Breeder

ks.snow · #1 08-12-2020, 08:05 PM

Looking at breeders for getting a toller for a hunting and family dog. Anyone who owns a toller and uses them for waterfowl and upland hunting have any recommendations on breeder?

Any help is appreciated!

SamSteele · #2 08-12-2020, 10:22 PM

I got mine from Caltansis out of Calgary 5 years ago. He’s been a great dog, although admittedly I don’t hunt him as much as I would like to have the time for.

WinefredCommander · #3 08-13-2020, 12:07 PM

Get your name on some lists. There are many “puppy mill” breeders out there as this breed is in very high demand these days. Could take years to get the best. If you have any questions about the breed. Feel free to PM. My dog is from Kasomor.

SamSteele · #4 08-13-2020, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinefredCommander

Get your name on some lists. There are many “puppy mill” breeders out there as this breed is in very high demand these days. Could take years to get the best. If you have any questions about the breed. Feel free to PM. My dog is from Kasomor.

We lucked out with ours. Got our name on the list and they had someone back out last minute and we got ours in a month. The mother of mine was apparently the 2009 World Dog Show Champ according to all the documentation I have.

Romalo · #5 08-13-2020, 01:16 PM

I got current and previous Toller from Caltansis. My current one's father won at Westminster show, they provide all the history and papers and are reputable. They are selective about the homes their pups go to. Mine isn't the greatest at seeking out upland birds, but a great companion on my hunting trips. They are great dogs.

sns2 · #6 08-13-2020, 01:23 PM

I would send a PM to WW Birds here on this forum. He is a pro trainer, has trained numerous Tollers, and will point you in the direction you need to go. Just because you find a litter, does not mean you should buy that dog or even that breed.

I would also strongly suggest coming out to a retriever hunt test. One is taking place next weekend (22-23) at Wabamun. You can meet and talk with people with Tollers and watch them run. You will also find out in short order who are breeding them.

SamSteele · #7 08-13-2020, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sns2

I would send a PM to WW Birds here on this forum. He is a pro trainer, has trained numerous Tollers, and will point you in the direction you need to go.

Agree. He trained mine.

elkhunter11 · #8 08-13-2020, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romalo

I got current and previous Toller from Caltansis. My current one's father won at Westminster show, they provide all the history and papers and are reputable. They are selective about the homes their pups go to. Mine isn't the greatest at seeking out upland birds, but a great companion on my hunting trips. They are great dogs.

When you purchase a dog from show bloodlines, rather than hunting bloodlines, your odds of getting a good hunting dog decrease. A friend of mine and his son brought a toller out to hunt pheasant, and that dog also had little interest in birds.

Romalo · #9 08-13-2020, 04:26 PM

My primary goal was a lovable friend and companion. I got that. He is a retrieving machine though.

HyperMOA · #10 08-13-2020, 04:37 PM

My duck toller is 10 years old. I’m amazed how many more of them that I have seen over the years. Smallest breed of retriever is why I think they are getting so popular.

WinefredCommander · #11 08-13-2020, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sns2

I would send a PM to WW Birds here on this forum. He is a pro trainer, has trained numerous Tollers, and will point you in the direction you need to go. Just because you find a litter, does not mean you should buy that dog or even that breed.

He knows mine very well too.

sjemac · #12 08-13-2020, 06:48 PM

I have a near 6 year old female Toller that we got to supplement the big Labrador on higher volume duck shoots. In that respect she has been great but has not been a great upland dog in thick cover and is a little on the small side to be taking on larger wounded geese on the water.

This summer we opted with getting another pup from Razor Labs in the hope that we get another dog with the same drive for both waterfowl and upland birds that we have with Warden. Meet Aspen.

sns2 · #13 08-13-2020, 07:00 PM

The Warden will.have fire in his belly. Razor Labs does nice breedings. Who's the sire?

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sjemac · #14 08-13-2020, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sns2

The Warden will.have fire in his belly. Razor Labs does nice breedings. Who's the sire?

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Warden is the big dog, Aspen is the pup. Both came from Razor's. Warden came 9 years ago.

sjemac · #15 08-13-2020, 07:12 PM

To help answer the OP, my Toller came from Minnesota but the sire was Calgarian, which was how I tracked the breeder in Minn. She was primarily interested in agility dogs though and only had the one litter. Look for a breeder that is interested in hunting. Maple's favorite thing in the world is retrieving sticks. Which makes sense considering the main use for Tollers was to chase and retrieve sticks thrown by hunters hidden on the shore. Ducks seeing the little red dog bounding back and forth supposedly think the dog is a fox and swim in close to shore -- they are "tolled" in. When close enough, the hunter water swats them and the dog retrieves them. I've seen it done a couple of times with small Labradors on PEI but haven't had the chance to try it myself.