Kooikerhondje vs Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

A Kooikerhondje
Photo: Burner83
A Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Photo: Naellenathan

Side by side

Kooikerhondje
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Adult weight
9.1–14 kg (20–30 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 20–23 kg (44–51 lb); females 17–20 kg (37–44 lb)2
Height
No sourced figure
Males 48–51 cm; females 45–48 cm2
Lifespan
8–15 years3
Median 13.2 years4
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes5
11 months, both sexes5
Group
Retrievers & water dogs6
Retrievers & water dogs2
Coat
Coat of medium length6
Coat of medium length2
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
Exercise
Plenty
Class
Companion
Sport

Which suits you

Size
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is much larger: about 20 kg (44 lb) as an adult, against 11 kg (25 lb) for the Kooikerhondje.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Kooikerhondje: cooperative, with its own ideas; Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever: keen to work with you) and on loyalty (Kooikerhondje: sticks close to its people; Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever: bonded to its family).
Alike
Both are rated the same on intelligence: needs daily brain work.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Kooikerhondje
Retrievers & water dogs · Small

In temperament the Kooikerhondje is friendly, alert and energetic. It is affectionate and lively with its own people, often reserved with strangers, and tends to be sensitive to a harsh voice.

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Retrievers & water dogs · Medium

Tollers are alert, energetic and quick to learn, affectionate with their own people and sometimes reserved with strangers.

The Kooikerhondje page →The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Kooikerhondje
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Activity
Differs
A good daily walk and play
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Needs daily brain work
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
Kooikerhondje
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Keen to work with you
Around the home
Kooikerhondje
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Sensitivity
Differs
Needs a calm, predictable home
Average
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Very vocal
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour7. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home8,9.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever grows to the heavier adult, about 20 kg against the Kooikerhondje's 11 kg.
Kooikerhondje
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
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More comparisons

Compare the Kooikerhondje with
Golden Retriever vs Nova Scotia Duck Tolling RetrieverAustralian Shepherd vs Nova Scotia Duck Tolling RetrieverLabrador Retriever vs Nova Scotia Duck Tolling RetrieverBrittany vs KooikerhondjeAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·