No Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers listed on LocalPetFinder right now
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Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers in Montreal, right now
We aren't tracking any adoptable Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers in or near Montreal at the moment. Listings update regularly as Quebec rescues take in new dogs, and a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever in Montreal typically gets adopted within days of being posted. Browse the full Quebec dogs list to see Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers in other Quebec cities, or save this page and check back soon.
See every adoptable Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever across Quebec →
Adopting a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever in Quebec
The Toller is a Canadian breed, developed in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia to lure waterfowl within range by playing along the shoreline. It is uncommon in Quebec rescue, and the dogs that appear are usually surrendered by households that expected a smaller, calmer Labrador.
The smallest retriever, and the busiest
Tollers run thirty-five to fifty pounds, smaller than a Lab, and carry a great deal more intensity. They were bred to work the shoreline for hours and need an hour or more of hard daily exercise plus real mental work. Under-exercised they become obsessive and destructive.
They are also known for the "Toller scream", a high piercing vocalisation of excitement rather than distress. It is characteristic of the breed and it carries, which matters in a plex with shared walls.
Sensitive, and worth asking about health
Tollers tend to be sensitive and can be reserved with strangers, and they do poorly with heavy-handed training. They are intensely people-attached and dislike long days alone. The water-repellent double coat handles a Quebec winter well and sheds seasonally, needing brushing several times a week.
The breed carries a higher-than-average rate of immune-mediated disease, including a lupus-like condition and immune-mediated rheumatic disease, alongside eye conditions and hip dysplasia. Ask what the dog and its line have been tested for, and take out insurance at adoption.
What adopting a dog in Quebec actually involves
Quebec dog rescue runs through a handful of regional shelters rather than a dense network of breed-specific groups. The Montreal SPCA is the largest, and the SPA de la Mauricie in Trois-Rivières and the SPA de l’Estrie in Sherbrooke carry most of the rest. Expect the process to run primarily in French, including listings and application forms, even where staff are bilingual. Say at first contact if you would rather work in English, and ask for the adoption contract in a language you can read before signing.
Housing is the step rescues care most about. Most Quebec households rent, often in a plex or a walk-up, and the shortage of rentals that accept animals is one of the reasons shelters cite most often for surrender. Get your landlord’s permission in writing before you apply. One piece of local context worth knowing: since 2015, animals in Quebec are not property. Article 898.1 of the Code civil du Québec describes them as sentient beings with biological needs, which is the backdrop to how rescues here write their contracts.
Looking more broadly? Browse every adoptable dog across the province on Dog Adoption Quebec.
The rescues that most often list Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers across Quebec are Montreal SPCA, SPA de la Mauricie, and SPA de l'Estrie. For breed-specific background, the Canadian Kennel Club is a useful reference.
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Adoption FAQ — Montreal
How many Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers are available for adoption in Montreal?
As of September 2026, there are no Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers listed in Montreal rescue on LocalPetFinder right now — Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers are among the rarer dogs in local rescue. Inventory turns over quickly, so setting an alert is the most reliable way to catch one, or consider an adoptable Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever mix.
Where can I adopt a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever near me in Quebec?
LocalPetFinder gathers adoptable Tollers from the Quebec organizations we track, including the Montreal SPCA, the SPA de la Mauricie in Trois-Rivières and the SPA de l’Estrie in Sherbrooke, into one list. Quebec dog inventory is small compared with its cat inventory, so this list moves and it is worth checking back or setting an alert rather than assuming nothing is available.
What is a Toller and where does the breed come from?
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever was developed in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, to "toll" waterfowl: the dog plays along the shoreline, curiosity draws ducks into range, and the dog then retrieves. It is the smallest retriever and one of very few breeds genuinely native to Canada.
Are Tollers just small Labradors?
No, and the assumption causes most of the surrenders. Tollers are smaller but considerably more intense, more sensitive, and more prone to obsessive behaviour when under-exercised. They are also famously vocal, with a piercing excitement scream. A Lab tolerates an average family routine far better than a Toller does.
How much does it cost to adopt a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever in Montreal?
Adopting a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever in Montreal typically costs $300 to $700, and puppies usually carry a premium at $500 to $900. The exact fee varies by rescue, and older dogs are often reduced. That fee is not a purchase price. It covers work already done on the dog: spay or neuter, vaccinations, deworming, microchip, and a basic vet workup, which would cost several hundred dollars more if you arranged it yourself after buying. Buying the same breed from a registered breeder generally runs well over $1,000, usually with a waitlist. Ask the rescue what is included before you apply, since a few include extras like a starter bag of food or a first-month insurance trial.
Are these Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers for sale in Montreal?
Not for sale, for adoption, which is usually the better deal. Every Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever here comes from a Montreal rescue or shelter, not a breeder, pet store, or classified seller. Adoption fees are typically $300 to $700, with puppies at $500 to $900 and already include vaccinations, deworming, microchip and spay or neuter when age-appropriate, versus roughly $2,000 to $5,000 or more to buy a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever from a breeder. If you searched "nova scotia duck tolling retriever for sale montreal" or "nova scotia duck tolling retriever puppies for sale," adopting gets you a healthy, vetted dog for a fraction of the price.
Where can I buy a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever in Montreal, and should I?
You can buy from a registered breeder, but it is worth weighing against adoption first. A reputable Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever breeder typically charges $2,000 to $5,000 or more and often has a waitlist, while a rescue Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever costs $300 to $700, with puppies at $500 to $900 fully vetted and may be available now. Be cautious of cheap nova scotia duck tolling retriever-for-sale ads on classified sites and marketplaces, which are frequently backyard breeders or puppy-mill resellers with unvetted, sometimes sick animals and no health guarantee. If you do buy, insist on seeing where the puppies were raised and getting vet records. For most families in Montreal, adopting a rescue Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is cheaper, faster, and gives a dog in need a home.
Are there free Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers in Montreal, or nova scotia duck tolling retrievers under $500?
Adoption is the closest honest answer, and it is not free. A rescue Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever in Montreal typically costs $300 to $700, with puppies at $500 to $900, so the lower end lands under the "$500" people search for and the rest does not. What the fee buys is work already done, the vaccinations, deworming, microchip and spay or neuter, which would cost more than the fee itself if you arranged it yourself, and it is still far below breeder prices. Be wary of genuinely free nova scotia duck tolling retriever listings. An animal advertised free to a good home has usually not been vetted, and free rehoming ads are the route flippers and unregistered breeders use to move animals with no health guarantee and no recourse. Paying a rescue fee buys you a dog someone has already examined, treated, and been honest with you about.
Are there Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever puppies in Montreal, or only adults?
Both, but adults far outnumber puppies, and it is worth knowing that before you start looking. Most Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers arriving in Montreal rescue are adolescents and adults, because that is the age at which first homes tend to give up. Puppies do come through, usually as accidental litters or with a surrendered mother, and they are typically spoken for quickly. Setting an alert beats refreshing the page. It is also worth asking whether you actually want one: an adult arrives with a temperament a foster has already observed and described, where a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever puppy is a prediction, and for this breed in particular knowing what you are getting is the more useful thing.
Where can I find a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever near me in Montreal?
Start with the listings on this page, which pull from Montreal rescues and shelters and are refreshed regularly, so what you see is what is genuinely available rather than a stale directory. If nothing suits today, that is normal for this breed: rescue intake is intermittent rather than steady, and a breed with none listed this week often has several next month. Setting an alert beats checking back, and it is worth widening to nearby towns, since most rescues serving Montreal will adopt out across a reasonable driving distance rather than only inside one municipality.