A retriever bred to work all day in cold water
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever was bred on cold Canadian shores to dance along the bank, lure ducks in, then retrieve from icy water again and again. A heatwave is the opposite of his design brief. His medium double coat has a water-repellent outer layer over dense undercoat, his energy and retrieving drive are among the highest of any breed his size, and his famous tolling play — bouncing, spinning, tail-flagging along a shoreline — is exactly the kind of sustained excitement that drives body temperature up fast. Extra care for a Toller means the owner, not the dog, decides when the game ends.
Ration the work, keep the swimming smart
Move a Toller's exercise to early morning and late evening, and make water the centre of it rather than dry-land retrieving. A dawn swim with short retrieving bursts and enforced bank rests cools a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever while satisfying the drive that otherwise boils over indoors. Cap the session yourself: this breed's scream of excitement and relentless focus are not signs he is coping, they are signs he is too wound up to notice heat building. Warm lake and pond water also cools less than owners expect, so a Toller who has swum hard still needs shade, drinking water, and a proper rest afterward.
Dry that red double coat properly
A Toller's coat sheds water beautifully on the outside and holds it underneath. During a heatwave, when he may swim daily, that trapped damp undercoat against warm skin is a recipe for sore, itchy hot spots, especially around the neck, chest, and base of the tail. Rinse him after pond or lake swims, towel him down, and brush through to the skin once he is dry so air reaches the undercoat. Check the skin under the coat with your fingers every couple of days during a swimming-heavy hot spell, feeling for damp, warm, or tender patches you cannot see through the red fur.
The escape risk nobody expects from a retriever
An under-exercised Toller in a heatwave is a dog with a plan. This breed is clever, athletic, and obsessively drawn to water, and a hot, restless Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever may scale a fence or slip a gate to reach a neighbour's pool, a stream, or even a cattle trough. Check gate latches and fence lines before the hot spell peaks, keep him supervised in the garden at midday rather than leaving him to bake and plot, and make sure his collar and ID are on even at home during the hottest days.
Heat signs in a dog who hides them
Because a Toller pushes through discomfort, watch for the subtle end of the scale first: retrieving a half-second slower, choosing shade mid-game for the first time ever, panting that stays rapid after ten minutes of rest, or gums that feel tacky rather than slippery. Restlessness at night after a hot day also counts. If he becomes unsteady, vomits, or his panting turns harsh and noisy, cool him with cool water and moving air and get veterinary help the same day. And if the water-seeking instinct ever does beat your fences, KinsLe's Lost Pet Alert System sends a free alert to nearby Circle of Love members, and whoever finds your Toller can message you directly through his profile.