Side by side
Put a few breeds side by side before you make up your mind.
Pick up to four. The URL updates as you go, so you can send this comparison to whoever you are arguing with.
| Breed |  Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever |  Siberian Husky |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | The breed was developed over the nineteenth century by hunters in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, who wanted a dog that could mimic the playful movements of a fox along the shoreline to draw curious ducks and geese into range before the hunter flushed them with a shot. The resulting dog, sometimes called the Little River Duck Dog, combines retriever, spaniel and setter ancestry, and the Canadian Kennel Club formally recognised the breed in 1945. It remains a relatively rare breed outside Canada, though numbers in Britain have grown steadily as working and pet owners discover its combination of size and drive. | Siberia, Russia |
| Group | Gundog | Working |
| Size | Medium | Large |
| Coat | Medium length, water-repellent double coat in shades of red or orange with white markings on the chest, feet, tail tip and sometimes the face. | Dense double coat with a soft undercoat |
| Weight | 17 to 23 kg | 16 to 27 kg |
| Height | 45 to 51 cm | 51 to 60 cm |
| Lifespan | 12 to 14 yrs | 12 to 14 yrs |
| Exercise need | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Affection | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Grooming needs | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Barking | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Good with children | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Good with other dogs | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Trainability | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Prey drive | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Copes alone | 3/10 | 3/10 |
| Drool | 2/10 | 1/10 |
| Shedding | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Flat fit | 3/10 | 2/10 |
| Running cost | €175 / month | €119 / month |
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever verdict
The smallest retriever, built to lure ducks and then prove it on every walk
Get one if
- · Active households who can provide daily off-lead exercise and retrieving games
- · Owners with access to safe water for swimming and retrieving
- · People interested in gundog training, agility or scent work as a shared hobby
Think again if
- · Flat dwellers or homes with close, noise-sensitive neighbours
- · First-time owners wanting an easygoing, ever-friendly family dog
- · Households away from home for long hours on a regular basis
Siberian Husky verdict
A striking, athletic sled dog built for distance running and ill suited to a quiet life in the garden.
Get one if
- · Active owners able to provide well over an hour of vigorous daily exercise
- · Households with genuinely secure, tall and dig proofed fencing
- · Owners interested in canicross, bikejoring or long distance running
Think again if
- · First time owners wanting a biddable, easily trained dog
- · Flats or gardens without secure, escape proof boundaries
- · Households seeking a guard dog, since Huskies are friendly with strangers