We began our journey into Tollers in 1997 with our first dog Jake. We quickly learned about all the unique characteristics of the Toller and what to do to keep our dog happy and healthy. This is not a breed for everyone so please do your homework and speak to as many knowledgeable breeders and owners as possible before making the decision to add this breed to your family.
As our family moved along with Jake it became very clear he was highly intelligent as well as an energetic dog and he needed a job. We entered the world of field events which back then there were very few Tollers participating regularly in our area but we met some wonderful people who really helped us train Jake. We started late in this as Jake was 2 years old at the time. This meant that many undesirable behaviors had to be corrected and new ones developed. In the end Jake proved to be an excellent field dog but his only downfall was he insisted on doing it his way which often didn’t coincide with the testing requirements. He taught me many things over the years and as I was told by many involved in the sport that Jake was a great hunting dog but not so great a test dog. He could never quite understand why he was required to swim out to a bird and retrieve it and swim back when it was much quicker to run the bank jump in and then swim back to the bank and run back with the bird!
Our next dog Sara came to us in 2001 from Nova Scotia and was to me one of the most amazing dogs I have ever owned. Sara had a profound influence on our family and taught me so many important lessons in life. She was the epitome of a true matriarch, loyal, brave, confident, smart, stoic and dignified but also patient, gentle and understanding with both humans and dogs alike. She has left a huge hole in our hearts but we are so very grateful for her time with us. Always loved and never to be forgotten.
Zoey came to us from Alison Strang, the Grand Dam of Tollers and my mentor on a co-ownership to start as Alison was slowly moving out of the breeding end of Tollers. Such a sweet dog and if I had to name one foundation female it would be Zoey. From the day we got her she was a wild child. We tried multiple sports with her as her energy was endless which included Conformation, Field, Agility and Obedience and Rally-O. Her excitement and willingness to please always got the better or her. From the screaming at the line in the field to over anticipating the next command in obedience and Rally-O! She had tonnes of fun but she was her own worst enemy when it came to completing the tasks at hand. Zoey had 2 wonderful litters for us and and that brings us to our current dogs in residence.
Ecco is the puppy we kept from Zoey’s second litter and she is still with us and has taken on the role of Matriarch in the family. She is a sweet, smart and intelligent worker that has brought so much joy to not only us but to the many families that have one of her puppies. She has produced 3 litters for us and we have been working with her lines for several generations now. She produced several of our current stud dogs, Jed, and Gunner and is Sailor’s, Palmer’s and Jasper’s grandmother. Ecco is also Shim’s mother and Jenny’s grandmother.
Our foundation dogs will never be replaced in our hearts but we are thrilled to move forward with their legacy in our breeding program. In each litter we produce here at Watermark I see a little bit of all these dogs in the puppies but have to say that the wonderful temperaments from the influence of Sara on down to Zoey to Ecco and the rest of the dogs has really been the most exciting part of breeding these lines. With each breeding decision we make I want to ensure that I never lose these temperaments in the dogs we produce here at Watermark. Structure and Health are also critical in or lines and we are constantly working towards our ideal which is set out in the CKC Standard for the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.
