Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers are lovable, active, intelligent dogs that are happiest when out hunting, competing in trials or anything else that keeps them busy. Some of the various dog activities and sports that tolling retrievers are often involved in include conformation shows, obedience, field competitions, tracking, and agility. Duck tolling dogs are strong swimmers and a tenacious and natural retriever both in the water and on land. When something needs retrieving, the dog immediately springs into action, not only because you train him to, but also because he loves the challenge, exercise, and sport.

An obedience trial is a sport where you and your tolling retriever work together as a team and they judge your team performing exercises. Your dog must correctly accomplish an already defined set of activities or tasks, by following your direction. The dog performs these obedience activities off leash in a carefully outlined and highly conventional manner. Some of the exercises your dog must complete at each level before advancing ahead include recall, long sit and long down, retrieve over high jump, and scent discrimination.

Tracking is a sport that Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers and other sporting breeds are outstanding at because of their uncanny ability to find downed ducks and birds, often through scent, in various types of cover. Although not prepared for the harshness of competition, duck tolling puppies often start learning such things as 'find it' around four months old. Unlike many dog competitions, tracking is not a competition where it is one team against another team. During a tracking test there is no competitive score, but a pass or fail while spectators cheer you on.

In a tracking dog test, which tests the handler and dog, a person the dog does not know lays a track, approximately thirteen hundred to sixteen hundred feet long. The track your Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever follows has at least two turns and must be between half and hour and two hours old. They put a glove down to signify the end of the track.

The Tracking Dog Excellent test is far more difficult and not for novice dogs. The track for this competition, which the handler and dogs do not see when laying it out, is three or more hours old and approximately twenty-nine hundred and fifty to thirty-three hundred feet long. The track has a minimum of three articles and five turns. To make it even more confusing for the dog, a second person makes cross tracks by walking over the track in two separate places, but the dog should not follow the cross tracks. Even for Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers that do not compete, tracking is a fun way to develop teamwork and spend quality time with your dog.