Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever vs Miniature Australian Shepherd

Compare the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever to the Miniature Australian Shepherd. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers and Miniature Australian Shepherds.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and the Miniature Australian Shepherd are good for new owners, but the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is a slightly better choice.
Children - Both the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and Miniature Australian Shepherd are great with children.
Grooming - The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is very easy to groom. The Miniature Australian Shepherd has high grooming requirements.
Barking - Both the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and Miniature Australian Shepherd are very vocal and will bark/howl frequently.

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Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever vs Miniature Australian Shepherd

Breed Name	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	Miniature Australian Shepherd
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	10-14 yrs.	13-15 yrs.
Height	17-21 in.	13-18 in.
Weight	35-52 lb	30-40 lb
Intelligence	High	High
History
Origin Country	Canada	United States
Origin Year	1945 AD	1978 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Very Good	Good
Personality
	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Stubborn Willing To Please	Affectionate Loving Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	No	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	No	Yes
Medium Yard	No	Yes
Large Yard	Yes	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	30°F to 70°F	30°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Very Often	Very Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Very High	High-Very High
Exercise Required	Very High	High
Top Running Speed	22 mph	20 mph
Strength	Medium-High	Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Medium
Shedding	Medium	Medium
Dander	Medium	Medium
Drool Amount	None-Low	Low

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	Miniature Australian Shepherd
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	Yes
Family/Pack	Yes	No
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	Yes	No
Average	Yes	Yes
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Average	Below Average
Chasing	Average	Below Average
Follow Commands	Very Low	Average
Fighting	Below Average	Very Low
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Very Low	High
Hunting	High	Below Average
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Very Low	Very Low
Sledding	Very Low	Below Average
Watch	Average	Below Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	Miniature Australian Shepherd
Lifespan
Lifespan	10-14 yrs.	13-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Drug Sensitivity	No	Yes
Glaucoma	No	Yes
Iris Coloboma	No	Yes
Juvenile Cataracts	No	Yes
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	No	Yes
Retinal Dysplasia	No	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	Miniature Australian Shepherd
Coat
Hair	Yes	No
Fur	No	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	Yes
Smooth Coat	Yes	No
Coat Texture
Shaggy	Yes	No
Straight	Yes	No
Wavy	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Medium	Yes	Yes
Long	No	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Golden Red	Yes	No
Red	Yes	No
Black	No	Yes
Blue Merle	No	Yes
Liver	No	Yes
Red Merle	No	Yes
White & Black	No	Yes