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Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA) collection

 Collection
Identifier: AKD-1-29

Scope and Contents

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA) collection comprehensively documents the history of the sporting breed and the club devoted to its emergence in the United States -- before, during, and following its acceptance into the American Kennel Club. The materials appear to have been assembled by the club's historian, Marile Waterstraat, a librarian by trade whom was also a founding member and former club president. Waterstraat's club scrapbooks from 1993-2000 had gone missing before they could be donated to the AKC Archives; while an attempt was made to reassemble material, club administration and event coverage is sparser over that time period.

Club Administration contains correspondence dating back to early discussions on establishing a club and meeting minutes produced since that initial founding. Other important early documents include the registration agreement made with the Canadian Kennel Club and and the original constitution and bylaws and subsequent revisions. Files further chronicle the club's dealings with the AKC, including those around Miscellaneous Class and member status acceptances. Also present are membership directories, Toller Rescue calendars, and various information packets and pamphlets; graphic materials such as the club logo, membership card, and stationary; and documentation of the production of the breed standard and breed video,; distribution of the club's Sylvan Award; judges' guides, standards, and presentations; and more.

Dog Shows and Events materials extensively cover the breed's participation in competitive sport, beginning in the 1980s when fanciers established Tollers at several Rare Breeds associations, through the club's first Independent Specialty in 1989, and on through further regional and national specialties licensed by the AKC. The chronological show files varyingly include catalogs, pedigree lists, judges programs, banquet programs, ephemera, correspondence, winners lists, nametags, ribbons, and schedules and other handouts. Files cover conformation, field/hunting/working tests, and agility; regular club events such as the Gateway Classic, Backyard Classic, and Finger Lake Classic; and select national all-breed events. A variety of win shots and candid photographs of club and rare breed events, as well as member dogs, date back to 1989. Audiovisual footage is available for the first 1989 independent specialty and other events for select years through 2012. Also present are ribbons, incuding first prize from the first club specialty, and other club/breed merchandise and souvenirs such as t-shirts and handkerchiefs.

Media and Publications include an inventory and chronological clippings files of Toller articles and appearances in pop culture dating as far back as 1916; a small selection of international printed matter (from England, Switzerland, Sweden, and Canada); and professional and non-professional video recordings of Tollers.

The bulk of Dog Registries are comprised of the club's own registration files maintained from 1983 through 2000, when Toller registration transferred to the FSS (Foundation Stock Service) and the AKC. Each file contains an application and copy of the dog's registration certificate; they may also varyingly include photographs, pedigrees, non-breeding agreements, title and test certificates, Canadian Kennel Club registration certificates, health registry forms, and/or related correspondence. Other files hold various registration certificates and incomplete file and directories and stud pages for the NSDTRC (USA) and Canadian Kennel Club registrations for individual dogs and litters, both published and unpublished.

Dates

  • Majority of material found in 1980-2012
  • 1916-2012

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials are in English, with some select Swedish.

Access Restrictions

This material is open to researchers without restrictions.

Publishing and Use Restrictions

Many of the materials, particularly photographs, may still be under copyright and require permission of the AKC and/or the creator before publishing. Please consult the Archivist

Historical note

BREED HISTORY The smallest of the retrievers, this breed was developed in the Little River district of Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia to toll (or, lure) and retrieve waterfowl, as well as all-purpose hunting. The earliest records, from the mid- 19th century, indicate that the "Little River Duck Dog" (as it was known until the 1920s) was bred from early combinations of Flat-Coated, Labrador and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers with farm collies and Irish Setters, the latter of which introduced the breed's distinctive red color.

The breed became recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1945, though by 1960 there were only 14 recorded Tollers. Breeder Avery Nickerson of Harbour Lights Kennels helped raise breed awareness and placed dogs throughout North America.

The Toller is a quick, strong, alert, and agile dog known for its larger than life spirit, energy, and attitude. It excels in the field and show ring, in obedience and agility, and as a companion to an active family.

CLUB HISTORY The NSDTRC (USA) is known as a small but intensely devoted group. It was formed by approximately 25 fanciers, led by future president Sue Van Sloun, dedicated to saving the breed which was nearing extinction by the late 1970s. The club worked patiently to establish itself as a strong and viable entity before pursuing AKC recognition. Notably, the club has worked to maintain the toller as "one breed," avoiding the field/show split so common in sporting breeds. For this reason the club only awarded "Champion" titles to those that had earned a Natural Instinct Test (NIT) or Working Certificate (WC). It hosted its first independent specialty in 1989, and has since incorporated agility and field trials into the event.

Chronology adapted from the club's website (http://nsdtrc-usa.org/about/club-history/):

1984 August
Club is founded.
2001 June
The Board of Directors of The American Kennel Club approves the admission of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever into the Miscellaneous Class.
2001 September
Tollers become eligible to compete in the Miscellaneous Class, Obedience, Tracking, Agility and Junior Showmanship at AKC events held on and after.
2002 June
Tollers become eligible to compete in Hunt Tests.
2003 July
The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is accepted into the Sporting Group.
2003 May
Registration is turned over from FSS to the AKC.
2003 August
NSDTRC (USA) becomes AKC licensed to hold point shows and Obedience trials.
2004 March
NSDTRC (USA) becomes licensed to host Agility Trials.
2004 July
NSDTRC (USA) becomes licensed to host AKC Hunt Tests.
2005 September
NSDTRC (USA) is granted AKC Member status.
2010 November
The AKC Board of Directors approves allowing Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA) field titles, Working Certificate, Working Certificate Intermediate, and Working Certificate Excellent, to be added to an individual Toller's AKC record and pedigree. The NSDTRC (USA) is only the third breed club to be granted recognition of its Club performance titles.

Physical Description

14 Linear Feet (in 18 boxes (7 document boxes, 1 half-width document box, 6 record cartons, 2 photo boxes, 1 oversize flat box, and one mixed audiovisual box))

Abstract

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA) collection comprehensively documents the history of the sporting breed and the club devoted to its emergence in the United States -- before, during, and following its acceptance into the American Kennel Club. Administrative records date prior to the club's founding in 1984, and include subsequent meeting minutes, correspondence, bylaws revisions, membership directories, and much more. The breed's participation in competitive sport is well documented, beginning in the 1980s when fanciers established Tollers at several Rare Breeds associations, through the club's first Independent Specialty in 1989, and continuing with regional and national specialties licensed by the AKC. Also present are the club's own registration files maintained from 1983 through 2000, chronological clippings files; and a variety of win shots and photographs of club events and member dogs.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into 4 series based on format and/or content:

  1. Club Administration, 1979-2012
  2. Dog Shows and Events, 1983-2012
  3. Media and Publications, 1916-2010
  4. Breed Registries, 1945-2002

Provenance

Donated by club president Sue Dorscheid, on behalf of the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA), in 2012.

Related Materials

Club newsletters and other publications previously collected by the AKC Library may be searched using the online catalog, CAIUS.

Processing Information

The Club Administration and Dog Shows and Events materials were removed from chronologically arranged scrapbooks labelled with the year range.

The clippings files were removed from chronological scrapbooks labelled "Articles on Tollers" and maintained in original order.

Photographs were removed from their original album sleeves if not affixed by an adhesive, or accompanied by captions on the album page.

Title
Guide to the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Club (USA) Collection
Author
Brynn White
Date
2016
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English; select materials in Swedish

Repository Details

Part of the American Kennel Club Library & Archives Repository

Contact:
101 Park Ave
FL 5
New York NEW YORK 10178 United States