What breed are those? They don't quite look like Brittanys or Goldens. Beautiful pooches.
They are the smallest of the purebred retrievers. The maximum weight for a male is about 50 pounds. In size, they compare to a working UK Border Collie.
The breed was developed in Nova Scotia in the later 1800s for a method of bird hunting that uses a dog to first attract the birds into gun range, in the air or on the water, and then goes out and retrieves any that are shot. The concept was originally developed in northern Europe. They used a very different kind of dog but the idea migrated across the Atlantic.
The method of using the dog in this way is rather unique but is very effective. The method is called "tolling." One can accomplish the same thing with a white rag on the end of a long stick, but the stick won't go out and fetch the birds.
In the late 1940s or early 50s the breed was named the offical dog of Nova Scotia. At that point it was given a very long and tedious name. I much prefer the breed's original name, which is derived from the place in Nova Scotia that is said to have been where the breed was created. So I use this name, which is Little River Duck Dog. But most people, indluding most owners of this breed, wouldn't have a clue what I was talking about.
The offcial name is (deep breath), Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.
We have never shown our dogs so have never been interested in acquiring one for that purpose. But Albi's father, Don, was a Grand Champion in Canada.
The photo below is of Albi's father in his heyday, and gives you a much better idea of what the breed looks like when it's groomed up rather than all wet and sandy on a boat.
If we polished up Albi and groomed him appropriately, he would look exactly like his dad.