Glynfyre Kennels owner and dog trainer, Jan Voss, has been breeding dogs for more than three decades. She was the breeder that Silver Fern Farms staff member Hannah Marsden chose when she adopted her Toller, Harvey. Jan’s journey began with English Springer Spaniels, and subsequently, she developed a love for Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers.

“It’s important to treat the dogs as athletes and focus on general fitness and muscle development, not just flexibility and skills over jumps. Dogs in serious work need higher protein and higher energy levels from their food. The focus is on nutrition content, not empty calories; we want to keep muscles up but keep them trim.”

As well as the athletic side, Jan says the dog needs to be focused on the task and listening to its handler. “My Tollers (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers) are also foodies. Tollers work with retrieving as a strong motivator, so food should be considered, and a handful of tasty treats goes a long way to getting their attention and motivating them. For treats, tripe is an absolute winner, as is dried liver. Developments like freeze drying make it so much easier to keep treats on hand now.”

“As a responsible breeder, I firmly believe in the importance of nutrition for an expectant mother. A nutritious diet established well before pregnancy forms the building block for the litter. There's no shortcut or replacement for good base nutrition in my experience."

“I am confident I have established a great balance of all the nutrients my dogs need and find that including tasty, chewy food keeps their appetite up and digestion healthy. I feed New Zealand-sourced meat as it gives me the assurance that livestock are free-range and being treated ethically".