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Let’s speak about one of the best different to tennis balls for canine!
As a result of in case your canine is as ball loopy as my 75 lb pup Buzz was once, likelihood is you possibly can’t sustain with the quantity of tennis balls he goes by way of.
…until you reside near tennis courts and decide up the misplaced tennis balls that gamers maneuver exterior of the courts!
That’s truly what Buzz and I used to do again once we lived in D.C. suburbia for a few years. It was tremendous handy as a result of we have been assured to seek out not less than a pair per day.
At first I used to be stoked that we found a free supply of tennis balls for Buzz!
However sadly, he additionally destroyed them virtually as shortly as we discovered them as a result of tennis balls are clearly not made to carry as much as canine enamel – and particularly to not these of a big pup like Buzz.
I imply, they’re product of a mushy materials for a purpose – to play tennis with, not baseball!
And Buzz wasn’t even attempting to destroy them as a result of he was tremendous motivated to play fetch along with his people.
So he realized actual fast that the earlier he introduced the ball again to us and dropped it at our ft, the faster he’d be capable to run after it!
Both means, since tennis balls didn’t reduce it for us due to their brief lived existence round Buzz, I went to seek out alternate options to tennis balls for canine.
Once I did, I additionally realized about potential hazards of tennis balls for canine I hadn’t thought-about earlier than.
Yikes!
Did You Know: tennis balls and frisbees are on the “not allowed” listing as toys for information canine puppies in coaching at our college. Why? As a result of tennis balls and frisbees are utilized in public so often we don’t need our puppies getting an unhealthy obsession over these things.
The Drawbacks of Tennis Balls For Canines
Whereas their brief lifespan is extra of an inconvenience, the fuzzy felt they’re coated with can truly trigger a number of points in canine.
For instance, in the event that they handle to tear it off and swallow the fuzz, it may possibly trigger gastrointestinal issues like obstruction or irritation within the digestive tract.
Additionally, due to the abrasive nature of tennis balls, if a canine chews repeatedly on the felt floor it may possibly result in dental issues. Like carrying down the enamel and aggravating the gums.
Some tennis balls additionally include dyes or glues that may be dangerous if canine ingest them.
Fortunately, Buzz by no means ate the fuzz nor chewed on the balls as a result of he actually wished to play with them quite than take them aside.
However I positive have seen consumer pups go to city on tennis balls again in my skilled pet sitting days.
And sure, I did take away them and talked to their house owners about safer canine toys!
5 Elements to Think about When Selecting Canine Toys
Which brings me to the subsequent part I wish to speak to you about – how do we all know if a given canine toy is secure for our furry loves?
In any case, there’s SO MANY canine toys to select from as of late.
Effectively, you’ll wish to think about your pup’s measurement, exercise stage and chewing type when choosing toys for them.
That stated, ask your self all the following before you purchase any given canine toy as an alternative choice to tennis balls for canine:
- Is the scale applicable? Think about the scale of your canine and select toys which can be applicable in measurement to make sure secure play and reduce the danger of choking hazards.
- How sturdy is it? Search for canine toys which can be comprised of sturdy supplies like rubber and which can be designed to face up to your canine’s chewing habits. This may assist stop the toy from simply breaking up and changing into a possible choking hazard.
- Does it cater to excessive power or low power canine? Take into consideration your canine’s power stage and play type. Energetic and high-energy canine profit from toys that encourage bodily train, akin to balls for fetching or rope toys for tug-of-war.
- Is it made to your canine’s age? Totally different toys are designed with totally different age teams in thoughts. Puppies might require softer toys to appease their teething gums, whereas grownup canine might take pleasure in extra interactive or mentally stimulating toys.
- What about security options? Be sure that the toys you select have applicable security options. Test for sturdy building, no small or simply removable components, and non-toxic supplies. Keep away from toys with strings or ribbons that would pose a strangulation threat.
Since some options are extra apparent than others, particularly in the event you purchase canine toys on-line the place you possibly can’t contact them, I recommend you spend slightly time on studying evaluations.
Though your canine is clearly distinctive, evaluations from individuals who have canine with related traits to yours can nonetheless assist you to decide if the toy could also be a great match.
Greatest Alternate options to Tennis Balls For Canines
Now that you’ve a basic thought of what to concentrate to, let me share a number of secure alternate options to tennis balls for canine.
They’re a mixture of canine toys that labored properly for my pup Buzz, but in addition for my present canine Wally in addition to for a lot of of my canine strolling and pet sitting purchasers.
Chuckit Balls
Chuckit balls are a beautiful different to tennis balls for canine as a result of they’re comprised of sturdy supplies like pure rubber or sturdy artificial supplies.
That’s as a result of they’re designed to face up to tough play and repeated fetching with out simply breaking up.
Moreover lasting Buzz for much longer than tennis balls, they’re additionally safer as a result of they don’t have the felt masking.
Buzz had a couple of totally different ones:
He cherished all of them and didn’t care one bit if it rained or not so long as he might play along with his beloved Chuckit balls!
A number of of my purchasers additionally had the Chuckit Ball Launcher which – admittedly – I finished utilizing with Buzz as a result of the balls at all times went means over our fence at any time when I used it.
Though I’ll say that it was nice to maintain my fingers from getting all types of slimy! So as soon as I finished utilizing it, I wore backyard gloves for Buzz’s prolonged fetch classes.
Consumer Sydney along with her Chuckit Ball & Launcher
Buzz with the common Chuckit Fetch Ball and the Chuckit Kick Fetch Ball (within the again)
Buzz enjoying fetch within the rain along with his ChuckIt Fetch Ball. Within the again: His sister Missy who didn’t share his love for balls.
Buzz along with his ChuckIt Glow Ball
Buzz taking a break from enjoying fetch along with his Chuckit Extremely Squeaker Ball
One among my Wiener purchasers, Zoey, additionally had a number of Chuckit balls, however the smaller model since she weighed a fraction of what Buzz did!
Zoey along with her Chuckit balls! Isn’t she cute?!
My present pup Wally just isn’t a fan of enjoying fetch, so he solely has the Chuckit squeaker balls he chews on till he “kills” the squeaker.
Stuffable Kong Rubber Canine Toys
Stuffable Kong rubber canine toys are one other nice different to tennis balls for canine.
Just like the Chuckit balls, Kong canine toys are comprised of high-quality, pure rubber that’s robust, non-toxic and long-lasting.
The rubber materials is designed to face up to vigorous chewing and is available in totally different thicknesses in order that it additionally works for energy chewers.
In contrast to the Chuckit balls, the stuffable Kong toys are a mixture of mentally partaking and bodily difficult toys for canine.
Right here’s why:
- You may fill them with edibles like peanut butter or yogurt for an entertaining meals puzzle. If you would like them to final further lengthy, go forward and freeze in a single day.
- As soon as they’re empty, you should use them as a bouncy fetch toy!
Bonus: The stuffable Kong canine toys are top-rack dishwasher secure, in order that makes clear up tremendous straightforward.
For Buzz and his sister Missy, I had them in quite a lot of kinds to go well with them from puppyhood by way of their grownup lives:
I even have the Kong Excessive model for my present pup Wally, and a number of other of my consumer pups had them as properly to maintain them entertained in-between their canine strolling visits.
Missy (left) and Buzz (proper) with their stuffed Kong toys
Consumer pups Winston & Zoe with their peanut butter-stuffed frozen Kongs
One among my purchasers’ puppies with a pet Kong toy
Kong Flyer Rubber Frisbee
Subsequent on my listing of suggestions for alternate options to tennis balls for canine is the Kong Flyer Rubber Frisbee.
It’s designed to resemble a basic flying disc or frisbee and similar to the stuffable Kongs, it’s comprised of Kong’s rubber materials.
That’s what makes it each sturdy AND mild in your pup’s mouth and gums in comparison with conventional plastic frisbees!
It additionally is available in totally different thicknesses to go well with quite a lot of chewing kinds, and Buzz – once more – had all of them:
Buzz (left) along with his basic Kong Flyer and his sister Missy (proper) at a doggie pool
One among my day by day canine strolling and pet sitting purchasers, Bailey, additionally had a Kong Flyer.
Earlier than the Flyer, she had a tough plastic frisbee that induced her gums to bleed when she performed fetch with it, so her house owners switched it out for the rubber canine frisbee.
Consumer Bailey enjoying fetch along with her (pet) Kong Flyer
Rope Toys and Tug-of-Struggle Choices
Westpaw Zogoflex Canine Toys
The Westpaw Zogoflex canine toys additionally make nice fetch alternate options to tennis balls for canine.
They’re comprised of a proprietary materials known as -you guessed it – Zogoflex, which is a non-toxic and eco-friendly materials designed to be robust, but mild on a canine’s enamel and gums.
They arrive in an enormous number of shapes and colours, however for my part, those beneath work greatest as canine fetch toys:
Buzz didn’t have any of those, however a couple of of my pet sitting purchasers and mates’ canine did.
My present pup Wally additionally has considered one of them, the Air Skamp.
Whereas he’s not into enjoying fetch, he does take pleasure in enjoying tug, and the Air Skamp is ideal for that, nevertheless it clearly additionally works for fetch.
Consumer pup Macy along with her Zogoflex Bumi fetch toy
Enjoying tug with a buddy’s GSD and the Zogoflex Echo Zwig toy
Enjoying tug with Wally and the Zogoflex Air Skamp
Tuffy Canine Toys
Final however not least on my listing of fetch alternate options to tennis balls for canine are Tuffy canine toys.
Because the identify suggests, they’re sturdy and difficult canine toys designed to face up to tough play and chewing that are available all types of enjoyable shapes and colours.
Tuffies are comprised of a number of layers of sturdy supplies akin to nylon, strengthened stitching, and robust materials, making them resistant to ripping and shredding.
Standard Tuffy canine toys embody however will not be restricted to the:
Buzz didn’t have any Tuffies, however a number of of my purchasers did and my present pup Wally additionally has a couple of to play tug with.
Whereas Tuffy canine toys aren’t product of rubber just like the toys I discussed from Chuckit, Kong and Westpaw, they’re not product of abrasive felt like tennis balls.
Bonus: They’re machine-washable as a result of additionally they float and make nice water toys. Plus, everyone knows they’re going to be slobbery in some unspecified time in the future!
Wally with the Tuffy Boomerang
Consumer Stanley along with his Tuffy Dinosaur Triceratops
Further Suggestions and Security Issues
Now, whereas the canine toys I simply talked about are a lot safer than tennis balls for canine, please keep in mind to at all times supervise your pups throughout playtime.
There isn’t any such factor as a completely indestructible canine toy, and naturally canine can even choke on bits and items of pure rubber ought to they attempt to swallow them.
Moreover, it’s additionally a good suggestion to recurrently examine your canine toys for indicators of wear and tear and tear.
Even probably the most sturdy canine toys can break in some unspecified time in the future!
Backside Line
I wished to finish this listing of secure canine toys by saying that some canine can safely play with tennis balls with none points.
Nevertheless, it’s essential to be aware of the potential dangers and observe your canine’s conduct carefully throughout playtime.
When you discover any indicators of discomfort, dental points, or extreme chewing on the tennis ball, it could be sensible to contemplate different toys akin to those talked about on this weblog publish.
Total, I really feel assured in saying that they’re possible higher suited to your canine’s security and well-being than conventional tennis balls.
For extra enjoyable canine toys, take a look at our weblog publish Most Sturdy Canine Toys right here!
Are you conscious of extra secure alternate options to tennis balls for canine? Tell us within the remark part beneath!
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