My female GS loves to play w/ the tennis ball. Since reading your opinion on the negative effects on their teeth, we are looking for an alternative toy. She doesn't like anything rubber - kong etc. I've tried rope toys she runs, looks at it and keeps searching the yard for a ball that she insists must be out there. My question, there is a product called Air Dog toys. They look like tennis balls but are made for dogs in different shapes. She LOVES these. Are they OK or the same glue as tennis balls. She is getting frustrated that I will not play ball w/ her and am desperate to find a toy she likes. She has very strong drive w/ the right toy. Thanks
Buddy Glow ball...they are quite expensive though.
Several members on my SAR team use the orange street hockey balls. They are cheap, easy for us humans to see in the snow or grass and they are able to take quite a bit of abuse.
My GSD won't even look at a tennis ball when his giant blue ball is around. It's a hard, blue plastic ball about 14" in diameter. He can't pick it up or chew it (well, not quite, see below) and so he quickly learned to herd it, butting it with his chest and steering it with his front legs. I have to ration his time with it, since he barks practically non-stop while playing with it, and I don't want to drive the neighbors crazy. It's available from dobbsdogs.com in both 14- and 10-inch sizes.
It does have one weakness: a small hole that allows for putting gravel (to rattle) or water (for weight and crazy movement) in it, but this gave Oka a purchase for a canine tooth and he is slowly chewing the ball up. I'm also worried he'll break a canine picking the ball up, now that it's got other holes and scrapes that give him a purchase on it. I'm going to fill that hole in the next one with epoxy, and and expect that one to last forever.
Are you famiiar w/ the "Air Dog" product. They are yellow like tennis ball but come in shapes (square, bone, stick even the shape of a kong) There is one on a string, that looks good for building drive. She loves these but are they safe? Also, my male would love the large blue ball you talk about I'll definately try one for him. He'll chase and retrieve anything, he can also entertain himself quite well.
I worry about both kongs and the Air Dog products that are an irregular shape. My trainer discourages use of them because of the chance of the dog blowing a knee ligament following the sudden changes in direction these toys make. He doesn't feel it's likely to be a problem with a smaller dog, like the average female GSD, but in larger dogs he's seen a few injuries from this cause and doesn't think it worth the risk.
thanks for your help. We are trying the Flinks technique of building focus and drive and he stresses working w/ the toy the dog prefers - which unfortunately is the tennis ball.I would really like to know if the glue on the air dog products poses the same threat as regular tennis ball. We have the kong ball. She is really picky, she likes the lightness of the tennis ball products, and won't take anything rubber unless she can really grip it, then she goes crazy over it.
Ed Frawley Administrator Reg: 07-11-2001
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Jean - for the drive work you can use the mini tugs we sell http://www.leerburg.com/puppytug.htm they are soft to bite and have a handle (I like the blue or black ones pictured not the pocket tugs.
Thank you Ed - I'm going to try the tug toys for her. Also, is the go-frr ball hard like the ball on a string? I tried the ball on a string, she didn't like it. If it is softer, I will try that also. Thanks
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