Retriever proof tennis balls

[Goingtobeawesome]

My puppy loves them but she's pulling off all the fluff down to the inner part of the ball. I'd love her to have some but these two brands I've tried are no good. Can anyone recommend ones that will be safe for her please? She's nearly sixteen weeks old

[DoubleCarrick]

Kong tennis balls are really good but if you can move away from tennis balls my gsd has never managed to destroy a chuck-it ball. They're not cheap but they have lasted forever

[Veterinari]

Try and direct her onto other types of toy. Tennis balls can be dangerous for retriever sized dogs so you don't want her developing a ball obsession as she gets older.

Offer nylabones type things for chewing and softer teddy-style toys for carry (retrievers like to carry)

[Veterinari]

dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/dog_tennis_ball/

[tabulahrasa]

I just don't leave them out to be chewed, we play with them and then put them away.

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

Don't let her chew on tennis balls, they are really bad for her teeth.

Kongs are good.

[Goingtobeawesome]

Ok. I'll chuck the balls. I'll look for your recommendations thank you.

but not today as she picked up a poo bag that had fallen out of my sleeve and it took me ten minutes to get it off her. Her commands are good, even drop, unless it's something she really really wants.

[Goingtobeawesome]

That link is scary. The pet shop assistant did not tell me they weren't safe for my GR.

[Goingtobeawesome]

I am learning that pets at home aren't necessarily the best place for items and advice.

Can anyone recommend a good website for buying toys etc please.

I've found the chuck it ball and will buy. I'm not sure which size though. Medium is 2.5" and large is 3".

I'm also interested in soft toys though yesterday she chewed off the ear of a child's teddy. It was actually the cats bedtime toy. Her current favourite toy is a squeaky flat fox.

[Floralnomad]

Balls are for playing with ie you play with the dog not for the dog to play with alone . The type of tennis balls you buy in pet shops don't last long anyway ,even with normal play as they are too cheaply made you need to buy proper tennis balls from Sports direct or somewhere , they generally have tubes of Slazenger balls very cheap. My dog at 6 will still trash most toys , he has a Kong Wubba that has lasted well ( has no ears left) and also a few tough toys that he has only pulled the extremities off . Nylabones are very good and PAH do an artificial antler ( it's grey) that is also very popular but that is £12 so quite pricey .

[Goingtobeawesome]

She doesn't play with anything alone. I'm always with her as she's very young. Luckily she has other balls and toys.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Proper tennis balls are more durable, I have found.

You can buy them on eBay, used, from tennis clubs.

[Goingtobeawesome]

That explains why an old one belonging to the kids is fully intact. Thank you.

[LimeJellyHead]

Another vote for Chuckit. Try the Chuckit Ultra Ball. Totally amazing. I speak from experience.

[Goingtobeawesome]

Given the chuckit is the same size s a tennis ball won't the same issue occur? The blocking off breathing if they get it right in their mouths?

Which size should I get if we do decide it's okay? PFP

[CouldHaveNotCouldOf]

Medium chuck it is same size as a tennis ball. I buy quite a bit from Active Hound, I recently got a glow in the dark chuck it ball as I walk my dogs early in the morning, it's great and really durable.

[TondelayaDellaVentamiglia]

I have a couple of chuckit balls...the big blue one with the holes in is a real goodie....when you throw it, it whistles, which for Zac means it's much less likely to get lost...he is a ridiculous dog and hopeless at searching. The whistling means he is MUCH more likely to catch sight of it while it is in the air.

Other dogface is not allowed to chase balls so destruction is his main aim, and it has stood up really well to many and varied attempts.

We also have the one on a strap...again, still in excellent condition after a year.

I'd never let them play with a normal bouncy ball....it's just not safe for anything other than a teeny dog imo.

[Goingtobeawesome]

I may have had some wine so don't make sense

Anyone like to make a shopping, list for what my dog should have to help her development please

She's very very clever a quick leaner but easily bored of her toys and likes to eat my garden. I'd love t buy new toys each day but dh would say no. Meanie.

[tabulahrasa]

Rotate the toys, don't leave them all accessible to her and swap them round every so often.

Your garden, she's 16 weeks, she will destroy pretty much anything given the chance, lol. It's just a case of calling her away and giving her something else to do until she grows out if it.

[Veterinari]

Also if she's reluctant to give a toy or other item up 'trade' it for another toy/game or food reward. If you try and take something off her that she wants, she may become anxious about this and start guarding it or (more likely in retrievers/labs) quickly swallow it to 'hide' it from you - this can lead to a habit of swallowing inappropriate items when you try and take them

[Geretrude]

Hide and seek is a really fun game for dogs. Shut your dog out of a room and hide treats around it then she has to find them using smell. You can make it more complicated as she gets better.

Playing balls up and down the stairs is great exercise if you have a dog that doesn't like to go out in the rain but only when their bones are strong enough - never before a year old but I waited til our dog was 18 months and he loves it

[averylongtimeago]

All Goldies love gardening. There is something about a really good pruning session or a nice deep hole in the lawn that they really enjoy. My oldie Goldie (13.5) was digging yesterday....

Stuffed toys- mine have always loved these. Some will instantly tear them to bits, having huge fun fill I g the house with fluffy filling. Oldie Goldie will have a favourite for a while, up to a couple of months. Gradually nibbling bits off, the feet off the squeaky duck for example. She will carry it round, sleep with it, even sometimes actually retrieve it. Then one day that's it, another eviscerated cuddly toy and a heap of fluff.
Mine like the duck and pheasant shaped ones with built in annoying dying duck noise.

[Goingtobeawesome]

Thank you everyone. We're doing lots of this so good to know we are doing okay. Just need to keep going.

She wouldn't drop the stone but did let me take it out. If she doesn't drop I look as I can't risk her swallowing something harmful.

I swap her toys once a week. Is that often enough? She has maybe ten toys so how many should she have at one time?
I do distract. She's learning give so she gives me her contraband and I give her a treat. Doesn't always work but sometimes does.

She has dug two fabulous holes, actually three where she can then flop her head down in and looks cute. Meanie daddy doesn't want her digging up the lawn. I see her happy her cute face and she's not eating stuff she doesn't and I don't mind.

When you say chewing off do you mean swallowing?

My Fox now has a flat head as she holed him enough to get to thensqueak so that and the filling is in the bin now.

[averylongtimeago]

The breeder we got our from had a large sand pit especially for her retrievers...
This pair spits out the chewed bits of toys, but previous Goldies have like to eat their toys, or socks, or DD' s knickers.....those ones had the sort of hard chew toy and supervised play with the stuffies. Tought the kids to use the wash basket too.