The Best Dog Balls in 2022

If you look at your favorite pet shop you’ll be presented with a lot of options for the best toy balls. They come in all sizes and shapes as well as a few other extras that will make you wonder whether your pet really needs them at all. Well, we know how mind-boggling it can be to choose the right one for your pet. Allow us to enlighten you with our buying guide for the best toy balls for dogs.

Importance of Dog Balls and Exercise

Toys are as important in the growth and development of young children as it is on puppies and dogs. While it is easy to dismiss ball toys as nothing more than simple spherical objects, experts say that these play a very important role in their development.

Playing with toy balls gives your pet something to do. While it is true that the idea of a dog today is more like a lap dog, these pets were primarily bred for work. For thousands of years, they have helped and assisted man in his pursuits. They hunted and retrieved game, herded flock and livestock, and even defended their master’s family and property.

Long before they began assisting man, however, dogs have already been very busy scavenging for food, hunting prey, defending their territory, and even caring for the young members of their pack. Dogs lead complex and busy lives, solving problems that undermine their survival, and even interacting socially with other dogs in the area. Simply put, dogs thrive a lot better when they are given something to do.

There is a very serious effect of dogs leading a very sedentary lifestyle and this can be gleaned from the rising numbers of pet parents complaining of behavioral problems in their respective dogs. Animal behaviorists believe that the lack of physical exercise is what leads dogs to present with a variety of canine behavioral issues such as the following.

• Destructive chewing, scratching, and even digging
• Unusual hyperactivity and hyper-excitability including increased activity during nighttime
• Rough play and play biting
• Unruliness, jumping up on individuals, especially kids, and knocking over items and furniture
• Garbage-raiding, scavenging, and other unnecessary or uncalled-for investigative behaviors
• Nuisance barking, howling, and whining as well as other attention-getting behaviors
• Excessive predatory play and unnecessary social activities

An Active Dog is a Healthy Dog

Behavioral issues in dogs arise from the lack of activity. Some pet parents think that having a spacious yard is enough to have the dog get its exercise. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case. They won’t run several laps around your yard without you telling them to. That is why you need to interact with them and use gadgets or items to entice them to use their muscles.

For example, giving them toy dog balls will not really count as exercise unless you toss or throw them. Sure, they will chew on it, but this is not a vigorous exercise that will afford them the various health benefits of exercise. You’d have to throw the ball, let them run and fetch it, and bring it back to you. Do this several times and you’ll get your dog panting heavily.

Compare this with simply giving the ball to your dog without so much as an interaction from you. They will chew on it and perhaps run with it. But how many times do you think they are going to run if you don’t entice them to?

Dogs need direction, especially on what they need to do. They’re essentially like young kids that will look for something else to do if you don’t give them something more constructive to do. We all say that our dogs are little bundles of joy and there’s a very good reason why. They’re filled with lots of energy that need to be spent. Giving them work will give them the opportunity to spend this energy in a more constructive way. If not, they will be spending this energy on something else. This ‘something else’ is easily translated into canine behavioral problems. Some of the more well-known benefits of exercise in dogs include the following.

Minimizes, if not eliminates, canine behavioral problems

The various behavioral issues in dogs that we have listed above are just a few of the many problems that can be solved if only you let your dog play and exercise. It may not be with its favorite toy ball, as long as you are able to give it meaning or purpose to its existence, then it should not feel bored. The tremendous amount of energy that it has for doing meaningful work will also be put to good and constructive use.

Improves agility and joint flexibility

Running and jumping can substantially increase the range of motion of the dog’s joints. This helps prevent certain diseases from developing while improving the overall agility and flexibility of your pet. This can have a lot of implications for their overall health. An improved joint range of motion helps facilitate better movement or mobility. Increased mobility allows dogs to enjoy their existence a lot better.

Enhances cardiovascular health

Exercise, in general, improves cardiovascular health. Sure your pet will increase its heart rate. But a more important physiologic effect is that the increase in heart rate will stimulate a compensatory mechanism that sees an increase in the strength of heart muscle contractions. Just like humans who exercise regularly, they have better cardiac outputs. This can lead to better endurance in the long run. Your dog can obtain the same benefits. Improving cardiovascular health improves the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to all the tissues of the body. And as we all know, oxygen and nutrients are important for life.

Reduces constipation and other digestive problems

In relation to the improvement in cardiovascular health, your dog will also experience dramatic improvements in its digestive system, especially in the removal of wastes through the gut. Improved blood flow to the digestive tract facilitates better digestion which, in turn, provides all the nutrients for your pet to use.

Boosts canine confidence and trust

You may not believe it, but animal behaviorists say exercise can help boost your dog’s trust and confidence in itself. This is especially true if your dog is the timid or shy type. This also means a reduced incidence of dog bullying and other problems associated with low self-esteem in dogs. It may be hard to believe especially since there is no definitive literature that can best describe canine psychology. However, based on existing studies and general observations, dogs that receive their daily exercise are better-rounded and more confident than dogs that don’t have enough exercise.

Helps to keep a healthier weight

Chewing on a toy ball will not really lead to a significant reduction in your dog’s weight; directing it to run several laps around your yard can, however. Just as human couch potatoes tend to be obese, the same is true with dogs that do nothing every day than lie down and wait for their next meal. Obesity begets its own set of problems. You can avoid these problems altogether by simply engaging your pet in a more vigorous physical activity such as playing fetch. You don’t even have to throw it yourself. Instead, you can use one of those automatic fetch machines on the market, let the device do the work, and watch your pet maintain a healthier weight.

Different Types of Dog Balls

Choosing the right ball toy for your dog means you also have to look at the different types of balls on the market. There are those that are designed more like tennis balls while there are also those that come in different styles such as soccer balls and even footballs. There are balls that come with added features such as holes for gripping as well as for inserting treats. Plus, there are ball toys that are best thrown manually while there are those that fit in fetch ball machines. They come in various materials, too. Technically, whenever choosing a ball for your pet you’re given a plethora of options that can make picking the right one especially challenging.

Safety Tips When Picking the Best Dog Balls

Like everything else, ball toys for dogs can also pose substantial safety issues. That’s why it’s equally important to keep the following safety tips in mind when picking the best ball toys for your pet.

• Always buy a ball toy that is appropriate to the size of your pet. It is equally important to make sure that all the balls that your pet can access are of the right size; you risk choking or even accidentally swallowing the entire ball.
• Steer clear of products that contain harmful chemicals such as BPA and other chemical additives. Your pet’s safety is anchored on the absence of these harmful chemicals on the ball toy that they will eventually grab with their mouths.
• Be careful where you bounce the ball at. You might bounce the ball into a street or perhaps even a river where the current can be exceptionally strong.
• Always supervise your pet whenever it is playing with its toys whether it is a ball toy or any other plaything.

Check out our guide on the Best Toys for Blind Dogs.

Things to Consider When Buying Dog Balls for Your Pet

There are certain things that have to be taken into consideration when buying toy balls for your dog. These are as follows.

Size

This is one of the most important considerations basically for safety and comfort reasons. You don’t want it to be very big that your pet will have a really difficult time grabbing onto it with its mouth. You don’t want it to be too small relative to your pet’s size either since this can increase the risk of choking which can lead to a veterinary emergency. The larger the ball, the easier it is to spot; the smaller it is, the more difficult it is for your pet to see.

Durability

Pay attention to how the manufacturer of the toy ball rates its product. If it says that it is for light to moderate chewers, then don’t expect it to last if your pet happens to be a power chewer. While this actually has something to do with the ball’s material construction, another consideration in buying toy balls for your dog, it is more a function of how well you understand your pet’s chewing behavior as well as jaw strength. Remember, it may be labeled as ‘moderate chewer’ but if the material upon which the toy ball is made is simply not suitable for the bite force of your pet, then you will most likely end up buying another set of balls anytime soon.

Material

We mentioned in the preceding point that the material used in the manufacture of a dog toy ball has a bearing on its durability. This is just one part of the equation, however. It may be durable for light to moderate chewers but definitely not for power chewers. If it is the durability that you are after, then industrial-grade rubber materials offer you the best. If you prefer light rubber that is covered in felt, like tennis balls, you don’t want to play with it near bodies of water as it can get soggy once wet. Additionally, if you prefer to play in a rather small dog park, you don’t want to get a high bouncing ball as this will only bounce right over the perimeter fences. Make sure you understand the pros and cons of each type of material used in the construction of the toy ball.

Weight

You may also want to consider the weight of the ball toy. Even if you do manage to use fetch ball machines and save your arm from having to throw a really heavy ball, remember that your pet will be grabbing it with its mouth. If it is too heavy, it might not be able to carry it. If it is light, you won’t be able to throw it as far as you like. Additionally, if it is quite heavy, you’ll need more space to throw it in.

Best Dog Balls FAQs:

Q: What should dog balls for heavy chewers be made of?

A: There are certain materials that dogs are known to be especially averse to or are tough enough to withstand repeated powerful chewing.

For instance, nylon and rubber are two of the most often used materials for making dog ball toys that are specially designed for power chewers. Nylon is especially durable and can withstand bite forces in the hundreds of pounds per square inch. The same is true with rubber. KONG makes one of the most indestructible rubber materials for dog ball toys, a feat they achieved in their Classic KONG dog chew.

There are also dog ball toys that come with rope attachments. These are extra heavy-duty, too so they should be excellent choices for heavy chewers. There are also newer materials that are proprietary in nature, meaning they are only found in products designed and manufactured by the same maker of the super-strong material.

Q: How can I get my dog to play with toy balls?

A: A very important responsibility of any pet parent is teaching their respective pets how to use the different gadgets or items that are bought for their pets. As we have already mentioned in the early sections of this buying guide, dogs need to be directed or taught on how to play with their toy balls. Otherwise, you will not give them all the benefits that only exercise can provide. So how do you get your dog to play with toy balls?

The first thing is to encourage your pet to go after the ball. Once it grabs the ball reward your pet with its motivator of choice. It could be a treat or plenty of hugs or even both. You can even play with your pet. Make sure to remove the ball once you give the reward. Practice this many times always rewarding your dog every time it grabs the ball with its mouth. Your goal is to toss the ball and get your dog to run after it even without the reward.

Dog trainers actually recommend holding your pet back while giving the command to run after the ball. The natural reaction is for your pet to keep on tugging against you. Once the ball is about midway to its intended destination you can release your hold and watch your dog blitz towards the ball. Fetch ball machines can help in this regard so you can hold your dog while the ball is being launched some distance. As soon as the ball hits the ground you can release your dog. Once your dog consistently runs after the ball even without receiving a reward for it, you can start training the retrieving aspect of the ball fetch game.

Sources:

1. Why Dogs Like Balls, Wag Walking
2. Teaching Your Dog to Play Fetch, WebMD
3. Dr. Marty Becker, Are Tennis Balls a Dangerous Toy for Dogs?, VetStreet