Does your dog LOVE playing fetch?
Do they go mad with excitement every time they see a ball?
Do you struggle to give your dog as much exercise and play as they deserve?
Or do you have to leave your dog on its own quite a lot?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, finding out which is the best ball launcher for dogs would be a great idea.
Ball launching devices are a great way to exercises and entertain your pet dogs.
Table of Contents
- The Different Types of Dog Ball Launchers – Pros and Cons
- Why is Playing Fetch Good for Dogs?
- Video of A Dog Playing with an Automatic Ball Throwing Machine
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The Different Types of Dog Ball Launchers – Pros and Cons
Automatic Ball Throwing Machines
These are fully automated machines that will throw balls for your dog, similar to a tennis ball throwing machine that tennis players use.
The dog is trained to put the ball into the device, and then the device throws it for the dog to fetch. This can go on for a very long time!
These are the best option if you want to keep your dog happily entertained without any effort from you.
Once your pet knows how to use the machine, they can happily play with it for as long as they want (assuming it is left on without a timed setting).
You have to make sure that the dog’s ball can’t get stuck somewhere, or leave them with more than one ball to play with if one ball does get stuck.
But apart from that, these automated throwers for dogs will not need any more of your time and energy to keep your dog happy and exercised.
So if you need to leave your pet dog alone for a period of time, this is a great way to help them not get bored and frustrated.
Hand-Held Dog Ball Blaster Cannons
These are basically handheld tennis ball canons for dogs. You hold the blaster and fire the ball for the dog to go and fetch.
They are amazing amounts of fun but not fully automatic.
These are great for helping to tire your dog out when you exercise them.
Maybe you are disabled and can’t walk very far, or maybe you find it hard to really tire your dog out.
Or perhaps you like the idea of blasting tennis balls out of a canon for your dog to fetch back to you!
So, in a nutshell, if you want to run your ragged chasing after tennis balls, these ball blaster cannons would be a great option for you to try.
Hand-Held Manual Ball Launchers
Very simple but really great little pieces of kit that are both cheap and easy to use when walking your dog.
You can use the claw-like grip to pick up the ball (without getting dog slobber all over your hands), and then the long arm helps your throw it much further than your could without it.
These are trendy devices that are great for two main reasons.
First, they allow you to throw the dog’s ball much further than you could if it were just throwing it with just your arm.
Second, the ball grabbing part of the launcher means that you do not get lots of dog saliva on your hands each time you take the ball off your dog.
So, they are a really effective and very cheap option to help you play fetch with your dog using a thrower.
Why is Playing Fetch Good for Dogs?
Playing fetch is really good for dogs whether you use a machine of some sort or do it the old fashioned way using your own hands to throw the ball.
Here are some of the reasons why fetch is good for dogs:
Playing Fetch It is Good Exercise
Dogs need physical exercise to tire themselves out, and as most dogs love playing fetch, this is a great way of getting them running around.
It is also reasonably controllable, so you can do it in a small-ish area and get the dog running back and forth, fetching the ball without much risk of losing the dog.
It Stimulates Them Mentally
Dogs need their brains to work out as well as their bodies. It is essential to keep your pets mentally stimulated as well as physically for them to be happy, healthy dogs.
Fetching the Ball Tires Them Out
A tired dog is usually a happier and more well-behaved dog.
By tiring out your dog playing fetch, you will get rid of some of the stored up energy that can, if left, cause destructive or aggressive behaviors.
This is especially useful if you are the owner of a younger or more active pet dog.
It is Part of Their Instinctive Nature
Playing fetch comes from a very deep instinct in dogs to fetch hunted prey back to the wolf pack.
Obviously, the average pet dog doesn’t need to kill its own prey anymore, but that instinctive drive is still there.
So playing fetch allows dogs to play out that instinct and enjoy experiencing this part of their nature.
It is Good for Bonding Between Owners and Their Pet Dogs
If you use a manual ball launcher and not an automatic ball throwing machine (as in the reviews above), or if you throw the balls normally with your hands, you get to bond with the dog over something fun.
Sometimes as dog owners, we have to spend time telling our dog off for being naughty, or we have to leave the dog at home while we go to work, etc.
So playing a game of fetch with your dog is a great time for you to bond with the animal, which is a win/win for both of you!