# Tennis ball alternative



## dmcfall13 (Aug 18, 2010)

I'm in bad need of either a better tennis ball or a alternative to it. My girl absolutely loves a tennis ball and destroys 1 in about 5 min. if I'm not watching her. Anything I try to give her in its place doesn't work for her. She has a black Kong that she plays with until the treat is gone which doesn't take her long, and then she has no use for it. I bought the Kong Ball which she won't touch unless I'm throwing it for her.

I have been getting the "TUFF BALLS" from Tractor Supply, which claim to be industrial strength lol. They are a buck apiece. and are starting to get expensive. Here are some before and after pics. after she got 1 tonight for about 10 min.


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## aus_staffy (Nov 10, 2009)

Try some cheap baseballs (with the fake stitching). I found some years ago in the supermarket checkout aisle for a couple of bucks each. They've still got them. Mind you, I don't just let them chew on them until they kill them, I just use them for fetch. The tennis ball would last for one throw and it was dead.


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

Are you looking for something to play fetch with? Or something to chew when your not playing with her?


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## performanceknls (Apr 4, 2009)

If your looking for a good toy to play fetch with that will not fall apart and hold up try the Elite working balls. I use them for fetch and they go super far and I use them in training. Make sure to get the 3" the smaller one is really Small and he bigger one is really big. They are really tough but will not hurt the teeth, i would worry about the teeth with a baseball.
Elite Working Balls: Polce K9, Military K9 and Schutzhund Working Dog equipment

Any toy besides a Kong, nylabone, or raw bone should only be played with when your watching or they are not safe. If the only thing you give your dog to play with on it's own is a nylabone or Kong that is all they will play with. It takes a while to get them to play with them without food in them but in time they will come around.

For the Kong you can also put canned dog food on them and freeze it, it will last longer.


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

Tennis balls are for fetch. If you want something for her to chew on buy her some bones from the meat market or see about getting her an atler to chew on and then use the bas of fetch only.


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## Patch-O-Pits (Jan 12, 2008)

Balls aren't chew toys so when you aren't playing fetch they shouldn't have them in m y opinion.I* also read somewhere that tennis balls are actually bad for their teeth. I'll have to dig around and see if I can find that again. Anyone else hear that?

Have you tried putting peanut butter in the kong or mushed up wet kibble and then freezing it?


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

I heard it was the glue that holds the yellow fuzzy on the ball that is bad for your dogs. Deb had a thread about it a year or so ago.


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## circlemkennels (Aug 29, 2010)

kongs are ok but we only let them play with them supervised... all toys make me nervous....


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## Firehazard (Dec 4, 2009)

They will shred every tennis ball in seconds if you let them, unless they charish it and want to keep it safe, you notice those times Im sure.. Racket balls are my favorite, dry quick (slobber factor) If your looking for a chew toy, red hand sized kong ball, will last longer than the black kong bone which is better rubber than the red as black is for wolfdogs, and APBT type dogs if you call Kong and ask thats what black was tested on.







For some reason the red kong ball lasts long for my dogs, I think its cause it bounces free when slobbery and bounces like a racket ball, so they play more for 1, and for two they can squeek their jaws on it all day with just the right give.. Plus it gets them even more geared for ball training with the racket ball. make sure you get the ball that is just a lil bigger than a baseball and smaller than a softball  perfect chew toy, I used the black bone for transporting wether in crate or free in vehicle, and the ball for all other chew toy purposes. Plus you can fetch when you want, get a few for the yard and house, they are a lil spendy but well worth it.. 
Kong Ball (37754)


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## Rudy4747 (Nov 29, 2009)

Firehazard said:


> They will shred every tennis ball in seconds if you let them, unless they charish it and want to keep it safe, you notice those times Im sure.. Racket balls are my favorite, dry quick (slobber factor) If your looking for a chew toy, red hand sized kong ball, will last longer than the black kong bone which is better rubber than the red as black is for wolfdogs, and APBT type dogs if you call Kong and ask thats what black was tested on.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is that kong ball solid. I had one it lasted for ever until I ran it over with the mower. I haven't found them in any store since. I guess I will have to order them. Zoey my dog that loves to fetch. She will pop a tennis ball when she catches it. they do not last around here.


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## DMTWI (Nov 2, 2010)

We just use our guys normal kong for fetch, he seems happy with that!


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

ok best thing in the world and feels the closest to a tennis ball is a chuck it ball, there orange ane blue and amazing!!!! they can still flex there jaw with it, just it is seriously like inditructable, i HIGHLY HIGHLY recomend this!!! they sell them at most petsmarts and i can tell you mine have lasted months and gone through alot of diffrent dogs everthing from my pit to the poodle and border collie and the jack russel just useing it to teeth and it is still in perfect condition!

Chuckit! Ultra Tennis Ball Dog Toy - Toys - Dog - PetSmart


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

My sisters lab cross will play with the chuck-it ball. If you try to throw something different she refuses to play. Vendetta will play with any ball which makes me a happy camper.


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

MY MIKADO said:


> My sisters lab cross will play with the chuck-it ball. If you try to throw something different she refuses to play. Vendetta will play with any ball which makes me a happy camper.


chuck it ball are fabulous and the only ball i will ever own, they are totally worth every penny! they have lasted long then all my extra strengh nyla bones lol


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## socalapbt (Mar 13, 2011)

spring poles and flirtpoles are good alternatives to working your dog out. old rags, shirts, etc work pretty good. as far as fetch goes, sticks are great, and free. you got to figure if you have a pit, they are going to destroy any toy out there. my dogs chew up the xl black kongs, so what can you do :hammer:


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## Firehazard (Dec 4, 2009)

Rudy4747 said:


> Is that kong ball solid. I had one it lasted for ever until I ran it over with the mower. I haven't found them in any store since. I guess I will have to order them. Zoey my dog that loves to fetch. She will pop a tennis ball when she catches it. they do not last around here.


yeah, I use the solid red kong ball, I use the larger size for a chew toy and the racket ball sized one for training along with racket balls, and tennis balls, well slazenger ultra vis, Dunlop fort/grand prix, Tretorn only way to go. Penn is far from the best and I dont buy doggie tennis balls, LOL buy the best longest lasting most durable ball on the market for most that is the Dunlop grand prix for hard courts.

Amazon.com: tretorn balls

6 cans tennis balls - Shop sales, stores & prices at TheFind.com


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## bahamutt99 (May 14, 2008)

Firehazard said:


> Kong Ball (37754)


This is what I like, too. Terra has one that stays in her yard with her, and it has held up well.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

YAY for the chuck it ball. I have the fetch chuck it and a few of the others, my pup loves them. His favorite is the Unbreakoball the toughest most durable dog ball. though. the big one gets real real messy, the little one I use inside.

Tennis balls are no good because they get the fuzz in their belly's and its not healthy.


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## Gimbler (Jan 29, 2010)

Maggie has that Kong ball too. It's hardcore! She carries it around in her mouth almost constantly and loves to play catch with it. My neighbor got a new appreciation for Maggie the first time she realized how heavy the ball is - she'd always assumed it was hollow.


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## Celestial88 (Mar 14, 2011)

My boy destroys tennis balls in a single fetch....The only tennis balls that have stood up to him are Kong squeaker tennis balls. Our has no scratch and we've had it for months.
Buy.com - Kong Large Squeaker Tennis Balls 2 Pack Dog Toy


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## angelbaby (Feb 4, 2010)

that kong ball is col Ill have to look into one for mine, my guys have these heavy duty rubber pigs shaped like a ball { prob close to kong ball} they love to play with and we have had 2 for over a year and they havent been killed yet. loki destroys everything bestthing we have for him is sticks { although he likes the big ones that weigh like 20lbs lol} but hey we never run out and they are freeeeee lol. tennis balls and frisbees are known as 1 time use toys in our home lol.


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## PerfectPit (Aug 2, 2010)

I use the black XL kong for fetch but if you want them to play independently in the yard I use the almost indestructable ball and the eGGe. They are 2 sizes and Beasltey will play soccer with them. He will play for hours by himself with them.


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## Lex's Guardian (Aug 8, 2009)

bahamutt99 said:


> This is what I like, too. Terra has one that stays in her yard with her, and it has held up well.


I have that same red kong ball - Lily goes bananas for it... Lex could care less about it though lol - he only likes things he can squeak & destroy haha... But it's awesome as far as quality goes 



Celestial88 said:


> My boy destroys tennis balls in a single fetch....The only tennis balls that have stood up to him are Kong squeaker tennis balls. Our has no scratch and we've had it for months.
> Buy.com - Kong Large Squeaker Tennis Balls 2 Pack Dog Toy


I bought those, Lex & Lily destroyed them within seconds. haha stronger than the cheapy balls just not strong enough. But I do like that Kong products are made in USA


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## Celestial88 (Mar 14, 2011)

Lex's Guardian said:


> I bought those, Lex & Lily destroyed them within seconds. haha stronger than the cheapy balls just not strong enough. But I do like that Kong products are made in USA


 lol I just use mine for fetch, I don't let him chew on it. Did you let them chew it?


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## Lex's Guardian (Aug 8, 2009)

Celestial88 said:


> lol I just use mine for fetch, I don't let him chew on it. Did you let them chew it?


Nope, one chomp & it was done. Used it for fetch too  - I don't want them ingesting the pieces, ya know?

But the red kong ball seemed to work better. Though I bought the medium sized tennis kong balls & not the large.


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## Celestial88 (Mar 14, 2011)

Lex's Guardian said:


> Nope, one chomp & it was done. Used it for fetch too  - I don't want them ingesting the pieces, ya know?
> 
> But the red kong ball seemed to work better. Though I bought the medium sized tennis kong balls & not the large.


I will definitley look into a Kong ball instead. That's funny, maybe I linked the wrong one. (Ours doesn't say Squeakair on it.) But you can make it completely flat, it doesn't have any hard pieces. Thanks though, that's interesting.


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## Lex's Guardian (Aug 8, 2009)

Celestial88 said:


> I will definitley look into a Kong ball instead. That's funny, maybe I linked the wrong one. (Ours doesn't say Squeakair on it.) But you can make it completely flat, it doesn't have any hard pieces. Thanks though, that's interesting.


I don't think there's anything wrong with the kong tennis balls. If they work for you then stick with it . The squeakair might be different from what I purchased. Lex likes the kong tennis balls better but he's naughty with them & super fast about it & he won't play with the red kong ball. But Lily will & she treats it like a soccer ball to haha.


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