Best toy ball launchers for dogs according to redditors

The thing that causes this behavior is that he is a working breed dog who is extremely energetic. You basically described almost every lab I have ever trained. His owners need to give him a lot more mental and physical stimulation.

Since he is a lab, a chuck it ball thrower would be a great way to play fetch. A flirt pole is another really great toy for tiring dogs out.

For mental stimulation, mealtimes are a perfect opportunity. Have them get either a Bob-A-Lot or a Kong Wobbler for daily feeding and get rid of his food bowl. I recommend the Bob-A-Lot because you can make it easier or harder. This gives him ~10 extra minutes of brain work every day and you don't have to do anything extra.

Then basic obedience and chew/puzzle toys (kong marathon ball, nobbly nubbly, squirrel dude) will also help.

More length = the circumference of your movement increases = more centrifugal force = more speed = more distance

The same effect is achieved when you use a ball launcher stick, for example. In ancient times a similar device was used to throw spears farther. These devices have the same effect as having a longer arm.

I was expecting to see one of these in the link there

http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59

no bending over to pick up and throw it much further.

Like a Chuck It! ball launcher?

get one of these, some tennis balls, and get ready to never stop til they drop...

I am super jealous of dog owners who can chuck-it a ball, and their dog sprints after it and brings it back...rinse and repeat. Curse them!

They got this thing. We gave it to them early and let them play with it. Pearl loved it. They all have bully sticks in their stockings and their weight pull harnesses should be here any day.

https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Ultra-Grip-Launcher-Colors/dp/B000MW7EUU/

Does your dog like to play fetch? If so this was my saving grace.

I love this! I kind of want a little meter that tells me where I am in life, but then again, maybe not...

My most epic "invention" was a cross between this, this, and this for people with menstrual cramps. (My friend also thought this was a genius idea. I invented it for her because she had bad cramps.) Basically, you would insert the ball thrower thing and cup it around your uterus and press a button. The umbrella would then extend to completely surround your uterus. You could then press a button and heat your uterus and ovaries from the inside. I don't know how you'd do this without severing something internal, but we swore up and down that we'd make millions.

https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59

Well yes and no - in my humble opinion.

You are doing great at taking your dog at 2 times a day - I do the same, once when I get up and once when I get home from work. We usually are out for no less than an hour each session. The big difference is that I usually have my dog fetch at least 1 of the sessions for the hour and he really get's a good run in.

One suggestion is maybe try to train your dog to play fetch? I know not every dog is going to have that "prey drive" and ability to do it as well as others, but if your's was like my dog - he just didn't know how to play "that game".

I got my dog from an adoption agency and I'm pretty sure he had terrible ill-prepared owners who ended up giving him away. When I took him to his first field and threw a ball for the first time - he just looked at me funny. I had to "teach and train" him what to do. Try this resource and maybe purchase one of these - they help out immensely.

Bottom line, it's probably not good to ONLY walk your dog. He needs to get a good run in at least once or twice a week (at the least and pending his size/breed). Teaching fetch is probably the easiest solution (and the quickest) and it requires little to no physical exertion in comparison to getting in shape to run with your dog.

Congrats! Asking questions like this is the first step to becoming a responsible GSD owner. I would keep up with the research as you two learn how to become good buddies; I've owned GSDs my whole life and I'm still picking up good tips from trainers and the like. I've got a detailed response below, but feel free to PM me if you want to talk further. I'm always happy to help, and I wish you and your girl the best!

To your questions:

• Yes, GSDs are totally German Shedding Dogs. But this is more manageable than you think! Make brushing fun by familiarizing her with a quick brush everyday, 10 minutes. Brushing a dog is twice as hard when they're squirmy. Get yourself a cheap self-cleaning slicker brush like this. As long as you make brushing a regular occurrence, you cut back a lot on and hassle.
  
  
• Depending on her age (how far into puppyhood), you might be facing some terrible 2's or 3's. Even older GSDs, if prone to separation anxiety or boredom, will bark and exhibit destructive behavior. The key is to boost confidence (look up separation anxiety training tips) and reduce boredom, which can often be helped with regular exercise, as you mentioned, and enrichment. If you're on a set schedule (e.g. Come home from work, quick brush, dinner for you both, then a walk), she'll be far less likely to drive herself and your neighbor nuts while waiting for you. Kong toys filled with frozen treats (peanut butter, kibble, cream cheese) are great for distracting her and keeping her occupied.
  
  
• Take a few minutes to dog-proof your house the first week you introduce her to everything. This means giving everything waist-high and below a second look; GSDs are clever and great jumpers, and will get into open cupboards more easily than you think. Does your backyard have a tall fence? GSDs have been known to clear 6 foot fences (mine did often).
  
  
• Here's some recommendations for a dog seatbelt. We have friends that use both Sleepypod and Ruffwear with good success. If you plan on bringing her along for car rides often, investing in a car seat cover is a great idea; keep hair and gunk off your car and makes the backseat a more enjoyable space for her. If you're into hiking, dog boots are absolutely the way to go.
  
  A few other things worth doing that will make both your lives easier:
  
  
• Start teaching dental hygiene now! My dog is 12-years-old and besides an old injury leading to hip dysplasia (a common GSD genetic condition), the only thing deteriorating is his teeth. Dogs that eat kibble and soft food are more likely to build-up in their teeth than dogs that eat raw (which is something you might want to research). I recommend grabbing an inexpensive doggy "finger-sleeve" toothbrush or just use a simple normal toothbrush and some special dog toothpaste and get your girl used to having her teeth brushed. She looks young, judging by her thin chest and big ears, so good habits will last her a lifetime! It'll save you a bunch of vet bills in the future.
  
  
• Familiarize yourself with which foods are not dog-friendly. For example, a lot of people know that chocolate and alcohol are bad, but are surprised that nuts and grapes are bad news. Veggies like broccoli, carrots, and pumpkin are great! We used to fill my dog's Kong with frozen pureed pumpkin in the summer as a treat; kept his coat nice and shiny.
  
  
• Raw bones are ok, cooked bones are not. Most people know not to feed dogs small chicken bones, but will often toss them a rib bone leftover from a BBQ. Cooked bones splinter easily and can hurt your dog. Swing by the butcher's next time you're grocery-shopping and ask them for a bag of marrow bones. They're fantastic for her teeth and your girl will love them! Stay away from cheap rawhide bones from Petsmart and the like; they gum up when chewed and are the opposite of healthy.
  
  
• I'm seeing a lot fewer tennis balls in dog parks these days, and for good reason, since research argues that they have some wear and tear on teeth. Chuck-It balls are rubber, bright orange, and hugely popular with big dogs because they're resistant to chew. They're meant to be used with a Chuck It Launcher which I've never seen a GSD not love before.
  
  
• Get her used to nail care ASAP and invest in a good pair of clippers or an electric dremel. Clippers are cheap, but scary to use for first-time dog owners because you're not experienced yet about where the nail's quick is. This can result in some accidental blood loss and, unfortunately, your dog deciding that you have committed a grievous injury never to be forgotten. A lot of people find using a dremel to grind nails down to a blunt edge to be less traumatic for dog and owner for this reason. Figure out which is best for you! A lot of dogs are sensitive to their feet being touched--handle her paws often (great excuse to each "shake"!) and use your fingers to gently touch between her toes. Great training for tick hunting and for nail grooming.
  
  
• Ask her politely to sit before each meal and before passing through doors and gates. Teach a "release" command (such as "OK!"). If she pulls on a leash, stop and ask her to sit; proceed when she obeys and looks up to you for your next cue. GSDs are super smart and love meeting owner expectations; let her know early which manners are standard and she will learn quickly. Her #1 priority is to be your best friend; be honest with her and she'll reward you ten times over. :)

lmao

However considering the "redneck meth head who owns a giant dog" detail, perhaps this could be helpful for OP...

https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Thrower-Assorted/dp/B00006IX59

Most dog owners are also well acquainted with this principle

this is one of those where different cultures having different definitions for the same word would cause a funny situation:

You - chuck = place; as in 'place it in and go'

US - chuck = throw, potentially quite hard, with little regard for accuracy; 'throw, potentially quite hard, with little regard for accuracy at the drive slot and go'

haha. clearly nobody is actually going to read it that way, but would be humorous.

bonus: Chuckit

[These] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IX59/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zKmcAbB6ZHD24) are really great imo. Let's you throw farther.. Used to wear my Aussie out in no time.

She is gorgeous. And yes, she will mature as she gets older, but she'll always have that fun-loving spirit. I'm surprised she doesn't like to swim, mine always did. Our springer gained a lot of maturity after she had a litter of puppies. I'm not sure if you were ever considering that, but it did change her personality a little. In the short term, probably the best thing for both of you would be to get her more exercise. Get one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Sport-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00280MUGC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376503315&sr=8-1&keywords=ball+thrower

Tollers are great. I have a Toller and a Newf, and while the Newf is far more loving and an all around better "people dog", I love my Toller for all her quirks.

Like /u/Phog91 said, Long trails and wide open fields combined with a Chuckit is the best thing you can do. The Newf strolls along with me while the Toller loses her mind running around, fetching.

No problem!

Tiring out dogs can be a real pain. Thankfully I have 2 that play well together... One that has a never ending drive to retrieve, and one that loves to be chased. I throw the ball for the one that wants to be chased, and they run in big circles around me for 30 minutes non-stop, then we go inside and they pass out on the cold tile floor in the bathroom! It's fantastic. Haha.

The best advice I can give you is to use high value rewards. One of mine loves fetch just for the sake of fetch. The other wants a food reward. We had to initially get him interested by "trading" a ball for a small slice of hot dog. Once he understood that, we'd toss the ball 2-3 ft away, and he'd bring it back for more hot dog. Then we slowly moved to 10 ft, 20 ft, then full tosses. Once he gets the hang of it, you can phase the hot dog out (1 piece every other retrieve, then every third, then every fifth) until he's really just playing fetch because they like it.

My other big point of advice would be to get a Chuck It Launcher and a pack of Ultra Balls. The launcher makes it way easier to throw for a long time, as you don't have to bend over to pick the balls up, your hands don't get nasty, and the balls go farther. And the ultra balls are great because they are a near-indestructible rubber rather than the tennis ball that comes with the launcher (and they float!).

• Labs are notoriously fast eaters, so maybe a puzzle toy? Here are some good ones: 1, 2, 3. You can also never have enough Kongs, and they're sold at big box pet stores.
  
• A cool fetch toy might be fun too, like a Chuckit or a Ball-on-a-Rope. You can find Chuckit products at the big box pet stores. I like the ball-on-a-rope for training...I can throw it, tug with it, dangle it like a flirt pole, and it fits in my pocket. This Frisbee is good for training too because I can fold it up and put it in my pocket. Plus it glows in the dark and floats!

Hi - I have a Belgian Shepherd myself (Sheepdog variety, aka Groenendael). She is five now and much calmer than she was as a puppy, but as a pup, we were in the dog park twice a day (morning and night) for about 30-60 minutes each time, usually playing fetch (or she was herding other dogs).


You have a few options here other than just giving the dog up, but they will require you to commit time and some money to this.


First, wake up early and go to the dog park. I have something called the chuck it that I used all the time when my Belgian was a puppy. This toy let me avoid picking up disgusting tennis balls by hand while also throwing the toy way further than I typically could. Your dad working 9-5 is like my work schedule - I would wake up at like 6:30, take her to the park, come home around 7:15 and then feed her and get ready for work. She was used to be kenneled from about 8-12 when I would come home over lunch to let her out (I lived 5 minutes from my office). It wasn't much of a break, but it split up the day a bit for her. I would go back to work and leave her with a frozen kong toy that would mentally keep her occupied while I was gone. When I came home, I let her out, changed clothes, and off to the park again.


Also, have you considered doggy daycare or a dog walker? Days I knew would be long in the office, I couldn't get home, or had an event in the evening - she would go to daycare. It was about $25 a day but she basically was running and playing with other dogs for 9 hours. Great socialization and she was exhausted. Dog walker prices vary by area - I would check with some local rescue groups and see who they recommend (they should know the reputable walkers in the area).


Finally, the pup needs training. Either go to PetCo or PetSmart to get started with basic obedience and then graduate to other classes. My little girl was in advance obedience at 6 months old - she was on track for agility training when she was full grown (recommended as to not hurt her growing joints) but we moved and an agility facility was unfortunately nowhere near by. However, that said, I still kept up her training and daily dog park trips.


If you aren't willing to dedicate the time and energy to the breed, you're going to have a hell of a time. They're great dogs but you have to put the time in to working them out, physically and mentally. If you can't, see if the breeder will take the pup back (most will if they're good) and if not, contact the Belgian Shepherd rescue group - they probably have a foster system of some sort setup. Other local rescues may be able to help as well, just make sure they are foster based or have a private facility - don't just give the dog to animal control or the town shelter.

Just wanted to add another suggestion for leaving good marks, as no-one seems to have mentioned it yet... a regular ol' wooden spoon tends to leave quite prominent, and long-lasting, circular welts. And for a slightly different variation, a Chuckit (ball launcher - http://www.amazon.ca/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59) works super well too ;) The long, springy handle makes it fun to wield.

Can’t beat the price of it

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006IX59?cache=b70fcc0ef9df54f5daac849831c2c0e8&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1405882789&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2 this is a great start for non-rainy days! I have an indomitable pitbull, this works wonders on tiring her out!

Got him this for christmas:
https://www.amazon.com/Hyper-Pet-49213EA-K-9-Kannon/dp/B00BQRSBPC

And he loves it. Plus now I don't have to pick up slobbery tennis balls lol.

CONGRATULATIONS! I'm going to be an aunt, too! In December! It's a boy. Do you know what your

If I win, I want you to surprise me. If you don't want to surprise me, get me THIS SUPER AWESOME ORANGE BALL THROWER SO I CAN TAKE MY DOGS TO THE PARK AND THROW BALLS REALLY REALLY SUPER FAR!!!

The happiest thing to me is seeing my dogs (who can be seen here in my "Cheer Up Committee" Imgur album) being the happiest pups they can be! I am obsessed with dogs, and I couldn't live without my silly Lulu and Kim.

I ain't birthed no babies!

I think you should read The Dragon Tattoo series (OBVIOUSLY!) because AWESOME.

Happy Birfday!

We use one of these for ball throwing. Can easily launch up to 60m.

https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59

a stick has a lever capability that can make it go further. Like those dog tennis ball arm things

This is a Chuckit!

http://www.amazon.com/Hyper-Pet-Kannon-Ball-Launcher/dp/B00BQRSBPC

You will not be unprotected on your initial climb in if you use a line launcher or something similar on one side to put a line over the cross of your roof to the other. You then tie the rope in to a fixed point on the other side (like a tree or car) using a sling.

I used a kong ball with a hole in it (https://www.amazon.com/KONG-Ball-Dog-Medium-Large/dp/B0002DHOJA) and tied a thin 100 lb test nylon rope to it then launched it across with a dog ball launcher (https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59). Once the small nylon rope was across the roof, I then tied it to a 100 foot 5/8" rope (https://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Fall-Protection-01360-VL58-100/dp/B004EEPTDG) and pulled it back across the roof so I could safely tie in.

It adds a few minutes to the time to get on the roof but it is worth it as you will have very low risk of falling because you will always be tied in.

I also use fall protection whenever I need to get up on a ladder on my 2nd story home. I have several different anchors that I can hang ropes from depending upon where I need to work.

You should also always be tied in moving anchor to anchor, something like this comes in really handy if you need to move across a larger roof: http://www.fallprotectionpros.com/guardian-big-boss-dual-leg-lanyard.html

This is a great video for finding rafters when you nail the fall protection in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIMEMffezwI

All in all you would need to buy:

• 3-4 permanent roof anchors
  
• Some kind of line launcher
  
• 100 foot rope and optionally sling unless you have a connection point on the other side
  
• Fall protection kit with 50 foot rope and harness
  
• Shingle remover to lift the shingles before you place the anchor under them.
  
• Roofing adhesive to seal the shingle back down when you are done.
  
  When I did this on my home I:
  
  
• Secured one end of the 100 foot rope on one side of the house.
  
• Line launched a lighter rope to the tied off 100 foot rope. I then tied the 100 foot rope to the light rope.
  
• Using the light rope I pulled the end of the 100 foot rope across the roof to the other side of the house.
  
• I connected into the 100 foot rope and used it to ascend to the roof peak
  
• I lifted the shingles and installed the first anchor in a rafter, finding the rafter using the hammer location method.
  
• I then attached into the newly placed anchor using the 50 foot rope so I could safely move on either side of the roof.
  
• I resealed the shingles using roofing cement.
  
  If your shingles are older this job will be tougher. Old shingles tend to tear instead of lifting.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Doggie ball thrower....thing

We adopted a similarly damaged border collie about a year and a half ago. She was a disturbed rescue dog who was absolutely terrified of everything. She just wanted to hide, and would shake if anyone came near her. It took a lot of work but now she's absolutely great. Exercise is absolutely key. One walk a day is not enough. You would want to be doing the walk plus maybe 20 minutes of intense fetching with one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B000MW7EUU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520843288&sr=8-3&keywords=chuckit . Border collies are bred for work and this is a really important release for them. You could also maybe look into a doggy daycare maybe once a week if you can afford it. This was key for our dog, it helped her socialise with other dogs, but also with other people and now she loves her trainers there. She's still terribly frightened of kids though - still working on that!

For the separation anxiety in particular, you can do some exercises that reduce it. For example, go through all the motions of leaving, leave and then return after a minute and give your dog a treat. Repeat over and over and increase the time away. You can also give your dog a frozen, stuffed Kong toy instead of his breakfast. Collies are really smart and it's important to give them a mental challenge. Other toys are great too. Give them something to chew on that isn't your shoes.

There is also just an element of giving it a little bit of time. The dog will bond with you guys and become more secure. If you work on the areas suggested then it will start getting better.

I bought a chuck it amazon, along with extra balls Best purchase in a long time!

Make sure that your dog,no other dogs are toy aggressive at the dog park.

Awwww he is soooo cute! :3

I love all puppies but I really like Pompoms!

I think Reggie would love a King Kong toy because they hid treats!


I have always wanted to play this with a puppy, it looks so much fun! :3

Why not just use one of these chuckit-ball-launchers, they are cheap and are an all in one snowball compactor and delivery system. Just take it out to a softer snow bank (ice and dense pack might break it) and just grab a scoop of snow like you would going into a pint of ice cream, then let loose the new found projectile at your enemies. Fast reload time decent range and no moving parts make the Chuckit ball launcher a true tide turning piece of technology wintertime armament. As a side bonus during the summer if you have a dog and a tennis ball hours of fetch without throwing your arm out.

https://www.amazon.com/Hyper-Pet-49213EA-K-9-Kannon/dp/B00BQRSBPC

> http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59

If your dogs are anything like mine, the extra $5 for the one with the comfortable handle (instead of hard plastic) is a no-brainer... plus it throws a bit farther!

That's my wonderful boyfriend, wearing my hoodie, and throwing the ball for them with a ChuckIt. (We have a big backyard.)

Look into some throwing/fetch toys like the Chuck It Launcher. My little guy will literally fetch all day long if I let him.

Something that bounces randomly when it hits the ground is also great, he goes crazy trying to catch toys like that. We have the Chuck It Evader and the Kong Ring Zinger. I spent some time training him to bring the toy closer to me, having him lay down or do a trick before I'll throw it again. He prefers a game of fetch to treats any day and is highly motivated to learn new tricks/behaviours if he knows the reward is a round of ball chasing.

I did consider this actually. Funny story at a war last year someone had all of his primary fail on him during the day and he was down to a single K9 Kannon. He was lobbing rubber balls with it and we're surprised at the range of it. I don't think he hit anyone though.

I doubt a K9 can lob a missile very far but the idea of a springer on that scale is not without merit.

Does your dog like to play fetch? We've got a lab-whippet mix and running is her favourite thing in the world. I bought a chuckit so that I can get a really long throw. We play in a big field, but if you've got a large yard, that will work too!

Edit: For some reason the other answers didn't load in until after I posted. I see that your dog looses interest in fetch. It might just be that he's getting a bit tired. I usually do five to ten throws of the ball and when I see my dog is starting to flag a little, I say "game over" and she gets a couple of minutes to relax and grab a drink of water before we start again. Ending the game on my terms instead of on hers keeps her interest in fetch really high.

A ranch? So lots of running room? Throw a ball for them. Get one of these to save your arm and for farther throws. It really is a game changer. I like the glow in the dark balls the best as they bunch up easier when I have to pull them from my weims mouth. Part of the fetch game with my girl is "I just got it for you, you need to take it from me."

Or one of these: Canine Hardware Chuckit Ball Launcher Classic Medium (25 inches) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IX59/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_E6JZCbNHAK0HK

This is even cheaper, and launches tennis balls a sufficient distance to tire out a pupper.

Last year my sister got my Boston the K-9 Kannon which was a HUGE hit for him. The other Boston is our Newbie, we adopted her about five months ago. This is her absolute favorite toy, so we will get more for her since my mom's doberman ate it... :(

if he has energy to chew he might not be getting enough exercise. longer walks and more play time.

if you have a yard and he is into "fetch" get a [chuck-it] (http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Ball-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342583169&sr=8-1&keywords=chuck+it) No more picking up the slobbery ball with your hand!

If they play fetch, tennis balls can be bought cheap. Pair some with a ChuckIt! Launcher and some treats and you'd have a nice doggy themed gift.

Get a ChuckIt and save your arms! Not only can you throw a ball farther, you also don't have to pick up the nasty slobbery thing.

There are similar items that don't cost nearly as much. Our trainer has one that shoots the balls so high he's put a board on the ceiling in his training center to aim the thing at so they bounce off in all sorts of crazy directions.

I have a K9 Kannon ball launcher, that's exactly what it sounds like. It fits standard tennis balls, and our dogs LOVE it. It has various strength settings, so you can use it inside or out. On the highest setting, it can shoot all the way across our local dog park. 3/10 is safe to shoot across the house without breaking the house.

I had the same thing happen to me, with my RC plane. I used a hyper dog tennis ball slingshot and some fishing line. The trick is to get the line over the branch the plane is on (not necessarily directly over the plane) and get the branch rocking up and down.

http://www.amazon.com/Hyper-Products-0001-4-Ball-Launcher/dp/B000E9757I

You can buy this product - https://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Classic-Launcher-Colors-Vary/dp/B00006IX59

THIS