Are Tennis Balls Good For Your Dog?

You just got home from a stressful day at work. Nice. Home. Even better... you are greeted at the door with a huge wag and your dog, tennis ball in mouth! Seriously you can’t help but smile. Play time. After all we all need to live a little more in the play moments like our dogs do so often. It is what makes our dogs so dear to us. Unconditional love and the insatiable idea of play.

Most dogs have a favorite toy and high on the list seems to be the age old tennis ball. Yet there is the concern that tennis balls aren’t safe for your dog. While nothing is absolutely fail safe, let’s take a look at the tennis ball and is it safe for your dog.

One of the big reasons tennis balls are touted as bad for your dog is tooth wear and tear. After doing a little research it turns out it might not be the ball but the dirt. Tennis players tend to get new balls frequently due to the fact that after a short amount of play the ball’s diameter is smaller. Tennis players will tell you that the racquet strings will quickly abrade the softer surface of a tennis ball which is covered with a substance made of wool and nylon or a felt type surface.

Tennis players who play on clay courts will tell you that the strings on their racquet will get worn down quickly by the tennis ball due to the fact that clay, ultimately dirt and/or sand picked up on the surface of the ball is very abrasive.

So there you go. It may not be the ball but the dirt. Your dog needs clean tennis balls to save the teeth! Or at least cut down on the wearing of the teeth.

Other considerations are if your dog chews a tennis ball to pieces and ingests them big danger could make for a really bad play session in the end. As well there is latex in the “ingredients” of a tennis ball and like people some dogs could have an allergic reaction.

So, ultimately it’s up to you to decide if you feel it’s safe enough to continue your dog’s obsession with the tennis ball or deprive your dog of the wild wagging that starts with a mere glimpse of tennis ball.

Should you be looking for alternatives K9 Coach dogs give a big paws up to both Kong Toys and Nylabones. Whatever dog toy you choose take the time to go and have some fun with your dog whether its a nightly game of fetch or a dog friendly event.

Article Jt Clough© 2009

San Diego Exclusive Dog Training Camps

Dog Training Private Lessons
Follow us on Twitter www.Twitter.com/GoTrainYourDog

K9 Coach Dog & Puppy Training on Facebook

Puppies, Toys, & Training

Getting a new puppy is always exciting, and part of the excitement that goes along with it is going to the pet store and getting the new dog bed, the puppy treats, and the new dog toys. Its fun stuff.

Godiva got a new pink bed and some toys her first day away from her litter at 8 weeks old. The toys are the important part and though people usually buy them out of the cuteness factor, toys are a very important part of a puppies beginning “training”.

Puppies have a tendency to chew and mouth a lot. They tend to chew on whatever is in front of them, which could be anything from your shoe to your fingers. Puppies just like big dogs learn and think in pictures so it’s very important to start from the beginning to give your puppy an item that can be chewed, or was meant to be chewed every single time the attempt to go for something that shouldn’t be in your puppies mouth is reached for.

This simple concept can save you many dollars and the grief of ruined items that very well could be your “favorite” something! Repetition will give your puppy in the end a clear picture of what to chew and amazingly enough they will start to reach for those things that you have taught them are ok to have in their mouth. Important to this is that you have been consistent with giving your puppy the right toy and that you follow the major rule of supervision.

Not all toys are the same and some dogs chew things to pieces more easily so be aware of what kind of toys you are buying. Small pieces that come off aren’t good. Just like a baby, a dog will put anything in their mouth and swallow it if it’s small enough.

So get some good quality toys and start your training with your puppy while playing with your new bundle of joy.

For more tips tricks & puppy training follow us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GoTrainYourDog

To find schedule dog training events online follow us on Facebook as well. And as always we love to do private dog and puppy training lessons and camps with you and your new puppy or dog so contact us with all your dog training needs.