toys

[rott&pitincali]

A few days ago, while researching on the web, I came across an article about dogs and digging. The article recommended getting the dog a "boomer ball". They explained it as a weighted ball the dog will push around with their nose, and it will keep them busy and distract them from digging. Has anyone heard of this? Where would I get one?

[JD102175]

Petsmart.com has The Almost Indestructable Ball that you can put sand or water in to weight it down. Sounds similar to what you're talking about.

Here's the link.

Ball

They have a Rottie laying with the ball between his front legs as a picture.


Jaime

[rott&pitincali]

Thank you Jamie, I'll bet that is what they were talking about. I will have to go get one. What size do you think?

I love the picture, and the expression on that pups face! I wonder what they were doing to get him to look like that. To Cute.

[mferg]

I have recently discovered Jolly Balls. These are designed for horses but are great for the rotts. They are a flexible plastic/rubber material that self inflates. They come in various sizes and colors. I have three of them: Softball size, ~8" diameter, and soccer ball size. The biggun is their favorite. It sorta floats, too. My dog plays soccer with it all the time. She pounces on it, flattens it, squishes her head into it, grabs it and shoves it into your leg after it's all nice and filthy. They come with a handle, but that got chewed off pretty early. We've run over it with the truck, and no harm done. The thing is about indestrucible, but it won't hurt them if they collide with it. Both dogs have been smacked in the face with it (because they jump in front of it after we kick it - dorks!) several times with no ill effects. My breeder has a few, too. One of her dogs has one that is completely flattened into a disc. It has essentially been eaten away so only this bit is left. He adores the thing, shaking it constantly.

They cost between $10 and $20 depending on size. Some of the big pet stores are carrying them now. You can also get them at livestock/horse feed stores. If you go to statelinetack.com, they cost $17 for the 10" ball.

[Jaegergirl]

maverick just started digging in the last couple of weeks. he's 7 1/2 mo. my husband is not happy because we just tilled, leveled and reseeded our back yard a year and a half ago. i was going to search the forum archives for ways to curb the digging. maverick has a couple of outside toys...he likes to play with empty plastic containers... i gave him an empty water jug today (the ones you put in a water cooler). even with the toys he still digs!! if anyone has any ideas how to curb the digging, please offer them to me!!

anyway, i've seen those balls at petsmart. i've been very skeptical about them. "indestructible toys" don't last too long around here. last one we got, maverick tore a big hole in in less than 15 minutes!! has anyone else had any success with those balls?

[rott&pitincali]

HAHAHA, Jaegergirl you have me laughing. I agree on the indestructable toys. I buy them and they disappear in just a matter of days, or it seems that way. But I still buy them. If it will keep them occupied for a few days I am happy, as are they. I have one of those basketballs with the rope around it, they love that. I like to go to Wal-Mart and buy the pack of 1 basketball, 1 football, and 1 soccerball. It is under $20, and they just love them. My dogs jump infront of the ball after we kick them too, I agree dorks. hehehe. Anyways, thank you all for the ideas.

Oh ya, Jaegergirl, to stopping digging, I have found that if you fill the hole with their own poop they wont dig there again. My back yard is fairly large, I will feel bad for the next people that buy my house:D. But like I keep telling my mother, isn't it a form of fertilizer.

[Jaegergirl]

i was outside playing with maverick today and trying to get him to play with the 5 gallon jug i just gave him. he was afraid of it at first. but once i played with it with him for a couple of minutes, he loved it! i was cracking up cuz he'd push it around with his nose and then bark at it when it got pushed up against the fence. he's also try to bite it so he could carry it around but wasn't able to. so then he'd bark at it some more. eventually he figured out he could get his mouth around the "neck" of the jug and could carry it. i agree about them being "dorks" as well. they are very entertaining to watch!!

i'll have to try putting his poop in the places he digs to see if it works. like i said, i need to do something before my hubby has a fit!!! thanks for the idea!!

[My3Rotties]

They don't make indestructable toys for rotties...no way..i've tried one of those balls and they don't last not even 1/2 hr. I've also tried the huge kong and that even gets torn up in no time..We need someone to come up with rotty proof toys!:p Mine always liked the 1 liter soda bottles in the summer i freeze them up and give them to them outside, it's a wonderful toy for them and cools them right up. As to your digging at Petsmart they sell a spray that is supposed to work that you spray around your yard and again it's supposed to help with digging, i've also heard that putting moth balls around works. Good Luck..and if anyone finds a really indestructable toy for rotties let me know!

[Jaegergirl]

i'll have to check on that stuff you can spay in your yard for the digging. i have 2 children so it will have to be safe for humans. thanks for the tip. i also like the idea about frozen water in plastic bottles. i'll try that one next summer.

i saw a nylabone at petsupplies plus the other night and wondered how long that sucker would last. it's call a galileo (http://www.nylabone.com/dog_chews/index.html) it's REALLY hard... it's not made out of that rubbery stuff like what kongs are made of. i didn't buy it. my hubby didn't think it would last long so i didn't bother. but i wonder....