# Gappay vs Frabo ball for Drive Work



## The Stig

So, due to handler stupidity, I left my Orbee ball out and Janka-boo chewed the rope off.









I am using this excuse to buy another training ball that I have had my eye on for a while. The Orbee works fine, but it is a little too big for Janka's mouth so she keeps grabbing the rope. And the rope is too thick and long, so it gets a little cumbersome for me anyway when we do drive/focus work.

So yeah ... I am now tottering between the medium Gappay ball and the medium Frabo ball

http://www.hallmarkk9.com/Balls_on_Rope.aspx

Have any of you use either balls? I *think* Lynn uses the Gappay. It is hollow, while the Frabo is solid. 

I will probably end up getting the Gappay. Just want to hear some input. I have been using the orange chuck-it ball for reward during our training sessions, and it works just fine for basic commands and such. But I like using a corded ball for drive work.

Thanks,
Rei


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## wolfstraum

you can just run a new rope into your Orbee!!! My dogs like the Orbee balls - I don't like the harder nubby ones - if you're klutzy, you can conk yourself (or your dog) with it and that hurts! Also, these don't give, and I know of an accident where one lodged in a dogs throat and he died....bit the rope off - I will stick with the Orbees myself

Lee


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## onyx'girl

I have a gappay small one on back-order This will be for my pup for a short time only. I ordered one of each size and the one I need now is not in stock! The orbee is too large for his lil mouth. 
I had to run a new line on my blue Kong. The dogs had that one off in about 5 minutes.


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## Sarah'sSita

I like elite K9 ball. http://www.elitek9.com


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## Liesje

I use the Gappay ones, I have two in two different sizes. I also have a Bende one that is really the same as the Gappay but came with the plastic toggle. I liked it a lot, until I threw it into a tree about 30' up and it wrapped around a branch. So I ordered Gappay ones. My trainer said I needed smaller ones anyway to encourage Nikon to bite the ball not the string. Well now I think I need a bigger one b/c he actually inhaled the small one a few days ago. We were playing fetch and I heard him gag, looked over, and the ball popped out.

Hey Jane, I will temporarily trade you my smallest one for one of your bigger ones, lol. Do you still need to borrow my puppy crate?


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## The Stig

> Originally Posted By: Wolfstraumyou can just run a new rope into your Orbee!!!



















hehehehe ... I admit, I have been waiting for an excuse to get something different. My husband said I was being lame for not re-roping the Orbee. 

The medium Orbee *is* a little too wide (3" diameter) for her, so I thought something just a little smaller would be easier because when I reward her with the Orbee, she would always try to grab the rope. The medium Gappay is about the size of her orange chuck-it ball, and that fits nicely in her mouth. 

I could get the small Orbee I suppose. Hehehehe ... 

But thanks for the good point about being conked though.


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## onyx'girl

Sounds good! I have a crate and will be at the club tomorrow if you want to trade balls!







can't wait to work my lil Karlo!


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## Liesje

Can I take pics of him? He will be stress relief for me, Kenya and I have a 2-day trial this weekend and will need to "cram" on Friday (it's impossible to practice long down honoring and heeling through a group when you're the only person training!).


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## onyx'girl

Absolutely!! I will be at the St. Johns trial too, but Karlo will stay home(I don't want to expose him there)my son is pupsitting
Lil balls/big dogs=choking hazard...


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## The Stig

Thanks for the input. I think I will get the medium Gappay and a small Orbee for Janka-beau. The size I want from elitek9 is on backorder. / I am too much of a brat to wait. 

My husband surprised Janka with a tug from Elite K9 though, after she pulled my tug from Leerbug out of my training bag (another handler stupid moment for not storing the bag away) and gnawed both handles off. I called him bitchin' about it 'cos I really liked that tug.


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## onyx'girl

Elite K9 has alot of stuff backordered.


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## Liesje

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlAbsolutely!! I will be at the St. Johns trial too, but Karlo will stay home(I don't want to expose him there)my son is pupsitting
> Lil balls/big dogs=choking hazard...


Awesome I may have to commission you to tape me since you did such a good job at the herding test!


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## lhczth

I like the large harder balls that they can't crush easily and thus maybe swallow.


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## onyx'girl

Lies-I'll be at the club FRIDAY, not tomorrow~LOL. New pup has me sleep deprived and loopy. I keep thinking today is Thursday! I am only going to the trial on Sat, not Sunday, but willing to help you. My DH is going, too!


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## phgsd

I like the gappay ball too - the ones with the loop handle seem to get caught up on legs and toes sometimes...or maybe my dog is just a klutz 
I did have a problem once with a ball on a string getting lodged in the throat. Threw it and the ball bounced right into the back of Kessy's mouth as she caught it. She was choking and I had to pop the ball out by the string. But is was one that was 2" diameter...I liked the smaller size because it fit in my pockets easier, but stopped using it when I saw how easily they could choke.

Orbee does make some 2.5" balls though if a medium one is too big - their tennis ball is one. I would not suggest a small - it's a good size for my 15 lb JRT but I panic if one of the big dogs gets it in her mouth! It is very small. Here is the orbee tennis ball which is the same size as the gappay and frabo balls.
http://www.planetdog.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=ORBEE%20TENNIS%20SINGLE


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## wolfstraum

Too small a ball is dangerous....sorry - I know a dog who got one stuck and died - Ikon Olympus - 2 summers ago....it was one of the hard ones with pimples. Not sure what brand...but the one most commonly used....not the first incident I have heard of - but the first person I KNOW who lost one....I will stick to the orbees which are a little bigger and give 

Lee


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## The Stig

Thanks for the input. 

Now I am all paranoid about choking hazard. I haven't heard of it before. @ Wolfstraum: I am sorry to learn of Ikon's accident. 

I changed my mind and will go for the large Gappay ball. I think that is probably closest in size to the orange Chuck-it ball, and that fits in her mouth comfortably w/o being too small. 

Regards,
Rei


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## KC_Pike

Do any of you use a 3 inch diameter ball or is it too large? I hope my 7 month old pup will grow into his a bit more...I have the one from eliteK9.


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## phgsd

3" are fine and I think are to big to choke on. I dislike how bulky they are to carry around BUT they are safe and the dogs seem to like them just as much as the smaller balls.


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## KC_Pike

Thanks! I think he just needs to grow into it a bit more as he is only 7 months.


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