# Tennis Balls Good or Bad?



## Anastasia (Oct 7, 2011)

When I first started researching back in August I read a few threads about tennis balls being bad for the dogs teeth. I made a mental note that we wouldn't give Jack tennis balls. I've since read a few threads where everyone seems to give their dogs tennis balls.

So whats the deal are the tennis balls bad for them or not?


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## n2gsds (Apr 16, 2011)

Not sure about being bad for the teeth but definitely dangerous! Countless dogs have choked from swallowing a tennis ball, hard to believe but true. I wouldn't take the chance with my dogs.


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## Veronica1 (Jun 22, 2010)

My pup will do anything for a tennis ball, so I have recently switched to the larger sized Kong tennis balls to alleviate the choking hazard. Kong claims they won't hurt the teeth. I get them at my local TSC two for $5.


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## valb (Sep 2, 2004)

Sierra came to us loving them. Now she gets one for an hour or so
once a week. Supervised. I think they are bad for their teeth
when used a lot, and of course the choking hazard is there. So,
I think you need to take in all you can about them and then decide 
for yourself how (or if) you'll use them.


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## shaner (Oct 17, 2010)

My dog fetches tennis balls, but she doesn't sit and chew on them.


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## clearcreekranch (Mar 18, 2010)

something about the glue that is used can wear down the enamel on their teeth....just what I heard from a trainer


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## Miss Molly May (Feb 19, 2010)

this is a great alternative and they last way longer!Chuckit Ultra Ball 2 Pack - Dog Toys


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i don't like the size, fuzzies and they're
probably made in China.


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

Did someone say tennis ball?











I use tennis balls with Dante - they only come out when we're going to play fetch and he's not allowed to just chew on them


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## 4TheDawgies (Apr 2, 2011)

Tennis balls are TERRIBLE for teeth!


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Over a period of time they will wear down the teeth is what a vet told us.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Terrible. They will wear teeth down. My male has worn teeth from them, and I'm looking at. ~5k to repair


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

I'm sorry, but what?? How could a tennis ball cause that much damage and..5k  



hunterisgreat said:


> Terrible. They will wear teeth down. My male has worn teeth from them, and I'm looking at. ~5k to repair


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

I heard they have toxins at the core that are poison to dogs. Not sure if it's true but not going to take the chance with my baby.


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## mvarnell (Mar 31, 2010)

My dog started showing damage from wearing down and we only used them for fetch. The whole way back to me he was chomping down and it wore the points right off. Only 1 year of use did that.


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## BR870 (May 15, 2011)

So does anyone believe Kongs whole bit about their tennis balls being safe for teeth? I don't see how they could be that different...


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## Snarly (Sep 7, 2011)

Ya, I don't either..
I don't even use tennis balls, I throw a Kong. It bounces all over and makes random twist and turns. Way more fun to chase.



BR870 said:


> So does anyone believe Kongs whole bit about their tennis balls being safe for teeth? I don't see how they could be that different...


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## PatternDayTrader (Dec 1, 2011)

I dont even know how people can afford tennis balls. 
My dog will ruin a normal tennis ball in less than 5 minutes, and the giant "kong" balls only last about 45 minutes of fetch, before they are in pieces.
Lately ive just been finding a stick about 2inches around and about 2 ft long and throwing that...


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## Anastasia (Oct 7, 2011)

Well I guess we won't take the chance so I need to find an alternative. I was thinking the Kong wouldn't have the glue but I'm not sure they are much better. I think I'll look into the chuck-it. Jack is just 8 weeks and starting to chase toys and things and I'd like to encourage him to fetch a ball in the yard.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I use the larger Kong tennis balls, they are made of special non-abrasive material the company says will not wear the teeth, and they are larger than a tennis balls so they don't present a choking hazard. Plus they squeak which my dog loves.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

if you're going to throw a stick i suggest throwing
it side arm so it doesn't stick in the ground. if your dog
over runs it he could hurt his mouth. if you throw
the stick side arm you have more of a chance of the stick
landing flat.



PatternDayTrader said:


> I dont even know how people can afford tennis balls.
> My dog will ruin a normal tennis ball in less than 5 minutes, and the giant "kong" balls only last about 45 minutes of fetch, before they are in pieces.
> Lately ive just been finding a stick about 2inches around and about 2 ft long and throwing that...


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## PatternDayTrader (Dec 1, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> if you're going to throw a stick i suggest throwing
> it side arm so it doesn't stick in the ground. if your dog
> over runs it he could hurt his mouth. if you throw
> the stick side arm you have more of a chance of the stick
> landing flat.


 
Thats how i throw - I get a better "fling" on it sidearm. We used to use tennis balls but somhow the rubber ends up broken into little pieces inside the green cloth exterior and the kong balls split at the mold seam.


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## mvarnell (Mar 31, 2010)

The "pet safe" tennis balls are made with a different fabric that is non-abrasive. If you feel them next to a regular tennis ball you can tell the pet ones are much softer to the touch. I use chuck it rebounce balls and my GSD has never torn one up, I have had them dry rot before wearing out.


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

mvarnell said:


> The "pet safe" tennis balls are made with a different fabric that is non-abrasive. If you feel them next to a regular tennis ball you can tell the pet ones are much softer to the touch. I use chuck it rebounce balls and my GSD has never torn one up, I have had them dry rot before wearing out.


Sticks scare me because of a horrible incident that my trainer went through with her dog. The stick stuck in the ground and impaled her, luckily she pulled through but it scarred me for life. But after that I won't throw a stick for my dogs... paranoid, probably.... But...  The orange chuck-it balls are amazing!! Sasha uses them like bubble gum and we've never had one break and she is extremely hard on toys. Tennis balls used to only last two throws before she crunched them in half. Racquet balls were too hard. But those chuck-it balls are amazing!! Highly recommend!! Oh, and they bounce like none other


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Tennis balls are too small. Fetching and running with them are dangerous.
Long sticks are dangerous because one end can catch on the ground and drive the other end into their mouths.


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## Davey Benson (Nov 10, 2010)

There are worse things for dogs than chewing tennis balls - USATODAY.com


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

There are worse things for dogs than chewing tennis balls - USATODAY.com

I know of no dog that has ever choked on a tennis ball,though a couple of people here say theirs have. My dogs go through nearly 100 tennis balls a year and catch one about 100 times a day,every day. 5 dogs-total of about 50 years of life-100 times a day. About 1,825,000 chances. No dental issues either,they don't chew them non stop.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

Davey Benson said:


> There are worse things for dogs than chewing tennis balls - USATODAY.com


Beat me to it.


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## Davey Benson (Nov 10, 2010)

*Not for the faint of heart!*

This is the teeth of my rescue dog. She was wrecked by her previous owner. This is why you don't cable a dog 24/7 to a tree out back of your house. 










A thousand tennis balls couldn't have done the damage that being cabled up to a tree all her life has done... 

Since I have had her, I have never see her chewing on anything, so I know it's not a obsesive compulsive thing.


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