Are Tennis Balls Safe For Dogs?
There’s no denying dogs love tennis balls. But hours of enjoyment aren’t the only thing your dog gets from a tennis ball. These toys are affordable, readily available, and entertaining for your pet. However, they may have a few drawbacks.
Are Kong Tennis Balls safe for a dog’s teeth? Tennis balls are notorious for damaging your dog’s teeth. That green fuzz so distinctive to tennis balls is the equivalent of sandpaper. And if your dog enjoys pulling the green fuzz off the tennis ball, they can damage the enamel of their teeth.
That doesn’t sound like much, but the more your dog’s tooth enamel degrades, the weaker your dog’s teeth become. Over time, this may lead to tooth extraction or damaged teeth.
Tennis balls are especially problematic for dogs predisposed to dental diseases, like:
Tooth enamel isn’t the only thing tennis ball fuzz wrecks havoc on. Assuming your dog successfully separates the felt from the ball, there’s the danger of them swallowing it. That’s not ideal for various reasons.
But the primary problem is that the material on tennis balls is hard to digest. In the best-case scenario, you will find yourself treating canine constipation. Worst-case scenarios involve you calling the vet because of a suspected intestinal blockage.
The other problem with tennis balls is that, as toys go, they aren’t durable. That’s fine for soft-jawed dogs content to play fetch. But many dogs prefer to destroy their tennis balls and chew the pieces.
That’s considerably more dangerous. Supervising your dog while they munch their way through a tennis ball helps but isn’t foolproof. All that to say, tennis balls aren’t the ideal dog toy we think they are. But what about Kong Tennis balls? Are they safe for dogs?
KONG toys are great. But it doesn’t matter how great a toy is—eventually, your pup is going to want to mix things up and play with something different! If your dog is head over heels for KONG toys, Super Chewer Dog Toys will definitely get their tail wagging.
But you also want to make sure that those toys are actually good for your pup. It doesn’t matter how much energy it helps work off, how entertaining it is, or how much fun your dog has with it. If a toy is dangerous, unhealthy, or all-around not good for your pup, it’s not something you want to add to your toy collection.
Before we answer the question “are KONG toys good for dogs?” let’s quickly cover what, exactly, KONG toys are.
When the KONG toy is stuffed with food, it’s almost like two toys in one. The rubber acts a chew toy. But your pup has to figure out how to get to the food in the center—which also qualifies the KONG as a puzzle toy.
KONG toys come in four sizes—KONG puppy, KONG senior, KONG classic, and KONG extreme. The KONG puppy is made from the softest rubber that’s ideal for puppy teeth and gums. KONG senior is made from soft rubber (although not as soft as the KONG puppy) that’s good for aging chewers. Made from a durable rubber, KONG classic is the best fit for most adult dogs. If your dog takes chewing to the extreme, the KONG extreme (which was designed for—you guessed it—extreme chewers) is the best toy to withstand their epic chompers.
Benefits of using a Kong toy
All dogs need mental stimulation and enrichment. In a perfect world, we would all take our dogs for long walks and play interactive games, such as fetch and tug-of-war, multiple times daily. Unfortunately, the reality of life is that we aren’t always available to do those things as often as we (or our dogs) would like. Even when we’re at home, we’re not always available to provide our dogs with attention. As I’m writing this article, my dog is enjoying a nap – but what if he wanted to play instead? That’s where a Kong toy can help. Kong toys keep your dog busy and mentally stimulated, even when you’re unavailable for interactive play.
Taking just a few minutes to stuff a Kong toy with food or treats can occupy your dog for several hours, depending on your dog’s personality and interest level. As your dog works to remove food or treats from the Kong toy, he’s expending excess energy. Not only does this help reduce boredom, it can also help alleviate anxiety. In some dogs with mild separation anxiety, a Kong toy can help prevent destructive behavior simply by giving the dog a source of entertainment and an outlet for his energy while left at home alone.
While the gift of independent play is a major benefit of a Kong toy, it isn’t the only benefit. Some people feed their dog’s daily meals from a Kong toy, instead of a food bowl. This can be especially beneficial when striving to help your dog lose weight. Feeding meals from a Kong toy instead of a food bowl will add a bit more physical activity to your dog’s day, while also helping a small portion of food last longer for your dog.
Kong toys are designed to be strong and relatively indestructible, so leaving a Kong toy as a special treat when your dog is home alone is pretty common among dog owners. However, the unattended use of Kong toys (or any toy, for that matter) is never completely risk-free. Although it’s rare, some dogs manage to chew off fragments of Kong toys and swallow them. If this happens to your dog, you could find yourself facing an emergency veterinary visit and maybe even emergency surgery.
Before leaving your dog alone with a Kong toy, consider your dog’s chewing style and personality. Is your dog a vigorous chewer with a reputation for destruction? In that case, don’t allow access to any toys, including a Kong, while he is unattended. Vigorous chewers should be given access to a Kong toy only when they can be closely watched, so you can take it away at the first sign of a problem. If your dog is an average chewer, however, you probably have little reason for concern. (Again, though, it’s important to remember that the risk is never zero!)
Next, consider the size and shape of your Kong toy. Is it large enough for your dog? If a large dog is given a Kong toy designed for small dogs, the risk of ingestion goes up significantly. An appropriately-sized Kong toy, however, will be difficult to swallow. Use the size guide as a general guideline when purchasing a new toy for your dog. Then, watch your dog as he plays with his Kong toy, ensuring that the toy cannot fit entirely within your dog’s mouth.
Finally, inspect your dog’s Kong toy daily. If you see cracks in the rubber or other signs of aging or wear, it’s time to replace the toy. A toy that is beginning to break down heightens the risk of your dog tearing off a bit of rubber and swallowing it.