{"id":537746,"date":"2026-03-13T12:26:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T12:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/537746\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T12:26:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T12:26:12","slug":"tennis-balls-can-harm-your-dog-these-alternatives-are-safer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/537746\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennis Balls Can Harm Your Dog. These Alternatives Are Safer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dogs<\/a> and tennis balls seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. Even my cat<\/a> plays with one. Yet according to veterinarians, tennis balls can pose real harm to your pet. <\/p>\n

\u201cExcessive chewing on the felt [of tennis balls] can lead to wearing of the tooth enamel and eventually lead to dental disease,\u201d explained Dr. Carly Fox, a senior veterinarian at New York City\u2019s Schwarzman Animal Medical Center<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Plus, according to Stockton, California\u2019s Sierra Veterinary Hospital<\/a>, \u201cWhen your dog is chewing happily on a tennis ball[,] there is no way of knowing what kinds of chemicals they are ingesting.\u201d Since tennis balls are designed for near-throwaway use in sports, \u201cThere are undoubtedly toxic chemicals used from the rubber ball, to the fuzzy coating, to the glue that holds it all together,\u201d the veterinary hospital\u2019s site emphasized<\/a>. <\/p>\n

If your pet<\/a> is wedded to their tennis ball, there are safer options you can switch to, Fox said. She recommended the Chuckit ultra ball<\/a> in particular for its \u201cexcellent bounce\u201d that\u2019s \u201ceasy on your dog\u2019s teeth.\u201d <\/p>\n

The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date. The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted. <\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Pet parents are obsessed with the Chuckit ball<\/a>, a bestseller with over 100,000 5-star ratings that reviewers praise for its durability against strong jaws and ever-engaging bounce. One person even penned a poem to the Chuckit after calling it \u201cthe most important thing in my dog\u2019s life<\/a>.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cA day without it? Unthinkable fate! \/ He\u2019d search and whine, he\u2019d sit and wait,\u201d waxed<\/a> the reviewer-cum-poet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are the first thing [my dog] gets when he gets up, and he takes one to bed at the end of the day,\u201d wrote another<\/a> of the Chuckit balls.<\/p>\n

The Chuckit ultra ball can also be used with the Chuckit launcher<\/a>, itself a bestseller. The long-handled thrower functions as an extension of your arm to propel balls farther and faster during fetch. It \u201chas completely changed our playtime routine,\u201d wrote a reviewer named Lainey<\/a>. \u201cWith a simple flick of my wrist, I sent the ball soaring across the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether you stay with tennis balls or switch to a safer alternative, just be sure to use the right size ball. \u201cNo larger breed dog should be playing with a ball made for a small- or toy-sized breed. This leads to accidental ingestion and the need for medical intervention,\u201d Fox stressed.<\/p>\n

Read on for more tennis ball substitutes recommended by Fox.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Amazon and Chewy<\/p>\n

A chew-friendly swap that’s ideal for dogs with breathing issues<\/p>\n

The Chuckit air fresh ball<\/a> “is a great alternative for a tennis ball,” said Fox. “There are holes to allow easy gripping and air flow.”<\/p>\n

Plus, this choice is “excellent for brachycephalic dogs who can breathe through the ball when carrying it,” she added.<\/p>\n

Reviewers concur, giving the substitute 12,000 5-star ratings. “I used to buy tiny tennis balls, but my dog would rip off the fuzz and end up throwing it up,” wrote one reviewer<\/a>. “These have been a great alternative! They\u2019re durable, easy to clean and my dog loves chasing them.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Chewy<\/p>\n

A toy whose design provides a safer way to enjoy tennis balls<\/p>\n

Fox also suggested the Kong Wubba toy<\/a>. “This toy has reinforced nylon that covers a tennis ball … [so] your dog gets the satisfaction and feel of the tennis ball with a lower risk of ingestion and no felt,” she wrote. “The tails make it fun to throw and chase,” added Fox.<\/p>\n

Numerous reviewers call the Kong Wubba their dogs’ favorite toy, especially among enthusiastic chewers.<\/p>\n

“I have a Blue Heeler with jaws of steel and an obsession with violently annihilating any toy he can get his mouth on,” wrote a reviewer named Jess<\/a>. “This octopus toy has been the most long lasting and seemingly most fun toy that I\u2019ve found for him yet.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A frisbee designed for tugging and tossing with your pet<\/p>\n

“Frisbees are excellent fetch toys,” said Fox, and “due to the shape [they] have a decreased risk of accidental ingestion.<\/p>\n

Fox recommended the 9-inch Nerf tug frisbee<\/a> in particular, which is made with tough, lightweight nylon. <\/p>\n

“Our dog is nutty for this. Unlike hard plastic discs that bounce off her teeth, this one is easy for her to catch and retrieve,” wrote a reviewer named Dave<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dogs and tennis balls seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. Even my cat plays with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":537747,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[565],"tags":[64,63,2475,2474,120112,2473,7240,85,747],"class_list":["post-537746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tennis","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cats","tag-dogs","tag-outdoor-recreation","tag-pets","tag-shopping","tag-sports","tag-tennis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/537746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=537746"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/537746\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/537747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=537746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=537746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=537746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}