I have actually discovered the Petstages ORKA Tennis Ball Dog Toy coincidentally on Amazon on my search for durable dog toys and despite being hesitant in the first place decided to give it a try.
As for Mila: She LOVED that ball almost as much as she loves real tennis balls. Sadly it was not able to withstand her for longer than two weeks of daily play.
The ball is made of some rubber like soft plastic. It can be easily compressed and comes with a textured surface, supposed to improve dental health.
Well, actually I am not really sure what to think about that.
Although described as tennis ball size by the manufacturer, it is actually a litte bit larger, which for a Bull Terrier I do not consider negative, because it lowers the risk of swallowing.
The manufacturer also offers other dog toys, some of which I actually may give a chance some day.
It has an amazingly irregular and rapid bounce, which really encourages chasing after it. And it floats. Sadly, the blue color is not as visible in the pool as the signal colors of other balls.
After some time of chasing and compressing it, the ball eventually gave in at one of its poles, which are perforated.
I really liked this ball, only wished it would last longer. The price is pretty high compared to the longevity. I was lucky to get it for $ 3.50 but now it costs more.
If I was able to get a batch of these for let’s say a Dollar or $ 1.50 each, I would probably settle with this ball, because Mila loved it so much!
Due to compressability, bounce and floating characteristics it comes closest to a real tennis ball, without the possible hazard of any felt covering. But once it has some major tear in one are, it is better to take it away, because it only goes downhill from there and becomes a hazard of pieces swallowed.
Pros of the Petstages ORKA Tennis Ball Dog Toy
- convenient size for a Bull Terrier to carry in the snout
- amazing and really encouraging irregular bounce!
- floats
Cons of the Petstages ORKA Tennis Ball Dog Toy
not chew proof
- pricey compared to its durability
- color (blue) not so easy to spot for the dog in some environments (for example in the pool)
Conclusion
While Mila loves this ball, for us it is not the ultimate solution so far, because of its price-durability ratio. It is a ball I can recommend for testing with your Bull Terrier. However, never let your dog play unattended with new toys! And be aware that your Bull Terrier may be too hot tempered for this one.
[…] Petstages ORKA Tennis Ball Dog Toy […]