Automatic ball thrower for dogs

[Sam1]

Bunch of dog people on here so figured I'd ask for an honest opinion, do any of you all have and automatic thrower?  Something similar to these:  http://godoggoinc.com/products/remotefetch.html

 

http://goifetch.com

 

 

 

There's not too many on the market so choices are limited, but we'd like to get one for our boston terrier to occupy it when we're busy and don't want to cage her up. If you've got experience with them, do they work as advertised/expected?

Edited February 3, 2014 by Sam1

[ncomarc]

The only experience I have is the son and daughter model. Throws further the older they get.

[tnguy]

Our dog won't chase or bring back a ball. Undoubtedly a training issue there.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Our dog won't chase or bring back a ball. Undoubtedly a training issue there.

Maybe some is training, but seems a great deal instinctive. We've had two fetch addict dogs that needed no obvious training at all, and several other dogs that were bright in their own way, but maybe wouldn't be fetch dogs even if we spent a lot of training time on it.

Had one dog with strong herding instinct, who liked chasing people and animals, and sometimes chase a ball, but would never bring it back. We would play fetch with the lab, and the other dog would have fun chasing the lab chasing the ball, but never showed interest in the ball itself.

Our two coonhounds were real good chasing critters and sniffing for critters, and real smart at escaping and stealing food, and real affectionate hounds. But such as "sit" "stay" "fetch" are beneath their dignity. I think they are smart enough to do it, but don't give a damn about chasing a ball. :) Edited February 3, 2014 by Lester Weevils

[Dane]

I would think a tennis ball launcher, like those used for tennis practice, would work as well and be better built. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Sam1]

I would think a tennis ball launcher, like those used for tennis practice, would work as well and be better built.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

That would be great, but it would probably also knock holes in our garage walls lol

[Joseg]

Well, Obviously my GSD will not release his ball unless you have another ready to throw, and if he see all those balls, he'll probably flip the damn thing and horde all of them by his front paws hoping you grab the one he just slobbered.. 

[analog_kidd]

We have a Dachshund, and that dog will play fetch till his feet fall off. Never had to train him, and he always drops the ball right at my feet, and he's ready to go again. Some of the time I fake him out, and then throw the ball somewhere he has to go search for it, like in the bushes. I think he enjoys the hunt nearly as much as just chasing it.

 

I have to use one of those ball throwers, because after a few retrievals, the ball comes back grossly slimy. Dog's got a definite saliva issue.

 

They are instictively burrowers, and last fall I tossed his ball into the large pile of raked leaves in the yard. I don't know who had more fun him burrowing through the pile, or me watching the show.

 

He would probably wear out one of these automatic throwers in a day or two. I've thought about trying to build my own, using two rotating tires, but I'm not that ambitious.