Are ball flingers bad for dogs?
Albert Mayert
2025-07-17 12:39:23
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Using these devices are not designed for dogs and can and do cause massive harm and injury to them every day. Injuries ranged from shoulder, upper spine, neck and forearm injuries, some requiring surgery. Your dog might seem to be ok today and even tomorrow but the injuries are caused by overuse of the ball thrower which the owner used daily to exercise her dogs. It’s the mix of extending straight to a flat out run, skidding to a halt putting strain on the carpal joints and the twisting in the air to catch the balls that does the damage. The adrenaline kick in ball chasing for some dogs is so huge that they overcome the pain and appear normal. Some years later I attended a seminar by a Vet friend of mine and her phrase was to “chuck the chuck-it” because in her small practice alone she was seeing 3-4 dogs A WEEK with injuries sustained by repetitive use of ball throwers. So what speed are our dogs chasing those balls at, over, and over and over again?? These can reach ranges of up to 65mph, some up to 85mph.
Lynn Hagenes
2025-07-05 22:48:22
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What was worse was that she said that the most likely cause of these injuries was the fact that we had always made too much use of a ball flinger, doing really huge throws which he would race after. It's the mix of extending straight to a flat out run, skidding to a halt putting strain on the carpal joints and the twisting in the air to catch balls that does the damage. I was shocked to hear both the physio and the canine hydrotherapist say that they see injuries from overuse of ball flingers on a regular basis. The adrenaline kick in ball chasing for some dogs is so huge that they overcome the pain and appear normal. Don't use ball flingers. Do not throw balls up in the air for your dog. Balls are better but they must be large enough that the dog cannot swallow it. A tennis ball is okay unless your dog is very large. Smaller balls can become lodged in the throat and cause asphyxiation.
Jeromy Schowalter
2025-06-27 18:38:55
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However, there’s a growing sense of unease about the dangers of ball throwers for dogs. When we repeatedly fling a high-speed ball for them to catch, we’re transforming that pleasant amble into a continuous HIIT session. Wear on your dog’s joints When your dog repeatedly dashes after a ball, they’re racing from a standing start to 100mph, screeching to a halt and often jumping up in the air too. This can put an extra strain on your pup’s joints, muscles and cartilage. The burden on the joints is increased if your dog is tearing up and down hills, or is running on a sandy beach, which takes much more effort than running on grass or a woodland path. And because your dog is excited about chasing after a rabbit disguised as a ball, that enthusiasm can easily lead to them over-riding any warning signals their body is giving them to slow down. The result? Wear and tear on your dog’s joints that can lead to stiffness and stop them from enjoying their life to the full. It looks as though the days of the ball flinger are numbered. They might mean that we can exercise our dog while hardly moving a muscle ourselves, but the evidence is growing that they’re just not very good for our four-pawed friends.
Sandra Blick
2025-06-27 17:36:35
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Vet Hannah Capon, who founded the Canine Arthritis Management website, believes that continually running after a ball thrown long distance by a flinger can put unnecessary strain on a dog’s joints, muscles and cartilage, resulting in long-term health problems such as arthritis. They’re going from standing still to a gallop, then throwing themselves in the air, braking and skidding. This might be up and down a hill or on a beach, and it’s causing damage to their joints and trauma to muscles and cartilage. But, because the dog is so excited, they carry on through the pain. For the many dogs who might have injuries or mobility problems, we’re making these even worse, meaning pets need to be on medication. This can take years off their life expectancy. Owners should make sure their dog is healthy first of all and has no injuries or mobility problems. Dogs should also be warmed up before playing with a ball so muscles are prepared. Throw the ball by hand, rolling it on the floor rather than up high, making the dog jump up. Put a time limit on ball chasing, no matter how much pain the dog is in, the power of the ball is stronger and they will keep running after it.
Jeff Hartmann
2025-06-27 16:08:04
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But these flingers come with a health warning, and the veterinary profession is concerned about the mental and physical damage they are causing some dogs. Repeated ‘throw it, chase it, catch it’ exercise involves increased arousal which can result in a sharp rise a dog’s heart rate and adrenaline levels. Adrenaline and cortisol both play a role in the regulation of behaviour. Promoting increased production of both over a prolonged period can trigger problematic behaviours such as a no ‘off switch’, a lack of ‘frustration tolerance’, and unpredictability. Other behavioural issues caused by the ball flingers include a reluctance for a dog to walk by their owner’s side because they always want to be ahead, anticipating the throwing of a ball. High speed impact, uncontrolled twists and turns, and rotatory force on joints can cause a multitude of injuries. And a dog may not even be warmed up before such vigorous exercise is undertaken.
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