Gus Ball

The Gus Ball was a surprise favorite from the first day I brought it in the house. The dogs love it; it’s a fast and easy treat dispensing toy and fun to bounce around even with no treats inside. It is well built, easy to clean, and made in the U.S.A.

The Gus Ball is a large hollow ball made out of a soft, squishy rubber material with two holes, one large and one smaller. It has a good bounce to it with fairly thick walls to hold its shape, but is soft enough that a dog can squish it down to hold in their mouth. As a fetch toy it is a big hit with the dogs, who race around after it, leaping with joy, rolling it with their nose or grabbing it to bring back for another round.

Each ball has a cute design printed on the back; one of mine says “good dog” and the other says “I dig the Earth.” The rubber is good quality, slightly stretchy so fun for the dogs to chew on but pretty resilient to damage. I haven’t had one damaged yet, but a destructive chewer could start with the large hole and chew off chunks with some determined effort. I don’t recommend that this toy be left out unattended with a known rubber toy destroyer.

The Gus Ball has two holes, one of them quite large, so it makes a good treat dispensing toy. The large hole makes it a good choice for dogs new to treat dispensers; small treats will just pour out with ease. For more experienced dogs you can use larger biscuits – I use Old Mother Hubbard small sized biscuits, large chunks of freeze dried liver, or pieces of dog-safe fruit and vegetables. It will also hold a good amount of kibble to use as a meal feeding toy. Peanut butter or canned food would be too difficult for the dog to remove from this toy due to its size.

This ball is made by Gus Dog, a division of the Planet Dog Company. It is made in the U.S.A. and the finish is good, with relatively smooth seams where the two halves meet. The colors on mine haven’t faded after several years of use both inside and outside, and the printed designs are still quite sharp. It is very easy to clean because of the large hole and dries overnight next to the sink. I have not tried running it through my dishwasher as the rubber is very soft and I don’t trust it at such high temperatures.

This is one of my dogs’ favorite toys, and my go-to when I need a quick and easy to fill treat dispenser. It is American made of quality materials and has held up well over the years. Even my most determined chewers have not yet managed to destroy the Gus Ball. It deserves my top rating of five stars.