Planet Dog Orbee Ball
Planet Dogs’ Orbee Balls are one of my go-to toys for all sizes of foster dogs. They are soft and squishy so the dogs enjoy playing with them, but very durable and great for powerful chewers. You can play a game of fetch, or insert small treats and use as a treat dispensing toy. This well made toy has been a favorite around my house for years.
The Orbee Ball has two holes, which is a must for dog safety with any rubber ball. The holes can also be used to insert treats to make this into a treat dispensing toy! Small treats work best; I use freeze dried liver treats or Zuke’s Mini Naturals. You can also fit a small amount of kibble inside. I’ve had many different sizes of foster dogs which have enjoyed rolling the Orbee Ball around with their nose to get the last treats out of it. I would not recommend putting peanut butter or other sticky treats inside this ball – it would be too hard for the dog to get out, and very difficult to clean.
As a chew toy the Orbee-Tuff material really shines – the Planet Dog company gives it “5 out of 5 chompers” and offers a 100% guarantee even if it is chewed up and destroyed. It is super durable and I haven’t had an Orbee Ball destroyed yet, and I’ve had some for years. The soft squishy feel seems to make the chewing more fun for the dogs as well. I have had dogs peel off the rubber continents so I recommend keeping a close eye on your dog (especially if they are a known toy destroyer) when you first give them the ball and taking away any pieces they pull off before they can swallow them. I have several of these balls and my more recently purchased ones have not lost their continents; I don’t know if they have improved the design of the ball or if I just have less dedicated chewers now.
For fetch this is a great ball with enough weight to be able to throw it really far. It is hollow but thick walled and fairly heavy, almost the same size as a standard tennis ball, perhaps a smidge larger. The rubber material gives you a satisfying bounce and is soft enough that I don’t worry about my dogs’ teeth being damaged. I do not, however, use it to throw inside the house because it is a substantial ball and could easily break things. It also floats so we use it for a summertime doggy pool toy.
Planet Dog makes the Orbee Ball in the U.S.A. which I love! I always feel like there is better quality control and less likelihood of toxic ingredients in my dogs’ toys when they are made here. The Orbee-Tuff material is non toxic and completely recyclable. It has the signature Planet Dog “minty” smell which fades in a few months and doesn’t seem to affect the dogs’ enjoyment of the toy either way.
All of my Orbee products have held up well to being washed in the dishwasher on the top rack, or just hand washed and set out to dry. With two holes it is easy to rinse clean and dries overnight. I haven’t had any fading of colors or seen any age-related disintegration of the material, even in my oldest Orbee balls.
This is one of those toys that I feel safe leaving out with my dogs to play with unattended. It is well constructed, the dogs enjoy playing with it, and it is made in the U.S.A. It deserves my top rating of five stars!
