Why Tennis Balls Aren't Safe

Hi All,

Tennis balls, so soft and chewy, they often seem like the perfect toy!  However, while these balls seem to be great, remember, they were not made for us dogs, but rather, for tennis… So those tennis ball manufacturers did not have your best friend in mind when deciding what chemicals to put in the balls.  So the thing is, TENNIS BALLS ARE NOT SAFE FOR DOGS!

There are multiple reasons why:

1.       They are easily destroyed causing a major choking hazard

Tennis balls easily get ripped into pieces and if lodged in your dog’s throat the wrong way, it can cut off his or her air supply.  Also, because tennis balls are easily compressed, dogs have been known to swallow them whole. 

2.       The felt outer covering of tennis balls are extremely abrasive and wear down your dog’s teeth

We dogs are predators, which means we like our meat and even our kibble.  With that in mind, it’s imperative that we have strong, sharp teeth to shear meat and crunch through our dinner.  Tennis ball felt wears down our teeth which can make them blunt and more difficult to eat.  This mostly applies to extreme chewers.

3.       Tennis ball felt can be toxic

Interestingly enough, tennis balls specifically made for dogs are more likely to contain lead than tennis balls made for sport.  In fact, during one test, half of all tennis balls made for pets had detectable lead levels. 

As you can see, it’s tough to say that tennis balls are great dog toys.  That’s why I created the K9X Ball, it’s darn near indestructible, it’s not abrasive so it won’t wear down your dog’s teeth, and of course, we tested for several toxins and it’s safe enough that it’s even non-toxic to human children! With any ball, always supervise your dog's play to ensure his or her safety.

Sincerely,

Bastian