The tennis ball is a great toy right up to the moment it hits water. It floats for a few seconds, drifts sideways in the wind, and then sinks out of reach, and the game ends with a soaked, disappointed dog staring at a lake. A soft floating disc keeps fetch going.
Soft Enough for Teeth, Fast Enough to Fly
Discs made for dogs are far gentler than the rigid plastic competition frisbees people throw to each other. The flexible rim gives when a dog catches it badly, so you avoid the chipped incisors that hard plastic causes, and the lightweight body lets even a small thrower send it a useful distance. On water the disc skims low across the surface instead of tumbling, which means your dog swims in a straight line rather than circling after a scent that keeps moving.
Water Changes What You Need From a Toy
Look for a disc that stays on the surface after a long soak, drains quickly so it does not fly heavy and crooked, and has a rim you can see against bright sky or dark water. Rinse it and dry it after every swim, because lake water, salt and sand shorten the life of any toy, and check the edge for nicks before each session.
Better Fetch in Three Steps
Throw low and short on grass first so your dog learns to run onto the disc instead of jumping at it. Move to shallow water, then deeper water, keeping throws into the wind so the disc does not drift. Stop while your dog still wants more, and end with a calm walk out of the water.
This floating disc suits medium and large dogs, and herding breeds take to it quickly because the low flight invites a running catch. See the floating dog frisbee before your next trip to the water.
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