I don't want to dissuade Bella from exercising; she could stand to lose a few pounds, or so the vet keeps telling me. At the same time, I would like to be able to move my right arm without screaming in pain. As such, I usually have to end the fetch sessions after 15 minutes of continuous throwing. My arm, after all, can only take so much.
Bella used to have this ball that was shaped like a pig that came with this plastic launcher. You would slip the loop in the pig's tail over the little hook on the launcher, pull the pig's body back as far as you could, and then release it. The pig would subsequently fly across the backyard with Bella at it's blue rubber heels. I think that I loved that ball more than Bella did because it gave my arms a rest. Unfortunately, the pig's tail broke, and I haven't been able to find another one like it since.
It hasn't been for lack of trying. I have looked everywhere, online and off. I know that there has got to be a comparable product out there somewhere, some type of contraction that will fuel my dog's affection for fetch without causing me to pull an arm muscle or two. I finally found two products that might work from a web site called PetGadgets.com. PetGadgets.com-Innovative Pet Products specializes in selling those pet products that you always wished someone had thought of, like a grass-covered litter box for dogs; a water bowl that won't spill, even when tipped over; and a electrical cord cover that keeps dogs and cats alike from chewing through it. At PetGadgets.com, you'll find that not only has someone thought of those products, they're now selling them at prices you can afford. I could have used one of those water bowls myself on the trip home last week. I spilled Bella and Bailey's bowl of water on me at one of the rest stops and had to do the Walk of Wet Pant Shame to the bathroom. Believe me, it wasn't fun, and I'm sure my face was about five different shades of red by the time I got to the bathroom door.
One of the fetch- and arm-friendly gadgets that I found was a golf-inspired one called the Doggie Driver. As the name would suggest, the Doggie Driver is shaped like a golf club. The bottom part, however, is hollowed out to accommodate your standard tennis ball. You scoop the ball up with the club, swing it like you would a normal golf club, and watch as the ball flies up to 100 yards.
PetGadgets.com also carries the Ball Blaster, which has a tennis racket style handle and a ball called the dental ball. The ball looks like a tennis ball but is much softer and therefore much gentler on your dog's teeth. You throw the ball by holding the Ball Blaster above your shoulder and swinging it forward. The movement releases the ball and propels it forward. The ball can then be retrieved with the Ball Blaster, which, of course, means no more doggy saliva covered hands. All you have to do is press down on the ball with the receptacle end and throw again.
Both products are extremely affordable at PetGadgets.com. The Doggie Driver is only $24.95, while the Ball Blaster is just $19.95. You can also find many other affordable and innovative items at PetGadgets.com, from pet crates that step outside the wire-mesh box and kits that test your animal's DNA for susceptibility to a variety of diseases to pet Murphy beds and hands-free leashes. Additionally, in Kozmo's Corner, you'll find reviews of many of the featured pet products and interviews with their creators. When was the last time that you were able to read an interview with the inventor at one of those other online pet stores? Yeah, I can't remember either. Finally, PetGadgets.com features a Marketplace section, a place where the products' creators can further advertise their products and offer direct links to their sites.
PetGadgets.com is a great place to turn when the pet product that you're looking for can't be found at your local retail store. For the time being, I'm going to continue to throw Bella's orange "Cuz" ball the old-fashioned way. However, as soon as my financial situation permits it, I'm ordering the Doggie Driver form the site. The driver will still work my arm, but at least it will target another set of muscles and allow the other ones to have a much needed rest. Best of all, I'll be able to retrieve the ball without soaking the bathroom floor.
