Doggie Dooley Virtually Indestructible Dog Ball

Some dogs want a ball to retrieve. Others seem to want a small planet to shove around the yard. The Doggie Dooley Virtually Indestructible Dog Ball is for that second crowd: this 10-inch hard plastic ball is built for herding and push play, with the red version aimed at large dogs over 45 pounds.

The important distinction is that this is not a chew toy, a catching toy, or a fetch ball. Choose a size that cannot fit inside your dog’s mouth, and keep play supervised and outdoors. Despite the ambitious name, “virtually indestructible” is not an invitation to test your dog’s demolition skills. The rigid construction makes this a different proposition from a squishy ball they can grab and carry.

It also floats, and the smooth surface is washable after a muddy outing. For a dog who enjoys steering things around the backyard, that’s a useful brief: one big, stubborn ball, with no expectation that anyone brings it back.