If the game of fetch is one of your pet’s favorite activities, you should seriously consider getting yourself a quality dog ball throwing machine. These things are much more sophisticated than they were some ten years ago – the new PetSafe launcher is a great example.
It’s a machine that’s guaranteed to promote your pet’s happiness, health, and the good behavior, as it was manufactured by a company that’s well-known for their quality pet equipment. We’ll be taking a closer look at all of its features, advantages, and flaws, so read on and find out if this device is worth your money.
What is the PetSafe?
This is a product with good performance and a lot of flexibility, coming at a reasonable price that’s guaranteed to make it successful on the market. The PetSafe brand, founded in 1991, is one of the leading companies when it comes to pet-related electronics. This is precisely why we’re always happy to have their products on a review.
Of course, there’s a load of other useful features here, but this one makes the PetSafe stand out from the rest of the competition. If the safety of your dog is your first and the most important concern, then this is the product you were looking for.
The Main Features
We have no complaints when it comes to design. The PetSafe looks very modern, with a sleek, rounded design and the combination of black and purple shades. It can hold up to three tennis balls at once, and you’ll be getting two of them in the box.
The user can choose between 9 distance settings, as the machine can shoot the ball up to a distance of 9 meters. There are also the angle settings – six of them, and the highest one is the 45-degree angle. This is yet another feature that contributes to device’s safety, as it allows safe indoor and outdoor play.
And when it comes to outdoor play, the owner won’t have to worry about the PetSafe turning off. Once equipped with six “D” batteries (which, unfortunately, aren’t included in the package) the fun can last for hours. Of course, the power cord is included and will allow your dog to have fun inside the house.
Another great thing is that the model plays a warning beep every time it’s about to shoot the ball. This lets the dog move out of the way on time, although the previously mentioned motion sensor prevents any kind of injuries from happening.
What Comes in the Box?
The box that the device comes in is huge and very colorful. Just like we expected, the potential buyer can find all the necessary information written on its sides. The box contains the following items:
- PetSafe machine
- Power cord
- Two tennis balls
- Operating guide
- Training instructions
This is, in our opinion, a pretty well-rounded package, although we would like to see the batteries in it. Pet owners who want to use the PetSafe outdoors will have to purchase the batteries themselves. The presence of a booklet containing training instructions deserves some special praise, though.
How Fido Liked It
Watching the dog use this machine is a real pleasure – not only the pup won’t have any problems with figuring out how everything works, but the owner also won’t have to worry about his pooch getting injured. The safety features of this model are something that makes it stand out from the competition.
The built-in safety sensor will keep Fido away, as it won’t allow the machine to shoot the ball unless the dog is at least 7 feet away from it. To use it correctly, your dog will have to be behind this distance or on the side of the machine, as long as it is out of sight of the motion sensor.
During our testing period, Fido didn’t have any issues with PetSafe and started having fun almost immediately. Due to the size of the hopper, he had no problems with putting the ball into the machine, and he quickly learned to stay away from the device for it to shoot the ball.
If your dog is hesitant to use the PetSafe machine, you should reward him with treats every time he approaches it and interacts with it. You’ll need to get him associate the thrower with positive things, and once you achieve that, it will be hard for him to stop having fun – every dog loves the game of fetch!
Pros and Cons:
What We Like
- Launches the tennis ball up to the distance of 9 meters
- Easy for both indoor and outdoor use, and also weather-resistant
- The safety motion sensor prevents the possibility of the dog getting injured
- The machine makes a beeping sound before shooting the ball
- Operating the distance knob and the angle knob is effortless
What We Didn’t Like
- The whizzing sound might scare some dogs at first
- Batteries required for outdoor use aren’t included in the package
The Final Verdict
When it comes to safety features, the PetSafe is probably the best choice on the whole market. Its motion sensor prevents the pooch from getting injured, as it won’t shoot the ball if the dog is standing in front of the machine. Fortunately, that’s not the only great thing about it – it can hold up to three tennis balls at once, it has easy-to-operate controls, and it’s also weather-resistant.
