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Table of Contents
Introduction
When we first got our Bichon Frise we always knew we would like to either make or buy a ball launcher for her. As her first birthday approached we decided now was the time to get one. After doing some research online we came across the iFetch Interactive Ball Launcher.
The iFetch website seemed very well put together and personable. It had lots of videos and photos of happy dogs enjoying the ball launcher.
Additionally, there were testimonials and easy to follow training instructions to teach your dog to use the ball launcher.
Based on this, the price and the number of positive reviews on Amazon we decided to buy this ball launcher over the others.
We had such a great experience with this product overall that I decided to write this review to share these experiences with similar dog owners who are also looking for a ball launcher.
What Is The iFetch Interactive Ball Launcher?
The iFetch interactive ball launcher is essentially a toy that will take in and launch a tennis ball up to 30ft through the air.
The unique thing about this product I thought was the ability to train your dog to use this toy themselves.
This is such a great idea to be able to spend some initial time training your dog to use this ball launcher and then when they get used to it they can play with this themselves.
I was reluctant to believe I could train my dog to use this at first but seeing the number of videos of people successfully training their dogs to use it I felt motivated to give it a try.
Product Types
The iFetch family of ball launchers come in 3 variations: the iFetch Original, iFetch Too and iFetch Frenzy.
Each of these items will appeal to different types of dogs which means that there will be something to suit dogs of all shapes and sizes.
1 iFetch Original
As the name suggests this is the original ball launcher to come from iFetch.
This ball launcher is suited to any small to medium-sized dogs due to the range it can launch the balls at up to 30 feet.
The iFetch Original works with smaller than your average tennis balls that are 1.6″ (40 mm) in diameter.
You can train your dog to drop the tennis ball into the top chute. This will then launch the ball out the other end at distances of 10, 20 or 30 feet.
Your dog will then speed after the ball and bring it back to repeat as many times as they can until they are tired out.
2 iFetch Too
The iFetch Too is geared towards larger dogs and has a range of up to 40 feet. The main difference with this ball launcher is that it works with standard-sized tennis balls.
The same steps apply here as with the iFetch Original. You can train your dog to drop the tennis ball into the top chute.
This will then launch the ball out the other side which your dog will retrieve eagerly and bring back to drop in again.
3 iFetch Frenzy
The iFetch Frenzy is something a little different and is aimed at small dogs living in small spaces.
Similar to the iFetch Original, the iFetch Frenzy works with tennis balls 1.6″ in diameter.
The main difference with this ball launcher is how it works. You can train your dog to drop the tennis ball into the top chute as with the other 2 ball launchers.
The ball will then launch out of one of three chutes on the base of the ball launcher and across the room.
This is the perfect way to keep your dog mentally as well as physically stimulated.
Product Specs For The iFetch Original
As I actually purchased and tried out the iFetch Original, this is the one I will solely be talking about for this review.
Product Specs
| Dimensions | 10.5 x 8 x 7 Inches |
| Weight | 3lbs |
| Color | Blue and White |
| Power Requirements | Requires 6 C cell batteries or powered via 9V 2A power adapter (provided) |
| Warranty | 6 months from date of purchase |
Accessories
It comes with three 1.6 inch tennis balls.
Buying The iFetch Interactive Ball Launcher And Setting It Up
Buying this ball launcher for us was as simple as going to the Amazon listing and going to the checkout.
The package arrived pretty promptly, after just over a week or so, and once it arrived we started unboxing it.
The setup process once we had un-boxed everything was pretty straightforward. Either put in the batteries or plug it in and you are ready to go.
On our first trial run, we set the shortest distance and popped in a tennis ball to see what would happen.
As the ball shot across the hallway our dog took off after the tennis ball and brought it back eagerly.
Once we were happy that the ball launcher worked as expected we started watching the training videos on the iFetch website. This gave us plenty of motivation to start training our dog to use this by herself.
Teaching Your Dog To Play With iFetch Interactive Ball Launcher
The training material available for free from the iFetch website is all very informative and helpful.
With that in mind, do check out the video below for the steps to teach your dog to play with the iFetch.
Pros:
- Easy to set up and to use
- Smaller sized tennis balls are easier to catch for smaller dogs
- Simple design and can be wiped clean
- Works with batteries or via a power adapter
- Helpful training material and videos available
- Can be used indoors and outdoors
Cons:
- Requires patience and motivation to train your dog to use
- Need to buy additional smaller tennis balls
- Does require adult supervision – it’s recommended you keep an eye on your dog during playtime
Conclusion
Overall, I am pretty satisfied with our purchase of the iFetch interactive ball launcher.
Though the training proved to be tough it seems like our dog genuinely enjoys playing with the ball launcher and it’s definitely a fun talking point when friends and family come over.
I would say that the iFetch original that we bought is suited to people with a small to a medium-sized dog and that has a small garden to play in.
Of course, with that said, the other products offered by iFetch will suit almost any other dog size and space to play.
If you’re considering buying the iFetch Original click on the link below to buy this through my Affiliate link: https://allaboutbichonfrise.com/recommends/ifetch-original/
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