Product Review: The OllyDog Olly Bone

The OllyDog Olly Bone is a durable dog toy intended for throwing, tugging, and fetching. It floats and does not absorb water. The current iteration, the OllyBone II, is available in two sizes and seven colors.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is a fun version of the classic bumper toys used to train water retrieves. The Olly Bone is thoughtfully designed with reinforced seams and a handle that wraps all the way around it.

 I was a little worried about taking the Olly Bone to the beach because it looks pretty absorbent. The worst case scenario involved me tossing it into the waves and watching it sink to the depths of Davy Jones' locker. Less catastrophic predictions involved me having to wring out a gallon of water or wait days for it to dry like the Outward Hound bandana.

Photo by Erin Koski

Happily the Olly Bone is nonabsorbent. It floats high in the water and doesn't pick up sand or dirt. After a trip to the beach, I can just shake it off and toss it in the car.

Pros: Fun to bite. Easy to clean. Easy to spot in the surf. Loop handle makes it easy to toss. Very durable.

Cons: Um...it doesn't squeak? The short handle prevent me from really launching it like the Aqua Kong or the Chuckit! Bumper.

Bottom Line: As much as I liked this toy, we didn't get very much use out of it compared to some of our other water toys. I sent each of my foster puppies off with some of our less loved toys, and this one went home with Darla.

Product Review: Chuckit! Bumper

The Canine Hardware Chuckit! Bumper is a fetch toy equipped with a short rope that allows it to be thrown long distances. It is soft and comfortable for the dog to bite, and floats.

Photo by Erin Koski, photobomb by Ru.

The Chuckit! Bumper is perfect for beach play. The rope allows me to fling it far out into the waves, and the color makes it easy for Brisbane to spot in the surf. As an added bonus, the shape makes it look like a stick of dynamite.

The bumper is soft enough for Brisbane to catch without hurting his mouth. It doesn't soak up water, and it's solid foam so a hole doesn't mean it will fill up with water and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker. After the beach I just have to thwack the bumper on the ground a couple of times to remove the sand from it.

I bought the bumper at Dioji because I wanted a pool toy for Briz and I had forgotten about the Chuckit! disc we already had. Unlike the Zipflight disc, Brisbane does not feel the need to rip chunks out of the bumper.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: The bumper is brightly colored and floats high in the water, so it's easier to spot than a ball. It's also big enough that even giant dogs can enjoy retrieving it without the risk of choking. The rope makes it easy to throw the bumper pretty darned far.

Cons: The bumper doesn't fly quite as far as a ball thrown with the Chuckit! launcher, which is why it is not our default fetch toy. There's really the most negative thing I can say about it.

Photo by Erin Koski

Bottom Line: The Chuckit! bumper is my first choice for aquatic adventures because it flies far and is easy for Brisbane to find in the pool, lake, or ocean. The rope makes it easy to toss, and fun for dogs to shake and kill. This toy still looks brand new after quite a lot of throwing, catching, biting, shaking, and killing.