Product Review: Spunky Pup Alien Flex Flying Saucer

Spunky Pup's Alien Flex toys are made from tough candy-scented rubber. They are extremely sturdy, and made for dogs that are hard on their toys. These toys come in innovative shapes for tossing, tugging, and chewing. We have the Flying Saucer.

Photo by Erin Koski

Super Tough

This is easily the most sturdy flying disc toy I've found so far. It's heavy, thick, and very rigid. It also flies like a frisbee, though not nearly as well as the SodaPup bottle top disc. 

The big dome in the center of the disc makes it very easy for the dogs to pick up and carry. This is important, as flipping or picking up a flat disc can be difficult for the thumb-less.

Candy-Scented

The Alien Flex toys smell a lot like bubblegum, much better than the old tire smell some rubber toys carry. The other toys in the line include two different sizes of treat-hiding meteor, and a couple of tug toys. I have some concerns about the size of the other Alien Flex toys, and possible choking hazards, but this one is definitely safe.

Pros

• Toughest disc toy for dogs
• Easy for dogs to pick up after it lands
• Can handle tons of biting and some major gnawing
• Actually flies

Cons

• Disc shape makes it vulnerable to power chewers
• May be too heavy for smaller dogs

Bottom Line

If your dog loves frisbees but can't pick them up off the ground, or destroys them too easily, this is the toy you're looking for. If you need something soft that throws like a real frisbee, check out my review of SodaPup's Bottle Top Flyer. For puncture-resistant competition-legal discs made for dogs, I highly recommend Hero and Hyperflite.

Product Update: Starmark RubberTuff Stump

I brought a Starmark RubberTuff Stump toy home from SuperZoo, and was unreasonably excited about trying it out. This natural rubber toy provides a very different chewing experience than Starmark's flagship Everlasting Treat toys. The new Lock & Block treats are designed specifically for the RubberTuff toy line.

Several hours after I posted my original review for the RubberTuff Stump, I realized that it was already missing chunks. The toy came with a single Lock & Block treat, and I had purchased a pack of two refills. Sisci Godzilla does not normally chew to destroy, but the toy was already taking serious damage after only two play sessions. This is a size medium toy, the package says it is for dogs 15-40 pounds. Sisci Godzilla is a trim 28 pounds, so this seemed like the correct size toy for her.

I never write off a product without contacting the company first, so I emailed Starmark with a picture of the toy. They responded by sending me a large RubberTuff Stump, for dogs over 40 pounds. Yay Starmark! I truly appreciate a company that stands behind their products.

Testing and reporting back on the performance of the size large Stump was a bit delayed because
I couldn't find large Lock and Block treat refills anywhere. That's what I get for being an early adopter. My local shops only carry the small and medium RubberTuff toys and treat refills. I finally found large treats last week, and immediately put the large Stump to the test.

I am pleased to say that after two rounds of refill treats, the large Stump is holding up significantly better than the medium. It has some punctures, but the rubber is not tearing loose or giving up this time. Obviously it's not going to last forever, but it seems to be capable of withstanding the kind of chewing for which it was designed.

So know we know: Size up your RubberTuff toys! It's not a bad idea to size up on Starmark toys in general. My medium-sized dogs certainly get plenty of enjoyment out of the toys intended for dogs over 40 pounds, and 6-lb Ru loves the medium toys.

Product Review: SodaPup Magnum Can Toy

I brought this Can Toy from SodaPup's Magnum toy line home from SuperZoo. It's a good thing, since the dogs have been upping their toy destroying game lately. This is the company's toughest toy, extra-large, extra thick, and specially-designed to resist tearing. It is available is medium, large, and XL sizes, ours is the largest.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love SodaPup because they are a small business competitor to the Kong empire. They're focused on making functional, durable toys with character and charm and nostalgia. It's no about pumping out anything they can think of, more like the roots of the Kong company than what it has become.

So the Magnum toy line consists of really tough toys for really tough dogs. The rubber includes a special additive to increase the tear strength, but this toy is still easy on a dog's teeth. The other Magnum toy currently available is an extra-tough version of the Bottle Top Flyer.

Photo by Erin Koski

Like the original Can Toy, the Magnum can is hollow and has a hole for stuffing in treats or spreading peanut butter.
you can jam a biscuit in there sideways and give a food-motivated dog a project that could last half an hour or more.

The XL Magnum Can Toy bounces, and works as a fetch toy. Pretty much everything around here ends up as a fetch toy. Ours hasn't seen any serious gnawing yet. I give Godzilla and Ru Kongs stuffed with peanut butter, but Zip doesn't like it. Yup, she's weird. I need to spread some meaty babyfood in this toy and see what she thinks.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Very durable. Throwable Fetchable. Large enough for giant dogs to play safely. May be used as a food toy. Worth trying for your power chewer.

Cons: Sinks like a rock. Heavy enough that I have to be careful where I chuck it indoors.

Bottom Line: No toy is indestructible, and it's always a good idea to size up if your dog is tough on toys. This Magnum can is supposed to be for 60-90 lb dogs.

Product Review: Yup! HalfBall

Yup! decided to do something unpredictable, and made the HalfBall. Billed as "half the ball but twice the fun", it's full of surprises. The shape makes it bounce and roll unpredictably, but it never rolls too far.The star-shaped hole on the flat side allows the HalfBall to be filled with treats or spread with peanut butter. Made from natural rubber, it is dishwasher safe and smells like vanilla instead of old tires. This toy is available in two sizes, for wee tiny dogs and regular-sized dogs.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is another of the wonderful toys the Sporn company sent us home from SuperZoo with. I think it's a good example of the kind of innovation I've come to expect from this company. The idea is pretty simple, yet it manages to be completely different from all the other balls in the house.

The shape of the ball means it rolls unpredictably, and bounces all over the place. It can be swatted with a paw and flipped into the air. It's easy for dogs to get into their mouths, without being small enough to present a choking hazard.

Photo by Erin Koski

The star-shaped opening on the flat side of the ball is pretty cool. I feel like it would be less likely to get stuck on a dog's lower jaw, and maybe easier to remove if they did manage to get it jammed on there. Rather than a solid ring, it's a star that can sort of expand if necessary.

Pros: Vanilla scent is nice and appealing. Made from natural rubber. Top-rack dishwasher safe. Relatively easy to clean if it does get super yucky. Durable enough to handle some serious chomping. Different enough from all of our other toys to keep the girls very interested.

Cons: Bigger size may be too small for giant breeds. Does not come in a power-chewer-friendly super-tough version yet, though I haven't heard of any dog demolishing one yet.

Bottom Line: The HalfBall is a welcome addition to our toy collection!

Product Review: SodaPup Original Can Toy

SodaPup's Original Can Toy is a durable, stuffable toy shaped like a soda can. It is made in the USA from natural rubber. The original Soda Pup comes in three colors and three sizes for dogs up to 90 pounds. The company is expanding their product line to include softer toys for puppies, extra strong toys for heavy chewers, and a variety of beverage-inspired toys for interactive play.

Photo by Erin Koski

I started seeing these SodaPup toys around Christmas time, but didn't get around to finally buying one until they went on clearance a few months later. I mean, it's like a Kong, and I already have a gazillion Kongs. Still, I wanted to see how it compares to the direct competition. Also, it was a dog thing I didn't have yet and I have a problem.

The Can Toy is quite solid and a bit heavy. It's hollow with a hole in the bottom to dispense treats. I can jam a dog biscuit in there, or fill it with kibble. Smaller kibble falls out pretty quickly, but it larger treats work pretty good.

This toy seems at least as durable as a Kong, with the bonus of not having a smaller end to get a good grip for gnawing. I suspect a heavy chewer would be able to get their teeth on a corner and destroy it, though. The cylindrical shape does make it a little bit difficult to clean the very bottom right around the hole.

Pros: Non-toxic and made in the USA. Does not smell like new tires. Bounces and rolls. Very durable.

Cons: Somewhat difficult to clean when stuffed with peanut butter or other goopy treats.

Bottom Line: I need to have a heavy chewer test this out for me.