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!