If you happen to be a dog owner and a lacrosse player, chances are you have strayed lacrosse balls laying around the house waiting for your dog to find them. But are lacrosse balls safe for dogs to play with? As pet owners, we want to make sure the materials of lacrosse balls are not toxic without causing any health concerns.
The answer is yes, lacrosse balls are safe for trained dogs. Meaning if your dog is trained to fetch and play with lacrosse balls, it’s a perfectly safe activity. Depending on the lacrosse balls you bought, most of the products today on the market are safe and free of toxic materials. Therefore, in addition to the common tennis balls, lacrosse balls are another safe choice for dogs to play with.
Continue reading to get your questions and concerns answered as well as a comparison between tennis and lacrosse balls to find which type would you pooch like the best.
Why is lacrosse ball safe?
In this post, I demystified the myth that there’s cement inside a lacrosse ball. Lacrosse balls are mostly made of rubber and polyurethane that are safe for dogs to put in their mouth. In terms of size, an official lacrosse ball measures 7.75 – 8 inches in circumference. This is small enough to fit in your dog’s mouth but also large enough to avoid accidental swallowing or choking. This is something less experienced owners overlook, so it doesn’t hurt to keep an extra eye on your dog when it’s putting the ball in its mouth.
If you are worried about lacrosse balls being ripped by your dog, I can assure you a quality lacrosse ball is strong enough to handle dog chewing and any type of harsh pressure. After all, it’s one rubberized solid ball without an outer leather layer like baseball. Just be sure to clean your ball before letting your dog play with it. Additionally, be careful not to let your dog chew too hard as the solid surface could damage your dog’s gums.
Why is lacrosse ball great for your dog?
To some extent, the lacrosse ball is a great chewing tool for your dog. It helps relieve pain and as studies show dog chewing is normal and is also healthy in many ways. Moderate chewing further strengthens your dog’s teeth and gums. That said, like I wrote above, don’t use a lacrosse ball solely for this purpose. It’s better and more effective to let your dog do teeth cleaning periodically and have a regular tooth brushing routine.
What’s more, a lacrosse ball is a great fetching tool. Spending some time every day outside to play fetch is the best way to relax and bond with your dog. It releases stress from work and lets you and your dog purely enjoy the moment together. Plus, it’s a good form of workout to get some daily exercise in.
Just to remember you will have to train your dog how to fetch first before using a lacrosse ball. Therefore, it’s better to start playing fetch using a tennis ball, then slowly graduating to a lacrosse ball.
Lacrosse balls vs. Tennis balls
When it comes to a suitable fetching ball, a tennis ball is more popular and common than a lacrosse ball. Let’s run a comparison to see how they differ from each other besides the look and size.
Speaking of the apparent differences, they are made of different materials and colors. A tennis ball is smaller with a neon green color and a white curvilinear whereas a lacrosse ball has one solid color, which is mostly white. Tennis ball has a rougher carpet-like feel and lacrosse ball has a rubberized feel.
In terms of specs, lacrosse balls are heavier than tennis balls, weighing in at around 5.25 ounces (140 – 147 grams) Tennis balls come in at around 2 ounces which can be anywhere from 57 – 59 grams. Tennis balls have a circumference of roughly 8 inches and lacrosse balls also have a circumference of roughly 7 ¾ to 8 inches. So size wise, there’s not much difference between the two.
What you should learn is that tennis balls are lighter and easier for you to throw and for your dog to fetch. Even if the tennis ball hits your dog accidentally, it won’t be as painful. However, because lacrosse balls are denser, so you have to be extra careful playing fetch with your dog at a park around other people.
Which kind is safer?
Tennis ball plays an important role in most household dog toys today. However, after doing some research, I realized tennis balls can pose health risks dog owners might not be aware of, particularly choking hazards.
Like we mentioned earlier, tennis balls are softer which makes it easy for dogs to tear the ball into pieces and swallow them. These pieces could potentially get stuck in the back of its throat and block the airway. Furthermore, the fuzz that covers the ball surface could also cause choking hazards.
Therefore, although lacrosse balls and tennis balls both have downsides, as long as your dog is playing under your watch, lacrosse balls are relatively safer than tennis balls.
Best lacrosse balls to consider
If you are ready to purchase a lacrosse ball for your pooch, here are some options to consider:
STX Official Lacrosse Balls: Very high quality and durable game balls. Also easy to find even at night or after errant shots
Velocity Lacrosse Balls: Six different colors to choose from. Consistent and durable balls to practice with. Currently on sale right now!
Training Balls:
SWAX LAX Lacrosse Training Balls: Most popular training ball options on the market today. These balls are especially great for beginners to practice with.
Conclusion
To wrap up our discussion, lacrosse balls are generally safe for dogs and under your provision, lacrosse balls can be a great fetching and playing tool. Since lacrosse ball is heavier, it’s best to play fetch outside in an open space to avoid any potential damage. Additionally, the bounciness of the lacrosse ball makes it more fun and interesting to play around. Do note, due to their mass, lacrosse balls don’t float in water.
I hope this post has answered your question and know if you are going to play lacrosse ball with your dog, ensuring safety is no.1 thing to consider at all times.