iFETCH TOO - GREAT PLAY TOY FOR BIG DOGS

iFetch too

Usually, if anyone would ask us about a recommendation for an ideal automatic ball launcher for a dog – we would point them in the direction of iFetch. The basic model is best suited for small to medium size breeds. It has proven to be a great play toy, with a great price to performance ratio. However, what to do in the case that you have a bigger dog?

Enter, iFetch Too, the ideal play toy for owners of larger size dog breeds. This device is better suited for pets with a larger stride and it uses bigger diameter balls. To be precise – it uses regular size tennis balls.

iFetch Too is the first choice for most of the dog owners and this is mostly well-deserved thanks to the great build quality and performance that we’ve were introduced to on the smaller model. We already wrote all the relevant data in our earlier post and our review impressions regarding this device - so keep on reading to find out if it is worth the praise.

iFetch Too Review and Impressions 

Naturally, you can expect that this model is better suited for long ball shooting distances given the amount of ground that big dogs can cover in a short amount of time. Accordingly, the motors are adjusted to propel heavier, tennis balls further and higher. Users can choose from three power settings which define the shooting distance which can be adjusted to 10, 25 or the maximum 40 feet. We tested all three distance settings but more on that later.

Three of those blue colour balls are included in the retail package along with the device. Of course, owners can also use any regular tennis balls of their choice, too. As with the compact model, this one can also be used in both cordless and corded mode. Also different from the smaller iFetch is the way the battery mode works.

Instead of using replaceable batteries, this iFetch Too comes with an inbuilt high-capacity energy storage. You charge the built-in battery with the supplied power plug. In case you keep it plugged in for indoor use, the battery remains inactive. Once you take it outside with you, it kicks in to allow you a cord free play time with your pet.

This is definitely not a compact sized automatic dog ball launcher although it is still easy to move and carry around with little-needed effort.

Measurements: 14 x 13 x 12 inches

Weight: 12.4 pounds

Ball Dimensions: 2.5-inch diameter

Power: Built-in battery and an AC power plug

Battery endurance: Over 25 hours with 2 hours of daily usage

So, let’s talk about the performance during the real-world usage. Our chief tester was a golden retriever that was happily chasing launched balls for more than 2 hours a day, on average. It got fairly quickly used to loading balls on its own into the inlet hole of the device.

The three ball power shooting modes are 10, 25 and 40 feet. During our tests, we didn’t manage to always get consistent distances. We found out that as soon as the balls get wet from dog drool or mud, the iFeet Too starts to struggle to shoot the ball far. Using other tennis sized balls was disappointing as the distances became much shorter than specified. This is understandable as the three blue iFetch supplied ones are much lighter. So, if you want to cover the specified shooting distances – make sure that the balls are dry and mud free.

iFetch dog ball launcher review

We tested both indoor and outdoor usage scenarios. When indoors, our big pup was happy with the 10-foot distance setting. Outdoors, we always used 20 and 40-feet modes. It was a lot of fun for our chief tester and he kept running without any signs of stopping for around 2 hours each day. This type of usage without the launcher being plugged into the power outlet will provide a 25 hour plus battery autonomy.

Conclusion


We can safely recommend iFetch Too as being a great choice for owners of big dog breeds who want to keep their pets playing on their own. It is much bulkier than the compact model although it is also weather proof so the size and weight trade-offs are well worth it. The price may not be as affordable but the added inbuilt battery, longer ball shooting distances and weatherproofing are upgrades, that we feel, are well worth the higher price tag.