OxGord Bazooka Ball Dog Toy Review
The first thing you might notice is that this is an unconventional looking dog ball launcher. The BazooK-9 tennis ball launcher is a fun toy that will make every one of your fetch games much more interesting. It’s made for so much convenience that will make the dog owner’s life much easier when playing outdoors with their pet. It is mostly intended for pooches that like to chase after tennis size balls so let’s go into more detail about this awesome product.
Features and Specifications
Perhaps you look at the picture of this toy and wonder what makes it different from the other tennis ball guns on the market. For starters, we find the shape of this toy to be quite unique and funny looking. Your k9 will certainly love it. Secondly, it is very convenient as it allows owners to store tennis size balls on the toy itself.
When it comes to its build quality – this toy is made mostly out of plastic which is hardened to endure the playtime with pets. The use of lightweight material means that it won’t be cumbersome to carry around. The dimensions are 23.5 x 7.5 inches for the body of the toy and muzzle opening measures 3.75 inches.
There is an extending rod on the back of the toy which is used for loading the spring. When it is fully extended it raises the total length to exactly 35 inches.
The great thing about this rear rod is that it also serves to determine the distance that the ball travels once the trigger is pulled. Yeah, you read it right, this is a bazooka themed dog toy so there is a trigger for launching too! The launcher is only strong enough to fling tennis size and weight balls for a maximum of up to 10 feet. Using the loading rod, you can preset flight distance in one feet increments. This adjustability makes it great for indoor play, too!
The designers also thought about convenience and so there is the possibility of carrying up to 3 tennis size balls on the launcher itself. This is possible when using two built-in ball holders and the muzzle opening. Another great thing is the hands-free operation when you want to pick the ball from the ground. A great feature as it will make your life easier, believe us. It spared us from getting our dog’s drool on our hands when we were playing for hours.
What Type Of Dog Balls Are Compatible With This Toy?
As we already mentioned – you can use any standard size tennis balls and also the ones with a smaller diameter. This pretty much places it in the same usability rank as GoDogGo and iFetch toys. For dog owners that already have tennis balls around, this is a great plus! Even if you already have doggie toys that used ones that are smaller, you can use them too with BazooK-9.
It is important to note that you get two included tennis size balls in the retail package along with the launcher. However, these are much lighter and softer. Also, they squeak when squeezed which will certainly get the attention of your pooch when you’re playing together.
Real Life Testing and Performance
Yes, it is a lot of fun to play with BazooK-9 in case you were wondering all along. It is a great toy that will make hours pass by with both you and your pet enjoying your time together. The rod on the end of the toy does what is says – enables you to adjust the flight distance. During our testing – we got a maximum of 10 feet of distance. This isn’t that great but the included balls are bouncy so they cover more distance with subsequent rolling and bouncing on the ground. Our k9 didn’t have any complaints – that’s for sure. On each pull of the trigger, our Labrador chased the ball happily every time. On our first play session, we spent more than 2 hours.
The thing we noticed and didn’t really like about this launcher toy is the noise that it makes when pulling the trigger which scared our dog a couple of times. The spring action is a bit loud. Also, if you are looking for longer ball launching distances – this toy is not for you.
PROS:
• Great looking
• Good build quality
• Convenient
• Lots of fun
• Usable indoors too
CONS:
• Loud during launching action
• Doesn’t shoot balls that far away
Alternatives to the BazooK-9 Ball Launcher
If for some reason, you feel the BazooK-9 isn’t quite on target. Don’t worry, we’ve picked three alternatives that may check all your boxes.
If you were hoping for a longer launch range, then Hyper Pet’s K9 Kannon Thrower could be ideal. It can propel a ball up to a maximum of 75 feet compared to the BazooK-9’s average 10 to 20-foot range. And, you can adjust the distance to suit your space.
Designed to look like a cannon, it's a similar size to the BazooK-9 but has a more narrow muzzle. This permits hands-free loading of the ball and a drool-free reload. Plus, the K9 Kannon works with regular-size tennis balls (one included) and features dual-ball storage within the handle.
PROS:
• Ball distance of 75 feet — greater than the Bazook-9.
• More lightweight than the BazooK-9.
• Like the BazooK-9, includes in-handle storage for two balls and hands-free loading.
CONS:
Perhaps you feel the BazooK-9 is a bit too cumbersome for your backpack. If so, the MINI K9 Kannon is worth a look. At 16 inches in length, its compact size means it's much easier to stow away — ideal for days out with your dog.
Like its bigger Kannon cousin, the MINI has a 75-foot firing range, is designed with hands-free pick-up, and twin ball storage. Yet, this launcher accommodates smaller 2-inch balls — it’s geared toward smaller dogs. The MINI K9 also comes with one ball to get you started.
PROS:
• Compact and lightweight design is easy on the arms.
• Fires up to 75 feet, longer than the BazooK-9.
CONS:
• The MINI K9 Kannon is only for dogs up to 20 pounds.
For pet parents who prefer to stick with a well-known brand, check out the Nerf Dog Toys Blaster. Arriving with three tennis balls, you’re good to go — straight from the box. And, it's capable of shooting up to 50 feet, which can be adjusted for backyards or other larger green spaces.
Easy to use, the Nerf Ball Blaster uses a top-mounted pull-back hopper that can also be used to pick up the ball from the ground. Plus, all the moving parts of the firing mechanism are placed inside the blaster’s body, so firing the ball is completely safe for your hands.
PROS:
• Includes three balls, unlike the BazooK-9’s two.
• Launches up to 50 feet — further than the BazooK-9.
CONS:
• Nerf Dog lacks built-in ball storage.
Conclusion
Overall, we can recommend this dog ball launcher for anyone who is looking for a decent performance and convenience. After all, you get plenty of value and features for your money since this is one of the more affordable models on the market. This makes this toy a good choice and a great buy if you are on the budget and still want an automated ball launcher.