Planet Dog Orbee

SNEWS® was told the new floatable, throwable, chewable Orbee globe toy was “indestructible.” Well, if that didn’t spark our interest since part of the SNEWS® team has a SNEWS® dog that is Mr. Destructo. We — actually Mr. Destructo Dog aka Bingo — just had to test this alleged indestructible toy.

We came home from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market with the new Orbee, at first fearing that if we left it with Bingo overnight all that would remain the next morning would be bits of rubber scattered across the floor. Such a cute and whimsical toy with an exterior design resembling the earth’s continents deserved a longer life, even if it is recyclable.

Not only did Bingo take to the toy like a cat to catnip (Are there drugs in this thing?), but he also became maniacally possessive. If you walked near him and he didn’t have it in his mouth, he’d grab it to make sure you didn’t take it from him. If you bounced it across the driveway (it’s hollow and does awkwardly bounce), he’d leap and chase Orbee until he was calmly in possession again. Since he normally gets to play with it at night, then keep it with him in bed, he’s taken to cuddling with it as if it’s his baby.

And he hasn’t decimated it. Nope, not even a tear or a tooth mark. We think it’s because it’s just large enough that even a medium or large dog (like Bingo) can’t really chomp down well on it when it’s in his mouth (see the picture above), and its round shape means a dog can’t hold it down with one paw while gnawing away. Plus, its hollow and squishable shape allows it to bend and collapse when Bingo does try to chew on it. But it simply pops back to its original shape immediately. Oh, it also has a small hole so you can fill it with kibble to keep your dog busy rolling it around to get it out.

Best of all, it really is recyclable. When the Orbee does get a little ragged around the edges — how can it not after months of dog slime? — simply return the old Orbee (while your dog is in counseling for withdrawal until you buy a new one) and Planet Dog will melt it down into new Orbees.

Bingo is no longer Mr. Destructo. He is Orbee Boy.

For more information, www.planetdog.com or 1-800-381-1516

Suggested retail: $15.95
(Also available with a bungee launching cord — $17.95)

5 hands clapping
Scale: 1 to 5 hands possible with 5 representing design and functional nirvana.