Chuckit! ball launcher, standard

What it is good at

• Length adds distance without extra effort from the thrower.
• The cup lifts the ball off the ground, so nobody has to stoop for every retrieve.
• A plastic body that wipes clean, with balls sold separately.

Check before you buy

• Ball diameter against the cup, and whether that size is easy to buy again.
• Whether the handle has a grip that holds up with a wet hand.
• Arm length: a long launcher throws well and is awkward to carry on a walk.

Who it is not for

Indoor play, and dogs who will not give the ball back once they have it.

A launcher is a lever. The extra arm length adds distance to an ordinary throw, and the cup means the ball can be collected from the ground without bending down, which is the part that tires a person out before the dog.

Size is the specification to get right. The ball has to seat in the cup, so launcher and balls are bought as a matched pair, and it is worth checking that the same ball size is easy to find again. A long arm is useful in an open field and clumsy on a narrow path.