The Frisbee with a Twist (Pet Brands Whisbee Flying Disc Toy)

Member Name: rolletrog

Product:	Pet Brands Whisbee Flying Disc Toy
Date:	03/12/08 (157 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It entertains

Disadvantages: You have to bend down to pick it up

~~*~~*~~ Whisbee Flying Disc ~~*~~*~~

If you've ever owned a dog, you'll know that entertaining them is high on the list. If you've ever owned a Labrador, you'll know that entertaining them for a substantial amount of time is even higher up the imaginary inventory. Doughnut is chocolate (this means she has an even smaller brain and less attention span than your average lab) and she goes through toys very very quickly - it's probably the reason my reviews are dog-toy orientated. In her little toy box (which is now a ceramic plant pot as she chewed the nice plastic one) she has many things - chewy bones, Kongs, raggers, Rogz bones, squeakys (all missing the squeaks) but amongst the favourites are the 'fetch' toys.

If you've read my Chukka Ball Stick Thing review you'll remember that Doughnut particularly enjoys fetching a tennis ball but loses them on a regular basis. Each time we run out of balls and I've forgotten to buy some because I'm a rubbish mummy, snuggled in the car boot is the Whisbee Flying Disc.

~~ What's it look like? ~~

It's orange plastic with black rubber around the edge. It's not completely flat - the edge is wavy and there are small slots on the top that produce the whistling sound when it flies. It's the size of a Frisbee (22cm apparently) but a wee bit heavier and probably would hurt Doughnut when it hits her on the head but as she's lacking in the brain department, it appears not to. It's made by the clever people of Pet Brands and is described on one web-site as 'ideally suited for hyper-active dogs'.

~~ So it's a Frisbee? ~~

Not quite. It's based on the ingenious design of your average human flying disc but it's cunningly devised for doggies. Ever thrown a normal Frisbee for your dog and then watched in amusement as they struggle to pick it up (not only because they're standing on it, pawing away like the freak that they are) but because the thin sides have dug into the turf? Well, this Whisbee's wavy edge means that there's enough places for Doughnut to get her snout underneath and pick it up. It's less entertaining to watch but it does mean she returns with it rather than me having to trudge half way across the waterlogged park to dig a mangled piece of plastic out of the ground.
The aforementioned whistle slots on the top of the Whisbee amuse D because she can follow the trajectory of the object even at dusk (whether she fetches it back is a different matter) as it whistles through the air regardless of how girlishly I throw it.

~~ How much is this dog device? ~~

We saw it in Pets at Home whilst perusing the aisles one Saturday afternoon - we only go in to poke other people's puppies and look wistfully at the Chinese Hamsters (top xmas hint if anyone fancies posting me one). It was situated amongst the balls and other throwing type stuff and was priced at a wonderful £4.99 - that's pretty reasonable in my book. Anyway, whilst researching other prices to get you good people a bargain should you desire one, I've found it online with PaH for the same price but with £2 off if you purchase another toy. Bargain. If this isn't enough of a deal for you, it is available at www.activedogs.co.uk for £4.90 - that's a saving of 9 pence.

~~ Does it survive Doughnut's rough play? ~~

It probably would have lived a long and fruitful life had I not left it in the boot with her on several occasions, though to be fair, it's still in better shape than most plastic objects that are subjected to D's jaws. The plastic's been well gnawed but none of it's splintered off presumably due to the black rubber surround which she hasn't managed to destroy. The whistle slots have been damaged but it still manages a somewhat feeble noise when thrown. I expect it would have suffered each time she fetched it anyway, but I think it's done really well to survive this long. A normal Frisbee would have ended up with sharp and dangerous edges but this is still safe to handle (if you ignore the dirty dribble and sheep poo that the pig's managed to drag it through). It's a fairly safe toy for Doughnut apart from the odd occasion when I throw it at her big head (by accident, obviously).

~~ Is it a must this xmas for Shep's Stocking? ~~

If, like me, you spend more on your dog's pressies than the rest of the family, even going so far as to wrap up gifts and signing them from other family members, then yes, yes it is. I am well aware that there's some kind of crunch going on and that everything's ruddy expensive and most people are going to be unemployed for xmas (I watch gmtv so I'm well ahead on current events) but what's more important than your dog's happiness? There are many more cheaper toys on the market but this one has captured Doughnut's very limited attention so we both recommend it wholeheartedly.


Caroline & Doughnut.

Both currently playing hard.

Summary: An exciting present!!