I have a 6 yr old Australian Cattle dog with PRA. She loves to catch balls tosse

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   redheelerposted 15 years ago

   I have a 6 yr old Australian Cattle dog with PRA. She loves to catch balls tossed to her, but I am
   
   unsuccessful in finding a ball that is soft to catch and makes noise continually, so that she can track it in the air and catch it in her mouth. She can fetch with a sturdy rubber ball with a jingle bell inside, and I have found a turn on/off beeper that I will attach to a frisbee, again, one soft enough should she miss catching it in the air, so it does not injure her face.  She still has some vision left, so we test these products in the dark of night. I would like to find these toys before she is completely blind, which is within a few months. Can anyone help?

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2. 61

   caravalhophotoposted 15 years ago

   Hi, I am sorry to hear that your dog is going blind...but a little bit of good news.
   
   I am a volunteer for the National Disaster Search and Rescue foundation.  I go to shelters and remove dogs that need a job.  The top breeds for this job are air smelling dogs, they search for life...theses dogs are the ones you saw at the 911 attack and the Oklahoma bombing. 
   
   Okay...here is the good news, Border Collies, Cattle Dogs, Labs and Golden Retrievers are the top breeds that have very sensetive smells, they smell air...not like shepards or dogs that are drug or cadaver searchers...these dogs smell the air and they are a natural.
   
   I do not know of any soft toy, with a bell or rattle that would withstand the playing with of these types of dogs, but there smell is intense, becomes heightened after one sense is gone and your dog can probably sniff out anything your tossing to her.  You have a very intelligent breed of love and trust that she will be just fine playing with any toy. Best Wishes to you and your girl.

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