Whether you are looking for a device to help you throw a ball, throw a ball farther or throw a ball for you there are items in the pet supply marketplace that will serve you well.
There are basically four designs for these types of devices some are manual while other are semi to fully automatic.
The manual devices start with some sort of club or arm extension that allows the user to gain greater distances on their throws.
The most simple of these has a cup on one end and is about two feet long.
The user grabs the other end while putting a tennis or similar size ball in the cup.
An overhand or underhand throw will launch the ball from the cup giving good distance with little effort.
I first saw an elderly, but in good shape, woman with a young Golden retriever.
They were having lots of fun.
Another variation on this design is in the shape of a golf club driver with the ball cup in the head end of the club.
Another simple device has a ball with a bungee cord put through a hole in the ball and tied or fastened into a loop.
Grab the cord with the forward hand while pulling the ball back with the other.
Release the ball and the energy from the pull back will launch the ball.
Next is the device that is designed like a slingshot but it launches tennis balls instead of rocks.
The slingshot has a wrist brace so the user can get a real good pull on the ball for some extra distance.
The device comes with a holder for extra balls.
The last dog ball thrower is the fully automatic design.
The device has a bucket on top that you drop the balls into.
Then there is a feeder that feeds the balls into a launching mechanism one at a time.
The balls are shot out of a hole in the front very similar to a pitching machine.
The latest design of the automatic dog ball thrower comes with a remote control that the user can control when the balls are launched.
The design is such that you could teach you dog to drop the balls back in the bucket for a fully automated session.
These dog ball throwers can help get some addition distance when out playing fetch with your dog or they can make the game of fetch into a total spectator session.
When you have a ball chasing nut for a dog these devices can help exercise them as well as provide many hours of fun.