It floats – Pool, lake, the river at the bottom of the field. Throw most balls in the water and you've donated a ball to the water; this one sits on top and waits.
Ribbed, not smooth – Raised bands around the ball give teeth something to grab. They also make the bounce less predictable than a smooth ball's, which is great on grass and worth thinking about near a road.
Four sizes, a centimeter apart – 5, 6, 7 and 8 cm (1.97", 2.36", 2.76", 3.15"), so there's one that fits your dog instead of one that almost does.
Nothing to clean out – No seams, no fabric, no squeaker soaking up half a puddle. Rinse it under the tap and you're done.
Blue for the dog, orange for you – Dogs are generally thought to see blue better than red or green. Orange is the one you'll actually spot in long grass.
One size rule – The ball needs to be too big to slip behind your dog's back teeth. If your dog is between sizes, go up.
