The Ruff Wear TurnUp is a bouncy, natural rubber dog toy that is designed to keep your pup's interest with its unpredictable bounce and indestructible design. I put it to the test with my two black labs, Timber and Trout, and their dog park friends.

Paws Up (+)

• The toy is made from natural latex rubber from a sustainable source.
• It comes in three different colors ("greeny smith" "wild berry" and "natural") the natural color uses no petroleum dyes. (Makes me wonder about all those other dyed toys...)
• The TurnUp is an excellent park toy; its odd shape and funky bounce patterns keep your dog on her paws.
• While this is not a chew toy, it is soft enough to encourage your pup to chomp on it while playing, but tough enough to withstand very strong mouths, especially a young black lab that is a big fan of destruction.
• There are holes on both ends and a hollow middle - perfect for peanut butter or other small treats.
• It's about the same size as a tennis ball so it fits into throwing devices for a good long toss.
• The TurnUp comes in simple packaging - a recyclable cardboard piece connected to the toy.
• At $9.95, this is a good value for a long lasting dog toy.

Paws Down (-)

• It is not clear what types of dyes are used on the "greeny smith" and "wild berry" color choices.
• For dogs that prefer a squeaky toy or some stuffing to pull out, this toy may lose their interest quickly.
• The TurnUp is not a good inside toy. The random bounces make it difficult to throw inside without breaking anything (yes we play fetch inside too).
• This toy floats, but it is not the best water toy because it sits low in the water and it is not very visible.
• The material makes this toy especially slimy after multiple fetches, but the dogs did not care one bit.

The Bottom Line

This is an excellent, safe toy for dogs that love to fetch. Timber, our 2 year-old black lab, gives this toy four paws up. At the park, she even managed to share with friends Max, Chloe, Lucca, and Lilly. Max and Chloe, both diehard tennis ball fans, were even impressed with this toy. Trout, the older black lab, even had a go at the TurnUp - she says you are never too old to have a little fun. The TurnUp can be purchased on the Ruff Wear website.