An oval shape rolls and bounces less predictably than a round ball, which tends to hold a dog's attention through a chase a little longer than a plain ball would.

This is a vinyl American football-shaped dog toy with a built-in squeaker, from Bestpets' basic vinyl range. The pointed ends are what make the bounce erratic, in a way a round ball simply can't replicate, and that unpredictability is most of the appeal for a dog that's bored of chasing something that just rolls in a straight line.

• Vinyl construction
• American football shape
• Built-in squeaker
• For supervised play

One thing worth knowing. No size or weight is given, and there's no chew-resistance information either, so we can't confirm how it holds up for a determined chewer versus a fetch-only dog. Treat it as a fetch toy first and a chew toy only under supervision.

Who it's for: dogs that enjoy chasing an unpredictably bouncing toy, and owners after an inexpensive squeaky option.