Are you looking for a dog toy that works at the push of a button? Then you may be in the market for a remote-control dog toy!
Remote-control dog toys are a fun option for pet owners who are often outpaced by their dog’s energy. When you hit critical exhaustion levels, but your furry friend is just getting started, a remote-control toy may be your savior.
There are countless options to choose from, but which are the best? We have compiled a list of the top 10 remote-control dog toys to introduce you to the choices and provided reviews to give you the information you need.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Hyper Pet GoDogGo Fetch Machine
Rechargeable battery
Customizable settings
Lightweight
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Best Value
Cheerble Smart Bone Interactive Dog Toy
Customizable settings
Replaceable tires
Conveniently controlled with an app
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Premium Choice
Swift Paws Home Original Remote-Control Toy Flag Course
Offers mental and physical activity
Rechargeable battery
Built-in safety features
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Best for Puppies
Idogmate Dog Ball Launcher
Rechargeable battery
Customizable speed settings
Durable design
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Skymee Dog Camera Treat Dispenser
Affordable
Includes camera, audio, and convenient app
Includes night vision and motion sensor
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The 10 Best Remote-Control Dog Toys
Our pick for the best overall remote-control dog toy is the Hyper Pet GoDogGo Fetch Machine. This plastic ball launcher is a lightweight, easily transportable toy for exciting outdoor play. The rechargeable battery allows for consistent, convenient activity time.
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The toy also has customizable settings, and you can choose between three time intervals between launches. There are also a variety of distance settings so that you can personalize them based on your dog’s running and energy needs.
Some pet owners complained that it is less durable than they had hoped. If this is the toy you choose, you will want to be a little more delicate with it.
Pros
Rechargeable battery
Customizable settings
Lightweight
Cons
Less durable
Cheerble’s Smart Bone Interactive Dog Toy is the best remote-control dog toy for the money. It is made of durable polycarbonate plastic and replaceable tires and has the potential to last a long time. It is built for interactive play and reacts to your dog’s touch.
Rechargeable battery
Customizable settings
Lightweight
- Rechargeable battery
- Customizable settings
- Lightweight
Less durable
- Less durable
You will have a lot of control over this toy since there are customizable settings and an app for manual control. You can personalize elements such as speed, swerve, and acceleration, ensuring the Cheerble Smart Bone Interactive is suited for your living space. Likewise, the app gives you full control of the toy, allowing you to play with your pup.
A few pet owners have remarked that the app is more complicated than they had anticipated. If you are a pretty tech-savvy person, this may not be an issue for you. But if technology is not your strongest skill, you will want to plan on spending a little extra time learning how to navigate the app.
Pros
Customizable settings
Replaceable tires
Conveniently controlled with an app
Affordable
Cons
Some complain that the app is complicated to learn
Check out the Swift Paws Home Original Remote-Control Toy Flag Course for a premium pick. This running course is made predominantly of plastic pieces and rope, creating an engaging and extensive flag course for your dog. It is a great way to offer an energy release for your dog while giving him a mental challenge.
Customizable settings
Replaceable tires
Conveniently controlled with an app
Affordable
- Customizable settings
- Replaceable tires
- Conveniently controlled with an app
- Affordable
Some complain that the app is complicated to learn
- Some complain that the app is complicated to learn
The battery is rechargeable and long-lasting. An ideal run-through of this course takes 90 seconds, but the battery lasts 10 minutes with each charge! Built-in safety features ensure that your dog will not be hurt if there is an accident, so you don’t have to stress during playtime. This allows you and your pup to have uninterrupted, continuous fun.
Keep in mind that the Swift Paws is expensive.
Pros
Offers mental and physical activity
Rechargeable battery
Built-in safety features
Cons
Expensive
- Idogmate Dog Ball Launcher – Best for Puppies Check Latest Price
Material: Plastic
Toy Type: Launcher
Puppies will get a kick out of this toy. The ball launcher is ideal for tired pet parents whose energetic puppies just want to play! With a rechargeable battery, it offers endless fun.
Offers mental and physical activity
Rechargeable battery
Built-in safety features
- Offers mental and physical activity
- Rechargeable battery
- Built-in safety features
Expensive
- Expensive
After inserting the balls into the toy, they are launched out for your puppy to retrieve. If your arm is exhausted from playing fetch all day, this may be a lifesaver. We hope that you have enough energy to use the remote!
The remote offers you a convenient way to customize the speed settings as well as to stop and start playtime. Plus, the durable design of the toy is well-suited for overzealous puppies who may not know their own strength.
Some pet owners complained that the launch power was not as high as they had hoped that it would be.
Pros
Rechargeable battery
Customizable speed settings
Durable design
Cons
Lower launch power
- Skymee Dog Camera Treat Dispenser Check Latest Price
Material: Plastic
Toy Type: Treat launcher
Skymee’s Dog Camera Treat Dispenser is a more affordable option for remote-controlled dog toys. Even better, the lower price does not equal lower quality.
Rechargeable battery
Customizable speed settings
Durable design
- Rechargeable battery
- Customizable speed settings
- Durable design
Lower launch power
- Lower launch power
While this toy is designed to launch treats for your dog, it is not the only function available. It also provides a camera, a two-way audio system, night vision, and a motion sensor. These features are handy for pet parents who work away from home and cannot always be with their furry friends. With the camera and two-way audio, you can see and communicate with your dog from a distance. The app allows you to feed your pup a treat wherever you are, whether sitting in the office or on a beach.
The only downside to this toy is that it must be plugged in to operate, meaning it cannot move or see other areas. If your dog is not in range of the toy, you cannot use it.
Pros
Affordable
Includes camera, audio, and convenient app
Includes night vision and motion sensor
Cons
Must be plugged in to operate
You’ve likely heard of laser pointers being used to entertain pets, but you have probably never seen a laser toy so advanced. The Petcube Play 2 is a superior laser toy option. It offers two-way audio for communication, excellent camera quality, motion and sound alerts, and a wide range of views. You can even take videos or photos of cute moments you see!
Affordable
Includes camera, audio, and convenient app
Includes night vision and motion sensor
- Affordable
- Includes camera, audio, and convenient app
- Includes night vision and motion sensor
Must be plugged in to operate
- Must be plugged in to operate
The app allows you to play with your pup from anywhere. The laser pointer can be controlled so that you can engage your pet in play, or you can set it to go off automatically.
Some pet owners have noted that the laser is difficult to see on camera, making it harder for them to play with their pets. Still, the automatic option is available if the laser is too hard for you to see.
Pros
You can speak to your pet through the toy
Includes camera to monitor pets
Controlled with a convenient app
Cons
The laser point is difficult to see on the camera
- Skymee Owl Robot Check Latest Price
Material Plastic
Toy Type: Interactive treat toy
Skymee has another great remote-controlled dog toy option: the Owl Robot. This adorable-looking robot is an interactive treat toy, great for engaging your dog in play and dispensing treats. It is controllable from an app on your phone and contains a camera and two-way audio, allowing you to play with your dog no matter where you are.
You can speak to your pet through the toy
Includes camera to monitor pets
Controlled with a convenient app
- You can speak to your pet through the toy
- Includes camera to monitor pets
- Controlled with a convenient app
The laser point is difficult to see on the camera
- The laser point is difficult to see on the camera
However, some users have complained that the app is difficult to navigate. If you are a technologically challenged pet parent, this toy may require a little extra work. But once you can get the hang of it, it could be the most fun toy your dog has ever had.
Pros
Includes camera and convenient app
Provides treats
Provides two-way communication
Cons
Some complain that the app is difficult to navigate
- Linksus Smart Pet Camera Check Latest Price
Material: Plastic
Toy Type: Interactive treat toy
Does your dog want to play? Does your dog enjoy treats? Of course, he does! Why not give him both with the Linksus Smart Pet Camera? This toy provides your pup with fun activities and yummy treats, two of his favorite things. You can join in on the fun through a convenient app, allowing you to move the robot and offer treats.
Includes camera and convenient app
Provides treats
Provides two-way communication
- Includes camera and convenient app
- Provides treats
- Provides two-way communication
Some complain that the app is difficult to navigate
- Some complain that the app is difficult to navigate
You can also check on your dog whenever you like with the camera and two-way audio. On the downside, some have reported that the robot can be challenging to maneuver. You may need to spend some extra time practicing with your dog, but isn’t that part of the fun?
Pros
Includes camera and convenient app
Provides treats
Provides two-way communication
Cons
Controlling the robot can be difficult
If you are looking for a toy that also serves as a great training tool, PupPod’s Rocker Training Treat Tossing Camera Dispenser & Puzzle Dog Toy is an excellent choice. It provides your dog with multiple levels of training exercise, each building off of each other. This toy provides mental stimulation for dogs that need a challenge.
Controlling the robot can be difficult
- Controlling the robot can be difficult
The remote-controlled treat dispenser has a camera so you can supervise your dog’s training in action. However, some complained that the quality of the video feed was not consistent. This can make it difficult to watch your dog or engage in remote play.
Pros
Great training tool
Convenient app control
Cons
Some report that the video feed is inconsistent
- PetSpy Dog Treat Dispenser with Camera Check Latest Price
Material: Plastic
Toy Type: Treat launcher
Another good treat launching option is PetSpy’s Dog Treat Dispenser. With features like a camera and two-way communication, you can check on your furry friend while giving them a treat. As an added bonus, you can also capture video and footage of your dog whenever they do something downright adorable.
Great training tool
Convenient app control
- Great training tool
- Convenient app control
Some report that the video feed is inconsistent
- Some report that the video feed is inconsistent
Some users have reported that they experienced a lot of difficulties while trying to set up the toy. If you plan to go with this option, you will want to pay close attention to the instructions and possibly enlist some help from friends.
Pros
Two-way communication
Camera allows users to capture video and photos
Cons
Difficult to set up
Buyer’s Guide: Buying the Best Remote-Control Dog Toy
Reading some reviews of the top picks for remote-controlled dog toys can be a great way to narrow down your options, but how do you limit your choices down to one? When you are in this stage of planning your purchase, it is crucial to consider the needs specific to your dog and yourself.
Two-way communication
Camera allows users to capture video and photos
- Two-way communication
- Camera allows users to capture video and photos
Difficult to set up
- Difficult to set up
Pick a Toy that Will Suit Your Dog
Think about your dog’s breed, size, age, and energy levels. These factors should influence the toy you pick because you want to cater to your dog’s needs. For instance, if your dog is a senior with low energy, you may not like one of the more intense toys. Something calm and interactive may be more of his speed since he can control the levels of activity involved in the game. A ball launcher, on the other hand, may exhaust him quickly.
Pick a Toy that Will Suit You
In addition to your dog’s needs, think about your own. Do you want a remote-controlled toy so that you can relax a little more while burning off your dog’s extra energy? In that case, a ball launcher may be ideal. This toy will help your dog spend lots of energy without you having to spend all of yours.
Do You Want to Monitor or Interact with Your Pet?
If you are away from home often and want to keep your dog entertained while you are at work, a dog toy with a camera and two-way audio could be the right way to go, especially if you can control the toy from your phone.
Think About the Cost
As unfortunate as it is, most remote-controlled dog toys don’t come cheap. On average, you should expect to pay around $100 to $200.
Conclusion
We hope these reviews have helped you to narrow down your search. The Hyper Pet GoDogGo Fetch Machine is our best overall pick due to ease of use and customization. For a more affordable option, Cheerble’s Smart Bone Interactive Dog Toy is a great pick, and if you are looking for a premium choice, the Home Original Remote-Control Toy Flag Course from Swift Paws is the way to go. Whichever product you pick out for your pup, we hope you have a blast!
Featured Image Credit: Mathew Coulton, Unsplash