SAN DIEGO—Saying the product makes it possible to toss canines with greater ease than ever, Petco began sales this week of a new automatic dog launcher capable of throwing pets more than 30 feet through the air. “Our Flying Fur launcher takes the hard work out of flinging your dog across the yard, allowing you to achieve greater distances and reduce the strain on your lower back,” said company spokesperson Leah Robson, adding that the new device was much easier to operate than non-automatic dog launchers such as catapults or military-surplus cannons. “There’s no clumsy spring to load or gunpowder to light: You simply lure your dog onto the launchpad with its favorite treat, and Flying Fur’s liquid-hydrogen propellant self-ignites, shooting the animal in the direction you want it to go. Suitable for breeds of all sizes—from Chihuahuas to bulldogs to Great Danes—this dog launcher is a single-use device, but with its fully computerized targeting system, your airborne pup isn’t likely to miss!” At press time, Petco had issued a recall of the product after a bichon frise was sucked into a rocket thruster and incinerated.