Cheerble updates Wickedbone with replaceable-shell Air model
Bottom line
Cheerble has launched Wickedbone Air, a new app-controlled interactive dog toy that updates the company’s earlier Wickedbone line with a replaceable outer shell, USB-C charging, built-in bark sounds, and two play modes: manual “Drive” control and autonomous “Auto” play. On Cheerble’s product page, the company says the toy uses a pet-safe E-TPU shell, weighs 246 grams, connects through the Cheerble app, and stays linked at up to 50 meters. A newly listed replacement shell suggests Cheerble is extending a design approach it has already used across newer products such as Wicked Ball Air, where replaceable parts are positioned as a durability and waste-reduction feature. An FCC equipment authorization for Wickedbone Air was issued on September 6, 2026, indicating the product’s Bluetooth radio cleared U.S. regulatory review ahead of launch. (cheerble.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the launch reflects a broader shift in companion animal products toward tech-enabled enrichment that tries to support exercise, novelty, and independent play when pet parents are busy. That may resonate with clinicians counseling around boredom, under-stimulation, or weight management, but it also keeps familiar concerns in view: matching toys to chewing style, supervising use, and setting realistic expectations about whether a device will actually engage an individual dog. Cheerble itself notes Wicked Ball Air is intended for gentle chewers and recommends supervision, while long-running app feedback on the earlier Wickedbone points to connectivity and software usability as factors that can shape the real-world experience. (cheerble.com)
What to watch: Watch for retail rollout, early user feedback on Bluetooth reliability and durability, and whether veterinary behavior and training professionals embrace app-controlled toys as a meaningful enrichment tool or more of a niche accessory. (cheerble.com)
Cheerble is bringing its Wickedbone franchise back with Wickedbone Air, an app-controlled interactive dog toy that adds a replaceable shell and autonomous play features to a familiar bone-shaped format. The company’s product listing describes two play modes, smartphone joystick control, built-in bark sounds, USB-C charging, and Bluetooth app pairing, positioning the launch as a more maintainable and connected version of its earlier Wickedbone concept. An FCC authorization dated September 6, 2026, also shows the product’s wireless component has now cleared a key U.S. regulatory step. (cheerble.com)
The launch fits Cheerble’s recent strategy of building a broader smart-toy lineup around replaceable components, lighter materials, and longer product life. In a September 30, 2024 press release for Wicked Ball Air and Wicked Ball M3, Cheerble highlighted interchangeable outer shells as both a durability and sustainability feature. The company’s current storefront shows that approach has expanded across multiple dog products, including replacement shells for Wicked Ball Air, Wicked Ball Air Neo, Wicked Rugby, and now Wickedbone Air. (prnewswire.com)
On Cheerble’s current product page, Wickedbone Air is listed at a sale price of $76.49, down from $89.99, with replacement shells sold separately. The company says the toy uses E-TPU, PC, and blended fabric materials, weighs 8.7 ounces, and is designed for dogs of all sizes. Feature claims include app control through the Cheerble app, a connection range of up to 50 meters, six preset tricks, a flashing blue Bluetooth pairing mode, 40 minutes of active play per charge, and standby time of up to 90 days. (cheerble.com)
That product positioning also appears to respond, at least in part, to long-standing friction points with earlier smart toys. The App Store listing for the Wickedbone app still describes both Drive and Interactive modes, but user reviews cited issues including unreliable automated play behavior, awkward interface design, and reconnection trouble after going out of range. Third-party coverage of the original Wickedbone has generally framed the concept positively, especially for dogs that bore easily, while also underscoring that the value depends heavily on app performance and the dog’s individual interest in chasing unpredictable movement. That makes the “improved Bluetooth connectivity” described in Pet Age notable, even though Cheerble’s current public product page emphasizes pairing distance rather than directly detailing what changed in the radio or software stack. (apps.apple.com)
Industry reaction appears limited so far, but the broader market context is clear: interactive enrichment products are increasingly sold as a bridge between independent activity and pet parent engagement. Cheerble’s own messaging repeatedly centers on bonding, stimulation, and activity, and reviewers of the earlier Wickedbone similarly described it as appealing for dogs that need novelty and motion-based play. At the same time, those same sources suggest these toys work best as a supplement to active supervision and individualized enrichment plans, not as a replacement for structured exercise, training, or human interaction. (petsradar.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary teams, Wickedbone Air is less about one product launch than about where the enrichment category is heading. App-connected toys are becoming more modular, more durable, and more explicitly marketed around behavior, boredom reduction, and activity support. That gives clinicians another reference point when discussing home enrichment with pet parents, especially for dogs that need additional mental stimulation indoors or between walks. But it also reinforces the need for practical counseling: choose products based on chewing behavior and arousal level, supervise use, inspect for wear, and be cautious about overstating what automated toys can achieve for dogs with anxiety, frustration, or more complex behavior concerns. Cheerble’s own safety language for related products stresses supervision and fit for gentler chewers, which is likely to remain relevant across the category. (cheerble.com)
There’s also a business angle for clinics and industry watchers. Replaceable shells and accessories create an ongoing consumables model rather than a one-time hardware sale, and that could become a more common playbook in the pet tech space if adoption holds. For veterinary professionals, that may mean more client questions not just about whether a toy is enriching, but whether it’s durable, safe, worth the price, and suitable for a given dog’s play style. (cheerble.com)
What to watch: In the near term, watch for broader retail distribution, independent reviews, and app feedback that clarifies whether Wickedbone Air meaningfully improves on earlier connectivity complaints. The FCC filing suggests the product is now positioned for U.S. market activity, but the bigger test will be whether pet parents and behavior-minded professionals see it as a genuinely useful enrichment tool rather than another novelty gadget. (fccid.io)