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Why Do Dogs Get The Zoomies?

By April 12, 2020June 12th, 2020Dogs
why-do-dogs-get-the-zoomies

All of a sudden you might notice your canine roaming around the house in circles, panting and wagging his tail when you arrive home after a 8 hour shift. Or when your dog sees snow, he behaves like he’s out of his mind and experiencing snow for the first time. In layman’s terms, this bizarre behavior of dogs is known as zoomies, which is not problematic at all. And why do dogs get the zoomies, is another story.

Let’s first discuss what zoomies actually are!

What Are Zoomies?

Just like your child sometimes transforms into a ball of energy doing all the eccentric things around you, your dog gets zoomies too. Zoomies are the sudden, lunatic, happy, carefree, and completely unstoppable runs or spins to release stress or to show excitement.

Zoomies are scientifically called as Frenetic Random Activity Periods or FRAPs which the dogs get when they are triggered by other pets, or too excited to make new friends.

However, scientific research shows that dogs release their extra accumulated energy through zoomies.

What Do Dogs Zoomies Look Like?

Dogs zoomies are frantic, sudden, swift movements in circular motions; difficult to describe. The dog owners, on the first encounter, might get worried about losing their dog’s mental sanity as he tucks his butt under himself and takes off running around the house.

The dogs make a happy face, and they run, jump, go under, over and around everything. They even fly, do acrobatics, and spin. It’s just so much fun watching the dog having fun like this.

However, with the passage of time, it gets pretty normal for the dog owners to encounter such behavior at least twice a day.

What Are the Symptoms of Dog Zoomies?

Sometimes, a dog unusually playing and moving around the house in circles can be misconceived as getting zoomies. Whereas, the signs of zoomies in dogs are different from the usual runs.

Here are a few symptoms to look out for dog zoomies.

  1. Constant tail wagging
  2. Panting
  3. Excited eyes
  4. Squatted, exciting runs
  5. Moving around in circles
  6. Jumping back and forth in excitement
  7. Increased energy levels

Why Do Dogs Get the Zoomies?

There are several reasons for a dog to get zoomies.  A few of the most common reasons are:

  1. When a dog is happy or excited

Dogs have been noticed to get zoomies while bathing quite often. Or when they see their master arriving home after a long time or in snow.

Zoomies are the dog’s way of expressing self-love and care. Therefore, it’s normal for your dog to get zoomies when he’s happy or excited.

  1. When a dog is stressed out

Just like humans need to relax after any stressful situation, dogs need their escape too. And because of this, they often get zoomies. Especially when they are scheduled for a veterinarian’s appointment or introduced to a new pet.

  1. Lack of physical activities or exercise

One of the main reasons for zoomies is the excess energy stored in a dog’s body. Dogs are social animals and they need their time out. When you keep your dog confined to one place he gets zoomies to burn the extra energy stored in their body cells.

The Optimum Age for a Dog to Get Zoomies

Although dogs can get zoomies over the course of their lives, it is noticed that puppies tend to get zoomies more than adult dogs. However, it is a rough estimate because there are few breeds of dogs that don’t get zoomies at all.

How Long Zoomies Last?

The time interval for zoomies is different for different breeds of dogs, however, at most, zoomies last for about 20 minutes. After the frantic runs a dog might crash on the floor as he is low on energy. Therefore you need to feed him well.

Are Zoomies Dangerous?

If you allow your dog to move freely over places, zoomies won’t be an issue. However, if the dog is stuck in a room full of things, toddlers or furniture, he might end up hurting himself and your belongings.

Therefore, to keep things in control, take your dog away from all the valuable things so he can run around freely and happily.

Nevertheless, if your dog has a history of wounds and stitches, you might need to keep an eye on his runs so he doesn’t hurt himself again.

When are Zoomies a Problem?

Vets and dog experts claim that zoomies are never a problem for the dog, however, in some cases, it is a matter of concern.

  1. If your dog is getting zoomies frequently
  2. The dog seems stressed out and aggressive
  3. If your dog was previously very calm and never got zoomies

How Can You Prevent Zoomies?

Zoomies in dogs are completely normal, indicating that your dog is burning extra energy stored in his body. However, it might be a problem for you if your dog jumps over the coffee table turning everything upside down.

To cater to this problem, vets recommend training the dog to move outdoors as soon as he gets zoomies or take him to park to utilize the energy stored in his body as dogs enjoy zoomies in open areas more than in enclosed spaces such as lounge, room, etc.

If your dog gets bouts of zoomies due to stress, give him some dog calming treats to soothe him or consult with a vet.

Conclusion

Dogs are social animals and need some time out to play and enjoy themselves. Zoomies in dogs are natural scientific behavior followed by frantic runs, tail wagging and panting to release extra energy in the pooches. Vets suggest leaving your dog alone when he engages himself in zoomies and let him make the most out of this time. However, some pet owners might get triggered by this canine behavior and may get impatient which will end up frightening the dog. As a responsible and respectable dog owner you should understand your dog’s behavior.

However if zoomies have increased drastically over time, it may be a matter of concern and need to be treated immediately.

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