You know how sometimes you'll be settling in on the sofa after a long day, and then your dog starts sprinting around the house at full pace, going round and round in circles?' That's what many people call the 'zoomies', and it turns out they can happen to adults, too.
Dr. Zac Pilossoph, a consulting veterinarian at Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, defines the zoomies as "a dog's way of explaining they're excited and happy, enough to want to show it." "It's their best expression of being happy. The term 'zoomies' is colloquial and describes behavior many pet parents have experienced.
Zoomies is generally caused by a build-up of excess energy which is then released in one short burst. Don't worry though, it's a completely natural behaviour. It's most common in and generally occurs less and less as they get older. But that's not to say it'll stop entirely – many older dogs will still have FRAPs!
“It's such a high-intensity expulsion of energy and cats are nappers, not sprinters,” Dr. Barrett says. “It most commonly (and annoyingly) happens at night. They usually don't last longer than 1-2 minutes, but they leave a lasting impression.”
This explosion of activity has many nicknames among dog owners, from 'zoomies' and 'crazy eights,' to 'midnight madness' and 'demon possession,' but the official scientific term for this behavior is frenetic random activity periods (FRAPs).
Zoomies involve furious bursts of speed.
Dogs with the zoomies will run in wide circles in a series of laps and may exhibit repetitive spins. They often break into a sprint suddenly; their back end tucked as they go; a wild, excited look in their eyes; and lots of sharp turns, spins, or sudden changes in direction.
Some may call it the witching hour; others know it as the nighttime “crazies.” Most commonly known as the “zoomies,” this sudden burst of hyperactivity mystifies many cat parents. It often includes frenzied running, pouncing, bopping, and even excessive meowing—seemingly out of nowhere.
Zoomies are not an aggressive behavior, although puppies may sometimes nip. To discourage nipping, avoid handling your dog and do not try to play any games during an attack of the zoomies. If you can, open up a door and encourage your dog to tear around your yard (if it is fenced) instead of your house!
"Zoomies can happen regardless of how much you exercise your dog," says Wieber. "But if your dog is having more and more zoomies and it feels like it's becoming unmanageable, your pooch may need more exercise."
Play throughout the day
A great way to encourage your cat to burn off all that excess energy is to have regular play sessions with them. Instead of having one long 15-minute play session in the evening, spread a few short five-minute play sessions throughout the day to keep them entertained.
It turns out that Animal Behaviorists have a scientific name for this phenomenon: Frenetic Random Activity Period, or FRAPing. This pretty much summarizes all there is to say about zoomies: it's frenetic (like a delirious frenzy), and it happens in manic bouts.
This is a phenomenon referred to as many as “the zoomies,” but it has a scientific name too: Frenetic Random Activity Periods or FRAP for short.
Dog zoomies differ from regular running. A dog who runs happily out of the bathroom before settling down, for example, may simply be expressing happiness that bath time is over. A dog who's got the zoomies, on the other hand, will take off at full speed and keep up this frenzied behavior until they tire out.
Most dogs will outgrow zoomies as they get older, and not all puppies will be plagued by this odd behaviour. Most owners tend to see a theme to the behaviour either noticing a bout of zoomies around the same time every day or, as part of some other regular routine, until the behaviour is outgrown.
If your dog does this, it means they trust you. And, if they keep their bum toward your face, it shows that you make them feel safe. Your dog also wants to keep you safe and secure, which is why they plant their rumps where they do.
The zooms are common first thing in the morning when dogs are rested and raring to go, and after long periods of idleness or being stuck inside. You might even see a zoomie after your dog has a poop. Zoomies may also release stress, which is why they are also common after a semi-stressful event like a bath.
Dogs of all sizes and breeds show affection and protectiveness by showing and rubbing their butts on humans. They are all equally likely to display affection through their backside. Your dog putting his butt on you is something you should be happy about! It is their way of showing they love you.
They are anxious
For example, if your pup tends to get the zoomies after a high-stress walk or a trip to the vet, the behavior could be a result of anxiety. “When we see them doing this burst of excitement, it isn't always a happy excitement,” says Dr. Christensen.
Dogs can also exhibit the zoomies after eating, long periods of sleep, relieving themselves or even when they are tired or frustrated.
Just as humans stare into the eyes of someone they adore, dogs will stare at their owners to express affection. In fact, mutual staring between humans and dogs releases oxytocin, known as the love hormone. This chemical plays an important role in bonding and boosts feelings of love and trust.
Dog zoomies, defined
Dog zoomies — also known as frenetic random activity periods (FRAPs) — are periods of random bursts of energy with no specific cause. “They typically look like fast laps around a coffee table or bursts out the door into the yard with [a] tucked tush,” says Dr.
Spinning is a sign of an over-excited dog, which also equates to an unhappy dog. The dog has excess energy, and the only way her brain knows how to deal with it is to work it off physically.
Badly behaved dogs are often the smartest, reported The Times. Katriina Tiira, from the University of Helsinki, has assessed about 5,000 dogs for traits such as logical reasoning and problem solving. She found a surprising pattern. “Intelligent dogs are not nicer pets,” she said.
Animals such as horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets all can do the zoomies and animals such as giraffes, elephants, tigers, wombats and others have been caught in zoos and in the wild experiencing episodes of wild play that qualify as FRAP or “the zoomies” as well.