If you’ve witnessed your dog having a sudden explosion of energy, running and spinning around like a tornado, you’re likely left wondering what in the world is going on! These comical dog performances, which you've most likely seen on socials, are called zoomies!

Dog zoomies can happen anywhere, any time and for a variety of reasons. But what do you do when they do decide they want to turn the living room into their own personal race track? Here’s everything you need to know to get you clued up on dog zoomies.

What Are Dog Zoomies?

Zoomies is Frenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAPs). This basically means sudden bursts of energy where your dog may run around like crazy in circles, usually with their backend tucked in. Your dog may also do mad laps of the garden/house or spin around in small circles to chase their tail. Typically, zoomies only last a few minutes at the most.

Although zoomies are common in all ages and breeds of dogs, it's not something that all dogs do. Breed traits, play habits, daily exercise, mental stimulation and specific situations are all contributing factors. Zoomies are more common in puppies and young dogs, and generally occur less as they get older when the behaviour is outgrown. But many older dogs still enjoy in the occasional zoomie!

Why Do Dogs Get Zoomies?

Zoomies are a completely natural dog behaviour caused by a build-up of excess energy. They can be a sign that your dog needs more exercise and mental stimulation. But they can just be a sign that your dog is happy about a certain situation or life in general!

Some dogs will have a zoomie at the most inconvenient time, like when it’s time to go home from the park. In these situations, the cause is likely avoidance and wanting to get in a little more play time before they leave.

But zoomies aren’t always a sign of a happy dog. They can be a caused by stress, anxiety, fear or pain. Stressful situations like a visit to the vet can trigger a zoomie due to an adrenaline rush and the need to release all that pent up nervous energy.

You’ll be able to tell if your dog is upset or having fun from their body posture. A happy, playful dog will be loose, wiggly and bouncy, and they may have their tongue out and will do play bows. A frightened dog will be tense, wide eyed, and have their tailed tucked under tightly. Their head may be low, and their ears folded back submissively.

If your dog displays these signs, try to calm them down from this unhappy frenzy. Speak gently to them and encourage them to come to you. Try to work out the cause of their distress and remove them from it if possible. Speak to your vet if your dog appears to be in pain, frightened or anxious, and you’re unsure what’s causing their distress.

Why Do Dogs Get Zoomies After a Bath?

It’s common for dogs to zoom around and drag themselves along the floor after a bath. This could be due to joy from having a bath, relief to be free from the bath, or attempting to dry off. Dogs don’t like the feel of a heavy wet coat.

Other common dog zoomie moments:

• Arrivals: dog zoomies are common when their owner returns home or they have a visitor. This is due to them being excited and happy to see you.
• Bedtime: some dogs rush around just before bed to blow off steam and get a good sleep.
• Dinner time: very food orientated dogs may experience adrenaline from the anticipation of a meal, so either before or after eating their dinner they need to release pent up energy by running around. After dinner they may also frantically rub their muzzle on the floor.
• Playtime: some dogs have a zoomie when they want to play or during playtime if they get overexcited.
• Training: sometimes training sessions can cause a build-up of nervous or excited energy which leads to zoomies.

Most dog owners tend to witness zoomies at similar times of day until the behaviour is outgrown. Puppy zoomies are most common during the ‘witching hour’, typically between 5-8pm, just before they settle down for the night.

Can Zoomies Be Harmful?

The behaviour itself isn’t harmful but a dog running around at full speed can lead to accidents. Common dog zoomie injuries are caused by slipping on hard floors, ice, gravel or sand, or crashing into obstacles like furniture or trees. Your dog can have a zoomie at any moment, so if they’re outside off-lead, there’s a risk of them running into a road. Sprains, fractures or breaks are all possible injuries that can occur during a zoomie session.

To help prevent your dog from getting injured, keep your dog in an enclosed area when off the lead. Work on recall so you can move them to a safe space during a zoomie, and where possible keep your zooming dog away from slippery flooring.

Some dogs, particularly puppies, can get overexcited during zoomies and may nip or bite. This is common behaviour, but you should try to redirect that energy elsewhere by giving them a toy to focus on. Tug of war is a great game to play when your dog has sudden bursts of energy.

Can I Prevent Dog Zoomies?

While zoomies is a normal behaviour that is often outgrown, pet parents may worry about their dog during these frantic episodes. Some dogs get overexcited during zoomies and may bite, knock things over, chase other dogs, ignore your commands, or jump up at people. The best way to reduce the likelihood of a frantic episode is to ensure your dog has lots of exercise and mental stimulation to burn off that energy.

If you want to calm your dog down during a zoomies episode, try scattering some food on the ground for them to find. This will distract them from their frantic state. It’s also a good idea to teach your dog the command “enough” or “all done” to signify the end of a play session. The command can then be used to end a zoomies session.

Zoomies in dogs is normal behaviour used to burn of their excess energy. While most common in young dogs, even senior dogs enjoy the occasional zoomie! You’ll soon get used to the times of day that your dog has a frantic moment. They’re often comical and usually a sign of happiness, but if your dog appears distressed during a zoomie, speak to your vet. 

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis - www.vetstream.com/treat/canis 

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.