Is your pet a zoomer? It’s frantic, erratic and seems to come out of nowhere. However this event is more common than you would think, especially for young animals in particular puppies. This dramatic event can seem both comical and sad, meaning what has brought this on, is my pet bored, have I done something wrong? Do they have enough space to move, explore and express themselves. Actually this event has a technical term, FRAPs or Frenetic Random Activity Periods. The term FRAP does seem more apt, because it looks Frenetic, that is fast and energetic explosion of motion in a wild and uncontrolled way.
Having the Zoomies is not necessarily a bad thing, but it depends on the degree the dog acts out. Most dogs just do the crazy running and circling which on the surface is actually somewhat fun and entertaining! However, some dogs will get destructive during the zoomies, i.e., nipping, bouncing off of people, tug-of-war with household items, in which case the zoomies can be bad. Also, large dogs who go into a zoomie tailspin can unintentionally be destructive and in some cases, dangerous. There are differing thoughts regarding the zoomies, as it could be rooted in behavioral issue, provoked by anxiety, stress, or other emotional discord. However, it is highly considered to be a normal conduct in dogs at some point in their lives.
There are differing perspectives on why the zoomies actually occur, such as a dog hasn’t received sufficient exercise to tire them out. This may not necessarily always be the case, but insufficient exercise has an effect on how frequent or intense the zoomies are. Puppies invariably are affected by the zoomies at night, just before bed time, releasing the remains of left-over energy, lasting up to 20 minutes. Once the zoomie is out, the pup usually crashes for the evening, in adult dogs it could relate more to lack of exercise, but this is not categorical.
The reality is the explosion of intense energy appears to be a happy event, and exhilaration undertaken for your dog. There is real excitement, a sparkle in their eye, tail raised high and a sense of content on their face, having exerted energy and taken your attention away from your current task and onto your pet. After the zoomie your pet is content and relaxed, ready for a cuddle. Let us know your zoomie experience, share your stories with us.
