Here's Why Your Dog Gets The Zoomies

If you've ever owned a dog — or seen one running around a field or somebody's living room — you'll know what we mean when we talk about the zoomies. The zoomies are those sudden rushes of energy a dog — particularly a younger dog — gets at random times, perhaps when you take their leash off after you've walked to a field, or after a bath. 

The more scientific name for the zoomies is frenetic random activity periods, or FRAPS, and you can see where the more formal term comes from (via PuppyLeaks). A dog with the zoomies is full of energy, often running around in circles, and doesn't seem to tire. However, they'll often suddenly stop just as randomly as they began, going back to what they were doing before.

But, why does your dog get the zoomies? Even when we walk our dogs as often as we're supposed to, and give them plenty of space to explore, they still experience the occasional case — what's it all about? Here's why the zoomies happen.

The zoomies occur often when your pooch has a build-up of energy that all gets released at once (via AKC), which is why dogs can go from seemingly being calm and relaxed to rapidly zooming around in circles in what seems like no time at all.

However, certain times and situations can be particular triggers for zoomies. Perhaps first thing in the morning after a night in bed, or after a dog has spent some time in their crate. They can also be triggered after potentially stressful situations or situations where your dog perhaps can't move around as much as they would like, such as bathtime or a trip to the vet. Zoomies, as you might expect, are more common in younger dogs, but any dog of any breed can get them from time to time. AKC describes the zoomies as being natural behavior for a dog, so you're not doing anything wrong, but it's important to know that constant zoomies could indicate an issue so if your dog is zooming around the clock, you might want to arrange a trip to the vet.