ST. LOUIS (KSDK) – Dogs are known to go from zero to 60 out of nowhere.
All of a sudden, they’re running around in circles like mad, turning your home or backyard into a high-speed obstacle course.
Some people call it “the zoomies,” but there’s some science behind it.
It is quite a spectacle. Your pet can be chill one minute, then it’s off to the races the next, a race against themselves — wild-eyed, running, spinning, zooming in circles.
“They seem like they’re possessed, right?” said Elsa Stuart associate veterinarian at Millis Animal Hospital. “They might tuck their tail under, might kind of tuck their butt under a bit. Almost like another imaginary dog is chasing them.”
There’s a medical term for this goofy sprint that is so entertaining. It’s called a Frenetic Random Activity Period, or “FRAP” for short.
Stuart said she sees it all the time in her own dog, Winnie.
“Typically we see FRAPs happen at times of transition through the day, so it might be like when their owner gets home from work, or a guest is coming over,” she said.
Stuart said zoomies can also be before or after a meal, after being groomed, or before bedtime.
“They seem random to us, but I think if you think about what’s going on in your dog’s head, what they’ve encountered during that day, it might make a little more sense that they need to blow off some steam,” she said.
It happens most often in younger dogs, but older pets can get all the feels, too.
There are good, happy zoomies. “Usually if they’re really loose and wiggly and carefree? That is a happy zoomie,” Stuart said.
Then, there are those moves that resemble a zoomie, but it could indicate your pup is anxious or in pain — “If their ears are pinned back. If their eyes are really wide and worried looking, or if their body seems tense,” she said.
The Zoom Room in Crestwood is a training and agility center where controlled zoomies are the norm.
“There are three things that I always say that takes for a dog to live a successful life, which is clear boundaries, mental stimulation and physical exercise,” said trainer Elizabeth Ruzzo.
Queenie, the queen of zoomies, is getting all three.
“It’s a great outlet for an athletic dog to do this. And it keeps them sharp mentally, just like it does us.” said Judy Demarco, a Zoom Room client.
So your pet’s zoomies may be their way of telling you they are ready and willing to be active and stimulated, and they will run in circles until we humans get the message.
Frenetic Random Activity Period is typically a dog thing, but cats, horses, donkeys, cows, and many other species are known to do similar activity.
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