Why Your Maine Dog Gets the Zoomies: The Science Behind It

Hey Mainers, I know you adore your dogs. They are family, after all, and have stolen our hearts. If you’ve ever had a dog, you know the chaotic joy of their fun behavior.

We all can't get enough of them, especially when your dog randomly bursts into a frenzy of energy and starts to run back and forth around the house or yard. They dash so fast with big smiles, and these little bursts are declared as "zoomies."

I assumed that dog lovers just coined this term because it's so cute. But guess what? There is a science behind it!

According to WMTW, Elsa Stuart, an associate veterinarian at Millis Animal Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, said that the scientific term is "frenetic random activity periods" (FRAPs). 

Elsa went on to say,

FRAPs usually happen during transitions, like when their owner gets home or a guest arrives, They may seem random, but they're often a way for dogs to blow off steam.

 

My dog of 20 years, Nelly (who has now passed), used to perform zoomies around the house the moment she got out of the bathtub. So it makes sense to me that this is an energy release during or after a transition for your pup!

The American Kennel Club adds that,

Zoomies are a natural dog behavior that is most often no cause for alarm, so long as your pup has room to run without injuring themselves. However, constant zoomies may be a sign of a larger behavioral problem, so its a good idea to keep tabs on how often your dog is zooming and for what reasons.

 

 I can't get enough of watching this, so calling all dog lovers! Capture your pup's zoomies on video and send them our way! 

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