[KBLover]

Is there some unknown purpose for this sudden and seemingly meaningless-with-no-reason burst of energy?

The triggers seem to be many, at least for Wally:

-I'm wet
-I'm in the rain
-I'm wet and in the rain
-It's windy and it's blowing in my face
-There's a lot of open ground here!
-You threw the ball and I'm just gonna run around!
-I haven't done this in a while
-We just finished a training/shaping session and now he's running everywhere in joy (I guess?)

So, I ask you all who are way smarter about dogs than this 1-dog, first-time owner. What IS the purpose of zoomies?

 

[malamutelove]

I don't know the purpose, but it is fun to watch zoomies! lol

 

[kafkabeetle]

I think when they do it because they're wet it's an attempt to dry off. Sydney runs around and rubs her neck on everything, probably trying to cover up the scent of the shampoo etc. Otherwise I guess it's just a way to release excess energy?

 

[KBLover]

The "I'm wet" behavior is funny for sure. Wally, even if he doesn't get "true zoomies" does EVERYTHING like 3x as fast/more intense. He barks louder, walks faster, flies up and down the stairs - really, really strange.

 

[sassafras]

Sometimes you just gotta let it all out.

 

[Shell]

Sometimes you just gotta let it all out.

Yep.

I told my parents (non-dog people) about the zoomies and they laughed their butts off. I totally did the same thing as a kid. Really- sometimes I'd just be like, whoa, too much energy and I'd go in the backyard and run around.

As an adult, I'll still get up from the desk and walk around the office or decide to do some field work on a nice day just to move around,.

 

[qingcong]

I'm 29, and one day earlier this year in my parent's backyard there were a bunch of canadian geese. I decided to run around flapping my coat jacket at them and acting like a giant bird. Sometimes, even at my old age, you just gotta "let it all out" as they say around here. In this case, what triggered my behavior was a bunch of funny looking animals innocently leaving poop everywhere.

 

[Mrs.K]

Is there some unknown purpose for this sudden and seemingly meaningless-with-no-reason burst of energy?

The triggers seem to be many, at least for Wally:

-I'm wet
-I'm in the rain
-I'm wet and in the rain
-It's windy and it's blowing in my face
-There's a lot of open ground here!
-You threw the ball and I'm just gonna run around!
-I haven't done this in a while
-We just finished a training/shaping session and now he's running everywhere in joy (I guess?)

So, I ask you all who are way smarter about dogs than this 1-dog, first-time owner. What IS the purpose of zoomies?

You forgot the most important reasons of all: "I'm a happy dog!"
That's why they do zoomies. It's an expression of enjoying themselves being perfectly okay with themselves, having fun, energy and loving life.

Question for you: WHY NOT ZOOMIES?

Zoomies are fun. I loved the Zoomie stage.

 

[HollowHeaven]

I'm 29, and one day earlier this year in my parent's backyard there were a bunch of canadian geese. I decided to run around flapping my coat jacket at them and acting like a giant bird.

LOOOOOOL XD Sounds fun!


I agree that the zoomies seem like not only excess energy that simply must go, but also an expression of happiness.
ILOVELIFEWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE


Troubles gets the zoomies after a bath. When the towel leaves him, it's like the TBs are outta the gate. He is gone. There's a lot of panting and running back and forth and grabbing of squeakies and chewies then rolling on everything.
Aleu got them yesterday. We were about to go on our morning walk when suddenly my mother came outside with a bag of bread. Diesel loves bread, but Aleu doesn't give a big one. So we went back for the bread. Diesel took it calmly from her hand. Aleu started 'screaming' and running in hunched over circles back and forth, attacking the bread. This has always been her zoomy fit. Hunched over, screaming, and running in circles attacking anything on the ground and scaring every other living creature around.
I've yet to see Diesel take a clear zoomy episode, he's a generally laid back dog.

 

[wvasko]

Oh yes, Zoomies are so much fun, Pierce has knocked me down 3 times. I sure hope it was good for him.

 

[Hambonez]

Hamilton tends to get them first thing in the morning when he's out of his pen, and later in the evening when he's getting tired.

I also have a cat who gets Zoomies, though we call them "beans." (As in "He's full of beans") He'll just run around like a maniac chasing everything.

 

[hanksimon]

My dog is 11 yo and still gets the zoomies:
1. When it snows (In Texas!!!) ... I do too
2. When it is below 40 degrees...or after a bath. (b/c he's cooler ?)
3. After a poop, (b/c he's lighter?) or after he eats (b/c he was starving)
4. Sometimes before bed...but not as much as when he was a pup.

 

[Active Dog]

Not gonna lie I get the zoomies too. Esp when I am really happy, me and my husband chase each other around lol I think its just a general expression of happiness!

 

[workerant]

A friend with two Shiloh Shepherds and a German Shepherd believes they are saying to themselves, "I AM the fastest dog!" over and over as they zoom around. Makes sense to me.

Kenda often gets the zoomies at the end of our off-leash walks when I have to leash her up again for the last half-mile. It's like she's saying, "Hold on, I need to get this out before I go back to being a responsible dog-about-town." ZOOMZOOMZOOM!

 

[KBLover]

You forgot the most important reasons of all: "I'm a happy dog!"
That's why they do zoomies. It's an expression of enjoying themselves being perfectly okay with themselves, having fun, energy and loving life.

He's happy all the time though. I mean, if I get him up after a nap, he's not running around all over the house, but he's play bowing and trying to instigate a game (in which case I comply willingly ). He has a lot of fun and I would like to think he is loving life. They say Cotons just snort and stuff when they are just happy to be alive and he does that.

I mean, he even loves when we practice stuff he knows or is training and he's having success and getting bread balls and ham squares for rewards - but no zoomies (just a lot of quickly and emphatically done behaviors LOL)

Question for you: WHY NOT ZOOMIES?

Zoomies are fun. I loved the Zoomie stage.

Never said I don't LIKE zoomies, I just wonder what triggers it/brings it on - and what being wet has to do with it!

My dog is 11 yo and still gets the zoomies:
1. When it snows (In Texas!!!) ... I do too
2. When it is below 40 degrees...or after a bath. (b/c he's cooler ?)
3. After a poop, (b/c he's lighter?) or after he eats (b/c he was starving)
4. Sometimes before bed...but not as much as when he was a pup.

I've seen the poop one too (forgot that one). Snow too - he LOVES snow. I was surprised because I thought he'd be cold since he's not a 'cold weather breed'.

 

[denise3099]

I think when they do it because they're wet it's an attempt to dry off. Sydney runs around and rubs her neck on everything, probably trying to cover up the scent of the shampoo etc.

Someone should've told me about this the first time I gave Carmen a bath! I had no idea!!! She was perfeectly still in the tub and as soon as she got out she went NUTS. Rubbing on the floor mat, racing around the house, just nuts. I had no clue what was going on. Then I cam here and found out it was totally common. I was so relieved my dog isn't the only nut out there.

 

[Tofu_pup]

Not gonna lie I get the zoomies too. Esp when I am really happy, me and my husband chase each other around lol I think its just a general expression of happiness!

This. Kaki will run miles and miles on leash. As soon as I let her off lead, without fail, she gets the zoomies. The girl just loves her freedom.

I'm prone to human zoomies too. I'm excited about an interview tomorrow and all I want to do is run in circles with the dogs. Every so often I'll skip or hip check my gf and take off running.

 

[workerant]

I'm excited about an interview tomorrow and all I want to do is run in circles with the dogs.

Job interview or media interview? Either way, good luck!

 

[sassafras]

Never said I don't LIKE zoomies, I just wonder what triggers it/brings it on - and what being wet has to do with it!

It's funny, now that I think about it Pip gets SO silly after he's been swimming. I don't know what it is about the water. I guess they just can't hold it in when they're wet.

 

[Tofu_pup]

Job interview or media interview? Either way, good luck!

Job interview for an animal shelter. I've been running around with my daycare dogs all day answering questions for them as if they're my new potential employers. Basically, I've been dorkin' out.

I chase squirrels and geese with Kaki too. I get a lot of strange looks for that...