Why Dogs Get the Zoomies -- And What It Means

One of the best sights in this entire world is watching a dog get the zoomies. They become adorable balls of energy, bouncing around the room with their tails going wild. It’s insanely cute. 

But why do dogs get these bursts of energy? 

While speaking to 10 Tampa Bay News in 2024, Dr. Elsa Stuart of Millis Animal Hospital broke the behavior down. According to the vet, the scientific name for “the zoomies" is frenetic random activity period (FRAP). She explained that the behavior occurs during “times of transition through the day.”

“So it might be like when their owner gets home from work or a guest comes over,” said Dr. Stuart. 

Photo by Joe Caione on Unsplash

She explained that while the bout of “zoomies” may “seem random to us,” we just have to “ think about what's going on in your dog's head and what they’ve encountered during the day.” 

“It might make a little bit more sense that they need to blow off some steam,” said the vet during the 2024 interview. 

She also shares that the zoomies may come in times of distress, like coming back from the groomers. She said you’ll know if your dog is experiencing “a happy zoomy” if their body is “ really loose and wiggly and carefree.” However, pups experiencing a stressful FRAP will have a tense body with “their ears are pinned back” and “ really wide and worried-looking” eyes.