Dogs are man's best friend. But they are still animals and, as such, they show certain behaviors that are strange or curious to us. Among them, having a kind of sudden and frantic outburst by which they start running quickly around the house without an apparent cause.
You should know that these episodes are very common and it does not mean that something bad is wrong with your dog or that it has gone crazy. Although they are especially common in puppies, they can carry them out at any age. We tell you in detail what his explanation is.
The technical name for this behavior is FRAP, which stands for “frenetic random activity periods”. In Spanish it translates as random periods of frenetic activity, although colloquially we also refer to them as “zoomies”. You will recognize them because the animal suddenly starts running very fast without there having been any trigger in plain sight. In addition, they tend to move in the same direction in circles, make clumsy and abrupt turns and U-turns, and dodge obstacles with barely a stop.
As their name indicates, they consist of episodes in which the animal experiences frenetic activity in a random and unpredictable way. This behavior is the way in which the dog releases a large amount of stored energy and can be due to various factors. This release of energy can respond to a lack of physical activity or cognitive stimulation during the rest of the day, if your dog hasn't been out walking and playing enough or has slept too much.
On the other hand, they also respond to attacks of euphoria, joy and excitement. So they can manifest a FRAP when something makes them very happy, like the arrival of their favorite human or letting them off the leash in a park. Likewise, another possibility is that they use them as a mechanism to stifle the energy accumulated in a stressful situation, for example after bathing him, taking him to the hairdresser or coming home after going to the vet.
FRAPs are not a behavior problem, but normal dog behavior. So you shouldn't scold him, but rather let him pass on his own. They usually last a few seconds and then he will calm down, probably fatigued.
It is normal that during the frenzy of activity he does not listen or obey you. You should only intervene if you think that harm can be done, removing possible obstacles from its trajectory. When finished, offer him water.
If the "zoomies" are too frequent or are accompanied by other compulsive behaviors such as tail chasing, paw biting or insistent licking, go to the vet or consult a canine ethologist to find out if something is wrong with your pet.
