Animals, Plants & Seasons 2-minute video · ages 4-8 · free coloring page
Why do dogs get the zoomies?
Have you ever seen a dog suddenly run around and around, super fast, for no reason? Zoom, zoom, zoom! Why do dogs get the zoomies?
2 min
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Free coloring page
The scene from the video as a coloring page, plus the three-sentence answer, the experiment, and a QR code back to this page. One sheet, US Letter, black and white.
The answer in three parts
Why?
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A short burst of wild running.
The dog races in circles, spins and bounces, with a big happy face. Then, after a minute or two, it stops, and flops down.
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Saved-up energy pops out.
A dog's body stores up energy, like a balloon filling up with air. When there is lots and lots of energy inside, pop! It all comes out at once.
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Happy, excited feelings.
The zoomies usually mean a dog is happy and excited. Puppies and young dogs get them the most. The zoomies are normal and healthy.
For grown-ups: If a dog gets the zoomies, give it a safe place to run, like a yard or a big room, away from stairs and roads. And do not chase it. It may think it's a game, and run even faster!
When do dogs zoom?
- After a bathto shake off the water
- Out of the crateafter being let out
- Family homewhen their family comes home
- Eveningdogs often zoom in the evening
A tiny experiment
Try it!
Time the zoomies
You need: a dog to watch
- Next time you see a dog zooming, start counting.
- Stop counting when the dog stops.
- How long did it last?
What happened? Most zoomies are over in just a minute or two!
Did you know?
Animal doctors, called vets, have a long name for the zoomies: frenetic random activity periods. Or FRAPs, for short.
Your guide in this video
I'm Midnight, the little black cat. Even I get the zoomies sometimes!
Midnight has green eyes and a white chest patch, and hosts all of our pet questions.
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