August 21, 2025 • 8 mins
Ever wonder why your puppy suddenly takes off running like a maniac? Welcome to the world of zoomies! Learn what causes these bursts of energy, when they’re most likely to happen, and how to manage them safely and sanely.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Does your puppy sometimes go crazy?
I mean running around the roomtrying to bite at your ankles.
They look like they're a littletornado tearing around your
house.
We call this the zoomies andtoday we're talking all about it
.
Welcome to the puppy trainingpodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Bella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
(00:24):
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hello everybody, welcome to thePuppy Training Podcast.
(00:45):
I'm Amy Jensen.
It is back to school time atour house and probably in your
neighborhood as well.
I like back to school timebecause it's back to rhythm,
routine, basics and it's nodifferent for our dogs.
Right Time to get back to thebasics.
Well, today we are talkingabout puppy zoomies.
(01:06):
Zoomies is kind of a nicknamethat we give to this behavior.
It's actually called FRAPF-R-A-P Phrenetic Random
Activity Period and that's whatit is.
It is an activity period foryour puppy.
So let's get into this.
Today.
Many of you are just like why dothey do this and how do I
prevent it?
Can I stop it?
First let's talk about what arezoomies.
(01:28):
Okay, zoomies are short burstsof high energy behavior.
This usually happens out ofnowhere.
It seems like it just comes outof nowhere.
Your puppy is suddenly crazy.
Your puppy may run wildly incircles or leap, they spin, they
act really silly for a minuteor two and then they crash.
They often do this right beforethey settle down and go to
sleep.
Actually, Now, they're ahealthy way for puppies to
(01:49):
release pent-up energy.
So think of a little volcanothat's just building and
building, and building, andbuilding that energy and then it
bursts.
Right.
If you were to describe puppyzoomies, that's probably a good
analogy.
It's like an emotional andphysical reset for your dog.
Now, when do these happen themost?
You'll usually see zoomiesright after a bath, after your
(02:11):
puppy's been crated for a while,usually in the evening.
I like to call this thewitching hour of the day.
My kids had a witching hour andpuppies have a witching hour
too.
Four or five o'clock pm, rightSix, seven pm, maybe Also right
before bedtime.
Now, typically they'll alsohappen around mealtime.
So if your puppy eats a mealand their energy gets spiked by
that meal, you might see somezoomies as well.
(02:32):
So this is your puppy's way ofsaying I've been holding it
together all day.
Now I can't hold it togetherany longer, I just need to let
it loose.
And that's really what it is.
So are they a problem?
Are zoomies a problem?
Is it something we need to stop?
Not at all, as long as they'resafe, right.
So zoomies inside your house canget wild fast, especially if
(02:53):
you have kids, stairs orslippery floors.
So here's a few tips for you.
First, redirect zoomies to asafe space like a fenced yard or
an open room.
If your puppy gets the zoomiesin your house, maybe have
everybody step behind a babygate in the other room.
Or if you have an exercise pen,no-transcript, we can also keep
(03:16):
breakables out of zoomy zones.
So typically when I bring a newpuppy home, I'm puppy proofing
my house anyway.
It's like having a toddleraround.
Anything that's nice.
I'm taking up off the floor.
I'm not leaving things down attheir level that they can get
into.
Anything that they could knockover.
I'm probably putting away for alittle while.
Again, your puppy is going tomature.
They're going to figure out howto live in a home and have some
(03:38):
body awareness.
But when they're a brand newpuppy they don't really know
that, they don't understand that.
They just react.
And when these little energyspikes happen, they just run for
it right.
So don't try to stop them, justmanage the space.
Really, they last a minute ortwo and then they're ready to
take a nap.
While zoomies are normal.
If they happen constantly, yourpup may need more outlets.
(03:59):
They also might just need to betaught some manners, some basic
training.
So let's try these things Firstmore daytime exercise, short
training sessions, go sniffwalks, playing games with your
puppy.
We don't need you to entertainyour puppy all day long, but we
do need you to fit a little bitof exercise into their routine.
So here's a sample schedule thatI like to do for new puppies.
(04:20):
I go by the hour, so at the topof the hour I let them out of
their crate or their exercisepen, I take them outside to go
potty or wherever that pottyspot is to relieve themselves.
I get them a drink of water andthen we do a little play
session.
I get some energy out.
So maybe I'll do some recallpractice where I toss a toy and
I call them to come back to meor maybe I hide from them and
(04:42):
they come running to me.
We do some recalls, okay, andthen after they've run around a
little bit, then maybe I can getthem to focus a little bit and
we practice some sits or somedowns, or go to bed.
We could practice some staysbecause they've got some energy
out and now they can play orhold still a little better.
So we'll do some stay work andthen I'll maybe incorporate a
(05:05):
little bit of mealtime so I'mrewarding them with part of
their mealtime.
The rest of their mealtime theycan have in a bowl or on a
snuffle mat is great, it's a matwith a bunch of different
little textures in it and yousprinkle their food in it and
they have to sniff around tofind their food.
That's a great energy outlet.
And then I put them in theircrate or their pen and I go get
some things done and then at thetop of the hour we repeat that
(05:25):
cycle.
So they're getting exerciseboth physically and they're
getting mental exercise.
They're also getting some food,some water, they're getting a
potty break and then they goback down for a nap and I'm kind
of creating this routine or theschedule that they can predict
and understand what's happeningin their day, you'll see that
their behavior settles down.
They're not as frantic, they'renot as reactive, they're more
(05:49):
calm because they know what toexpect.
So, again, include physicalexercise, but also include that
mental enrichment.
So, instead of just puttingtheir meals in the morning and
the evening and at lunchtime ina bowl, put it in a snuffle mat
that they have to find, put itin a food puzzle toy that they
have to knock around to get thefood to fall out.
That can be a great way toengage them mentally.
And then that routine again isgoing to help them relax and
(06:12):
settle into their day, versushaving so many crazy periods.
You're still going to probablyget a zoomie here or there right
, especially after mealtime orin that evening, that witching
hour where they're just tired.
A lot of times a puppy getstired and they are so overly
stimulated that they don't knowwhat else to do with themselves,
and so they actually movefaster and they run around like
(06:33):
crazy and try to bite, andthey're just doing puppy things
because it comes naturally,because they're too tired to
think rationally and think whatshould I do for good behavior?
What could I do to get Amy tosay yes or to give me a food
reward.
They're past the point ofthinking about that.
They're just reacting becausethey're tired.
So again, if your puppy ishaving a lot of zoomies you're
noticing this happeningfrequently throughout the day it
(06:55):
could just be that they needmore nap time and getting them
on that schedule of they nap andthen at the top of the hour we
get them up, we give them apotty break, we give them water,
we use their a little bit offood to do some training
sessions, we play and then theygo back down for a nap and rest
time.
You'll see a more well-balancedpuppy.
So zoomies can be fun.
(07:15):
They can also be kind of scary.
But don't freak out.
It's totally normal that yourpuppy has these little bursts of
energy and looks like a crazyvolcano exploding all over your
house.
Try to do your best to keeppeople away Again.
Step behind baby gates, step inexercise pens or take your
puppy outside to get rid of thatexcess energy, and then they'll
be able to focus again.
Or they might need a nap andthen they'll be able to focus
(07:38):
again.
Thanks for listening today.
You guys, have a great rest ofyour week, enjoy back to school
time and we'll talk soon.
Happy training.
Thanks for tuning in to thePuppy Training Podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency, you
can create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
(08:01):
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
Does your puppy sometimes go crazy?
I mean running around the roomtrying to bite at your ankles.
They look like they're a littletornado tearing around your
house.
We call this the zoomies andtoday we're talking all about it
.
Welcome to the puppy trainingpodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Bella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
(00:24):
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hello everybody, welcome to thePuppy Training Podcast.
(00:45):
I'm Amy Jensen.
It is back to school time atour house and probably in your
neighborhood as well.
I like back to school timebecause it's back to rhythm,
routine, basics and it's nodifferent for our dogs.
Right Time to get back to thebasics.
Well, today we are talkingabout puppy zoomies.
(01:06):
Zoomies is kind of a nicknamethat we give to this behavior.
It's actually called FRAPF-R-A-P Phrenetic Random
Activity Period and that's whatit is.
It is an activity period foryour puppy.
So let's get into this.
Today.
Many of you are just like why dothey do this and how do I
prevent it?
Can I stop it?
First let's talk about what arezoomies.
(01:28):
Okay, zoomies are short burstsof high energy behavior.
This usually happens out ofnowhere.
It seems like it just comes outof nowhere.
Your puppy is suddenly crazy.
Your puppy may run wildly incircles or leap, they spin, they
act really silly for a minuteor two and then they crash.
They often do this right beforethey settle down and go to
sleep.
Actually, Now, they're ahealthy way for puppies to
(01:49):
release pent-up energy.
So think of a little volcanothat's just building and
building, and building, andbuilding that energy and then it
bursts.
Right.
If you were to describe puppyzoomies, that's probably a good
analogy.
It's like an emotional andphysical reset for your dog.
Now, when do these happen themost?
You'll usually see zoomiesright after a bath, after your
(02:11):
puppy's been crated for a while,usually in the evening.
I like to call this thewitching hour of the day.
My kids had a witching hour andpuppies have a witching hour
too.
Four or five o'clock pm, rightSix, seven pm, maybe Also right
before bedtime.
Now, typically they'll alsohappen around mealtime.
So if your puppy eats a mealand their energy gets spiked by
that meal, you might see somezoomies as well.
(02:32):
So this is your puppy's way ofsaying I've been holding it
together all day.
Now I can't hold it togetherany longer, I just need to let
it loose.
And that's really what it is.
So are they a problem?
Are zoomies a problem?
Is it something we need to stop?
Not at all, as long as they'resafe, right.
So zoomies inside your house canget wild fast, especially if
(02:53):
you have kids, stairs orslippery floors.
So here's a few tips for you.
First, redirect zoomies to asafe space like a fenced yard or
an open room.
If your puppy gets the zoomiesin your house, maybe have
everybody step behind a babygate in the other room.
Or if you have an exercise pen,no-transcript, we can also keep
(03:16):
breakables out of zoomy zones.
So typically when I bring a newpuppy home, I'm puppy proofing
my house anyway.
It's like having a toddleraround.
Anything that's nice.
I'm taking up off the floor.
I'm not leaving things down attheir level that they can get
into.
Anything that they could knockover.
I'm probably putting away for alittle while.
Again, your puppy is going tomature.
They're going to figure out howto live in a home and have some
(03:38):
body awareness.
But when they're a brand newpuppy they don't really know
that, they don't understand that.
They just react.
And when these little energyspikes happen, they just run for
it right.
So don't try to stop them, justmanage the space.
Really, they last a minute ortwo and then they're ready to
take a nap.
While zoomies are normal.
If they happen constantly, yourpup may need more outlets.
(03:59):
They also might just need to betaught some manners, some basic
training.
So let's try these things Firstmore daytime exercise, short
training sessions, go sniffwalks, playing games with your
puppy.
We don't need you to entertainyour puppy all day long, but we
do need you to fit a little bitof exercise into their routine.
So here's a sample schedule thatI like to do for new puppies.
(04:20):
I go by the hour, so at the topof the hour I let them out of
their crate or their exercisepen, I take them outside to go
potty or wherever that pottyspot is to relieve themselves.
I get them a drink of water andthen we do a little play
session.
I get some energy out.
So maybe I'll do some recallpractice where I toss a toy and
I call them to come back to meor maybe I hide from them and
(04:42):
they come running to me.
We do some recalls, okay, andthen after they've run around a
little bit, then maybe I can getthem to focus a little bit and
we practice some sits or somedowns, or go to bed.
We could practice some staysbecause they've got some energy
out and now they can play orhold still a little better.
So we'll do some stay work andthen I'll maybe incorporate a
(05:05):
little bit of mealtime so I'mrewarding them with part of
their mealtime.
The rest of their mealtime theycan have in a bowl or on a
snuffle mat is great, it's a matwith a bunch of different
little textures in it and yousprinkle their food in it and
they have to sniff around tofind their food.
That's a great energy outlet.
And then I put them in theircrate or their pen and I go get
some things done and then at thetop of the hour we repeat that
(05:25):
cycle.
So they're getting exerciseboth physically and they're
getting mental exercise.
They're also getting some food,some water, they're getting a
potty break and then they goback down for a nap and I'm kind
of creating this routine or theschedule that they can predict
and understand what's happeningin their day, you'll see that
their behavior settles down.
They're not as frantic, they'renot as reactive, they're more
(05:49):
calm because they know what toexpect.
So, again, include physicalexercise, but also include that
mental enrichment.
So, instead of just puttingtheir meals in the morning and
the evening and at lunchtime ina bowl, put it in a snuffle mat
that they have to find, put itin a food puzzle toy that they
have to knock around to get thefood to fall out.
That can be a great way toengage them mentally.
And then that routine again isgoing to help them relax and
(06:12):
settle into their day, versushaving so many crazy periods.
You're still going to probablyget a zoomie here or there right
, especially after mealtime orin that evening, that witching
hour where they're just tired.
A lot of times a puppy getstired and they are so overly
stimulated that they don't knowwhat else to do with themselves,
and so they actually movefaster and they run around like
(06:33):
crazy and try to bite, andthey're just doing puppy things
because it comes naturally,because they're too tired to
think rationally and think whatshould I do for good behavior?
What could I do to get Amy tosay yes or to give me a food
reward.
They're past the point ofthinking about that.
They're just reacting becausethey're tired.
So again, if your puppy ishaving a lot of zoomies you're
noticing this happeningfrequently throughout the day it
(06:55):
could just be that they needmore nap time and getting them
on that schedule of they nap andthen at the top of the hour we
get them up, we give them apotty break, we give them water,
we use their a little bit offood to do some training
sessions, we play and then theygo back down for a nap and rest
time.
You'll see a more well-balancedpuppy.
So zoomies can be fun.
(07:15):
They can also be kind of scary.
But don't freak out.
It's totally normal that yourpuppy has these little bursts of
energy and looks like a crazyvolcano exploding all over your
house.
Try to do your best to keeppeople away Again.
Step behind baby gates, step inexercise pens or take your
puppy outside to get rid of thatexcess energy, and then they'll
be able to focus again.
Or they might need a nap andthen they'll be able to focus
(07:38):
again.
Thanks for listening today.
You guys, have a great rest ofyour week, enjoy back to school
time and we'll talk soon.
Happy training.
Thanks for tuning in to thePuppy Training Podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency, you
can create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
(08:01):
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
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