“Quarter hours of madness” in dogs: what are we talking about?
Rare are the dog owners who have never attended these famous "fifteen minutes of madness" that our dear canines sometimes show. During this quarter of an hour, which lasts in fact a few minutes, the animal suddenly starts running in all directions, as if it were running behind an imaginary hare in the house or outside or as if it was being chased by some thing.
When this happens, the animal starts to run very fast, usually around something like a tree or the center island of your kitchen, sometimes letting out happy little growls.The click is sometimes so fast that it feels like something has pricked his behind. These wild runs can stop as quickly as they appeared, leaving the dog panting or being replaced by another activity such as grabbing a toy or a shoe and shaking it with all his might, for example.
These episodes where you feel like your dog is suddenly going “zinzin” are actually very common and are called periods of random frenetic activity. Anglo-Saxon behaviorists know them as "zoomies" .
If all dogs can express them at any time, they are however more frequent in young dogs and particularly at the end of the day.
What are they due to?
These famous "zoomies" seem to be a way for the dog to release excess energy, excitement or stress.
Thus, it is not uncommon for one of these episodes when the dog is happy to go out for a walk, to find a congener or quite simply to find himself in the presence of his owners, in the evening when they've been gone all day. In doing so, he is only expressing his joy or expressing his desire to initiate a game with a human or another dog.
Quarter of an hour can also occur following a stressful episode for the dog such as coming out of a car trip, a bath or a visit to the vet, for example . In this case, the quarter of an hour of madness simply allows you to release the tensions and return to a more stable emotional state.
When should you worry?
The dog's crazy quarter hour or zoomies should not be confused with stereotypies. This last term refers to a repetitive behavior such as going around in circles trying to grab its tail for example.If this type of behavior is expressed very frequently and lasts more than a few minutes, it is most certainly the sign of a compulsive disorder and does not fall under an episode of "zoomies" . If necessary, you must then make an appointment very quickly with a behavioral veterinarian in order to understand what is at the origin of this behavior and your animal's discomfort.
The "quarters of an hour" of madness are completely harmless for your dog and should in no way worry you. When they occur, all you have to do is let your dog calm down on its own in a few minutes.
However, if these episodes occur outdoors, be careful that they do not put your dog in danger. Be careful, for example, not to let your dog go near a busy road if he is subject to fifteen minutes of madness in this particular context.
Also be careful not to get in his way when this happens to him.Dogs in the midst of “zoomies” hear nothing and are “in their world” so they can run straight at you at the risk of knocking you down. If they happen inside the house, hurry to put away all the fragile objects that your dog could bump into in his mad dash.
" If these episodes come back quite often or systematically inside your home and cause damage, it is then possible to limit them by spending more on your dog physically and mentally. If it is negative emotions that are at the origin, identify precisely the situation that triggers them to talk to a canine behaviorist. With you, the professional will be able to develop a behavioral modification plan to calm your dog during these situations and limit the occurrence of the fifteen minutes of madness that follow."