Zoomies Aren’t Joy

INTRO

So… you think this is happiness?
The sprinting, the sliding, the furniture parkour?
Interesting diagnosis.

SESSION NOTE

Overstimulation masked as excitement.

THE SESSION

You see a dog flying through the house at full speed and think, “Wow, they’re so happy.”
Your dog sees it as, “I have no idea what to do with all this energy and feelings, so… chaos.”

Zoomies can look joyful, and sometimes they are.
But a lot of the time, they’re a pressure release valve. Too much stimulation, not enough structure, and suddenly your living room becomes a racetrack.

It often shows up after things like baths, busy days, or long periods of being “on.”
Your dog’s body is buzzing, and instead of calmly coming down, they explode.

And here’s the part you might not love—
when you laugh, chase, or hype it up, you’re accidentally confirming that this level of chaos is the goal.

So now your dog thinks, “Ah yes, this unhinged sprinting… this is what we’re doing now.”

Underneath it, your dog isn’t just being funny.
They’re trying to regulate themselves the only way they know how.

WHAT YOUR DOG IS REALLY SAYING

“I don’t feel settled… so I’m going to run until my body figures it out.”

COZYMD RATING

Stress Level: 6/10

COZYMD TREATMENT PLAN

Start helping your dog come down before the explosion. After stimulating moments, guide them into something slow and grounding—like a calm leash walk, a chew, or a quiet settle on a bed. Lower your energy instead of matching theirs. A simple calming chew or lick mat can give their brain something steady to focus on instead of spiraling into speed.

CLOSING

Not all chaos is joy… sometimes it’s just a nervous system asking for help.