Chaos
The zoomies won't stop
They're running in circles. Eyes wide. You can't catch them and you're not sure you should try.
The moment
Marlowe just woke up from a nap and she's tearing around the living room at full speed. She's bouncing off the couch, sliding across the floor, and completely ignoring everything you say. The kids think it's hilarious. You're worried she's going to hurt herself or that this means something is wrong.
What's actually happening
Zoomies are a release valve. They're usually a burst of pent-up energy, often right after a nap, a bath, or a moment of excitement. They're normal. The question isn't how to stop them but whether they're escalating into something the puppy can't come back from. A quick burst that ends with the puppy flopping down is fine. Ten minutes of increasing intensity where nothing breaks through is a puppy who's tipped into dysregulation.
What we do
If it's a short burst after a nap, we let it happen. Marlowe runs it out in 60-90 seconds and then she's done. That's healthy.
If it's escalating and she can't stop, we don't chase. Chasing makes it worse. We stand still, turn our back, and wait for a pause.
In that pause, we calmly redirect to a scatter feed on the floor. Sniffing activates the parasympathetic nervous system. It's the fastest way to bring them down.
If it's happening every day at the same time, we look at the schedule. Post-nap zoomies that last too long usually mean the nap wasn't long enough or the environment is too stimulating on waking.