One critical difference between the human and canine highs described in the article that triggered this podcast and the zoomies IMHO is that, under the right circumstances, the zoomies are a celebration. Under those conditions I suspect that the neurotransmitters produced may differ from those produced when a dog is running on a treadmill. I might be completely wrong about this, but I have difficulty accepting that, except possibly for an animal used to living in a small stimulus-deprived space, that running on a treadmill could be comparable to zooming outdoors.
Of all the images of zooming animals one albeit bittersweet one I particularly cherish involved Ollie and my brain-damaged corgi, BeeBee. In spite of Bee’s deafness, limited vision and lack of coordination, during that brief period of when she and Ollie got into the Zoomie Zone, she became as fast and agile as he was.
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Hi Mryna,
I LOVED this podcast! One of my most favorite things has been seeing my dogs run zoomies. It just fills me with such joy to see them so happy and letting it all show, all hang out! My Great Dane would zoom around on our morning walks and it was hysterical although I made sure to get out of the steam engines way lol. My little bully will at a moment’s notice just turn on the zoom and he’s rushing through the house or yard in the tightest spots with ferrari like speed and floor buffer cornering! Hah, makes me laugh until my sides hurt – it is so funny. So yes I agree, who cares how nuts we might appear as we revel in that pure joy along with them – it can make a bad day seem like the best day participating with them in their utter abandon of life!