If your dog keeps randomly sprinting around the house, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it.
This post will show you a number of reasons why your dog might be doing it and what you should do about it.
So, why does my dog randomly start sprinting around the house? Possible reasons why your dog randomly starts sprinting around the house are that it is excited, there is a problem with its diet, it is releasing excess energy or that you have been inadvertently rewarding the behavior.
There are actually a number of things that you can consider when trying to figure out why your dog might be doing it. Depending on the cause, there are also a number of things that you can do to get it to stop.
Why your dog randomly sprints around the house
Each of the different reasons that your dog sprints around the house will likely come with a number of clues.
Below, I will mention a number of reasons why it might be doing it and what would make them more likely.
Diet
The reason that your dog starts sprinting around the house could be that there is an issue with its diet. This would be more likely if it does it soon after being fed and if it started doing it more after you changed its diet.
You can look here to see what foods you should and should not be feeding your dog.
Not enough exercise
The reason that it does it could be that it is not getting enough exercise. This would be more likely if it does it when it has not gotten any exercise. Generally, it is recommended for a dog to get around an hour of exercise per day. If your dog is not getting the recommended amount of exercise for its breed then it would help to make sure that it does.
Related: Why does my dog place its paw on me when I sit down?
It is releasing excess energy
The reason that it runs around the house randomly is likely to be that it has some excess energy left over. This is known as “zoomies” which is where it sprints around in order to get rid of the energy. This would be more likely if it does it when it has been sedentary for a while such as in the morning.
Related: Why does my dog lick my pillow?
It’s releasing nervous energy
Another reason that it might be doing it is that it is releasing some nervous energy that it had built up. This would be more likely if it does it right after it has to be well behaved such as when guests leave.
Excitement
Another reason that it might randomly start sprinting around the house could be that it is excited. This would be more likely if it does it in situations such as when you come home or when you are about to take it out for a walk.
You have been inadvertently rewarding it
It could be the case that you have been inadvertently rewarding the behavior. If you tend to give it things that it wants, such as toys, treats or attention, when it runs around the house, then it could be that it has learned that running around the house gets it things that it wants.
Things to consider
Below, I will mention some particularly helpful things to consider when trying to figure out why your dog sprints around the house. Once you have a better idea of the cause it will be easier to take the appropriate action.
How often it does it
When trying to understand why your dog randomly starts sprinting around the house it would help to consider how often it does it.
If it does it a lot then it would make it more likely to be due to things such as a problem with its diet, not getting enough exercise or that you have inadvertently rewarded it.
If it does not do it so often then it would be more likely that it does it due to things such as being anxious when guests come over.
When your dog first started sprinting around the house
The timing of when it first started doing it would also be something to consider.
If it started doing it suddenly and it didn’t use to do it a lot then it would help to consider what else happened at around the same time that it started running around.
Some things to consider would be:
- If it started getting less exercise
- If you started working longer hours
- If you moved home
- If its diet changed
When your dog sprints around the house
The timing of when it does it would also be helpful to consider.
If you notice that it tends to do it when you feed it a certain food then it would make it likely that it shouldn’t be eating that food. Whereas, if it does it more when it has not gotten much exercise then it would make it more likely that it needs more exercise.
How to get your dog to stop sprinting around the house
There are a number of things that you can do about your sprinting around the house. The best option for your dog will largely depend on the cause of it doing it.
Below, I will mention a number of things that you can do about it.
Give it exercise
It is important to make sure that your dog is getting the right amount of exercise. You can give it exercise by walking it, playing fetch with it or getting a dog walker to do it for you.
If you are giving it exercise and it is an active breed then it could be the case that it needs more. In this case, you could do things such as to play fetch with it in order to get it to wear itself out more.
Make sure that it is getting the right diet
As mentioned above, it could be the case that your dog is not getting the right diet. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding it.
It would also help to ask your vet about what you should be feeding it the next time you see them.
Avoid rewarding the behavior
It could be the case that by rewarding the behavior you have trained it to do it when it wants to get things. Instead of giving it things that it wants, when it runs around the house, it would help to avoid rewarding it and to reward it when it is being well behaved.