Why My Dog’s Morning Zoomies Changed My Entire Routine (and Might Change Yours Too)

Before I adopted Max, mornings were a blur of alarms, emails, and caffeine. I was the kind of person who hit snooze four times, rolled out of bed half-dressed, and somehow ended up scrolling Instagram before brushing my teeth. But then came Max—a 3-year-old rescue with a tail like a metronome and energy levels that made espresso look lazy.

On our first morning together, I opened the bedroom door and—boom. Max exploded into the hallway. He sprinted in tight circles like a furry Formula 1 car, paws sliding across the hardwood floor, eyes wild with joy. It was 6:37 a.m., and he was on a mission: to wake up the house, the neighborhood, the planet. I stood there, barefoot and stunned, wondering if I’d accidentally adopted a greyhound with a caffeine addiction.

Turns out, those chaotic sprints? They’re called “zoomies”—a technical term for when dogs burst into random fits of energy, often triggered by excitement or just the sheer thrill of being alive. At first, I thought it was hilarious. Then annoying. Then—oddly enough—kind of inspiring.

Here’s the thing: Max wasn’t just running. He was celebrating the morning. While I was fumbling with toothpaste, he was living. He didn’t need a latte to be excited about life. He didn’t need a to-do list to feel purpose. He just needed space, freedom, and a moment of permission to be wild.

That’s when it hit me: I’d been starting my mornings all wrong.

So, I started changing things. Slowly. At first, it was just a five-minute play session before I reached for my phone. Then I added a short walk, even if it was just to the end of the block and back. Max would sniff every tree like it held ancient secrets, and I began to notice how different the world felt before 7 a.m.—before the noise, the emails, the hustle.

I stopped checking my phone in bed. I started waking up with Max instead of before or after him. I let the sound of his paws on the floor become my new alarm. I even started doing little “zoomies” of my own—okay, not literally, but mentally. I’d crank a song, dance around while brushing my teeth, or take five jumping jacks in the kitchen before breakfast.

And you know what? I felt better. More awake. More human. Less robotic.

We think we’re the ones teaching our pets, but sometimes they’re the ones reprogramming us. They pull us out of the routine we didn’t realize was draining us. They remind us that joy can be immediate, loud, messy—and 100% contagious.

So if you’re feeling stuck in a morning rut, I’ve got a weird suggestion: copy your dog. Don’t sprint around the house (unless that’s your vibe), but find your own version of the zoomies. Celebrate waking up. Shake off yesterday. Wiggle your metaphorical tail and greet the day like it’s already your best one yet.

Because sometimes, the fastest way to upgrade your life… is to follow the paws of a four-legged lunatic who thinks every morning is a party.