Anyone out there an animal behaviorist?? In another forum "dogster" the discussion came up about FRAP ing and whether or not it is instinctual in herding breeds. It's so common among corgis I thought I'd ask you all.

FRAP (Frantic or frenzied acts of random play) are when the corgi does the figure eights around the furniture or bushes outside, ears laid back and seemingly possessed. There are very tight turns, full out running, turning in one direction several times, stopping and then doing several laps in the opposite direction.

When I was doing research on the breed, everyone spoke of it and every corgi owner I know, said their puppies did it. Timmy still does it to this day, but some others have stopped as they grew older. Anyway, wondering if anyone knows if this is part of a play behavior, sign of stress (I have my doubts), or just another way of getting attention? Does anyone know if this behavior has ever been seen in wild canids? References to articles or body of knowledge would be helpful.

Thanks

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Haha I never knew there was a name for this. Max does this when he's about to get in trouble. He runs about 2 -3 laps around the living room in a big circle.
My Pemb Belle (15 months) and Oscar Westie 5 yrs love to do this. The Westie goes a couple laps, then waits till Belle comes by and then they pounce each other. We have a large backyard, so she really flys around. We are so amused at how quickly she turns and twists, then like some of the others here she is down for a nap.
My cat has always FRAPed on occasion, I just wrote it off as his being a spastic cat. And though we only have a day's experience whit him, Ein was in full on FRAP mode this afternoon after messing with the neighbor dogs through the fence.

It was pretty funny, him flat out running the length of the yard and then around the tramp then trying to get lil one's feet from underneath as she stood on the tramp. After he was all done he was ready to come in and have some chow. Good to know a lil spaz-ing out is a good thing :)
My Lilliput does this inside, not in a pattern, but through the rooms, hallways, and over the furniture. Old dogs and humans just better stand back! When my beagle would do a similar type of running around, we called it "cracker dog", after the dog in "All Creatures Great and Small." Remember the older, rich woman who brought in her spoiled, overfed little lap dog with veiled complaints of his going "cracker dog?" My kids and I guessed that this was it. Any other guesses?
Chloe fraps about twice a day. I thought the breeder made up this name LOL.! All her Corgis do it. I do not remember my 1st Corgi frapping, or husband's family Corgis frapping. Having Corgis is the dog his family seems to have, at this present time there are 4, and then there are 3 that are now deceased.
Leo started frapping at 8 weeks old. Only 1 accident hitting the coffee table (ouch!). In the back yard he uses the tree stumps as obstacles in his frap course and runs like the wind. I cut down the clothes line posts back there to avoid an unfortunate misshap because he runs so fast during frapping. He is so depressed this week waiting for the new fence to be completed cause his frap course is now too small to achieve maximum speed. I never thought about the faierie ride, thats probably what causes the behaviour.
Leo is always laughing when he is frapping....it must be very fun.
Sadie does this at the most random times, and it is even when we are paying attention to her, so for her I would say it is just a play behavior; but I am only assuming.
Interesting topic. I think it's definitely a form of play, but have not heard it mentioned for wild canids. Bentley fraps very occasionally in the house, but will ALWAYS frap when he comes to the same spot, on two different trails. So far only these two trails, and only in his designated frapping spot on each one. Both are trails slanting along a hillside, but that is the only similarity. Weird!

I know the original post on this was old; by my corgi (1.5 yrs old) FRAPs and last night was one of the funniest I've seen. I think she does it when she is happy if I mention "Food" or "Hungry" I get a mini FRAP, but last night she set up an obstacle course with her toys and ran to each on in a path -it was like she was running bases! So cute! I never even thought to be concerned with this.

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