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At What Age Do Puppies Calm Down? 9 Ways to Calm the Hyper
Last Updated on April, 2024
If youre a puppy parent with a boisterous puppy, your thoughts probably go this way often;
Why does the couch look like a dinosaur tried to eat it?
One things for sure; it cant be my innocent little soul-melting puppy right in the middle of the mess.
ALRIGHT, WHAT KIND OF SORCERY IS THIS?
Puppies are most certainly bundles of joy but boy can they be challenging to handle, especially with their high energy levels and penchant for getting into mischief.
But dont sweat it because Ive got your back! Read on to find out when do puppies calm down and nine effective ways to help your puppy calm down.
There are nine effective ways to help calm a hyper puppy, including regular exercise, mental stimulation, crate training & READ MORE BELOW.
The age at which puppies begin to calm down varies depending on breed, with smaller breeds maturing faster than larger breeds.
There are several factors that influence a puppys energy levels, such as breed, gender, and social structure.
Factors That Determine a Puppys Energy Levels
1. Your Puppys Breed
A dogs breed plays a significant role in how energetic they are.
For example, dogs initially bred for work and dogs used for sporting events have high energy levels.(1)
Therefore, dogs like Border Collie, Dachshund, Terrier, Greyhound, Australian Shepherd, etc., are incredibly energetic.
They will retain some of this energy even in adulthood, but it will be way more controlled than when they were puppies.
These working breeds may take up to two years to calm down, and they will still require regular exercise to blow off steam.
Examples of dogs with low energy are Bulldogs, Irish Wolfhounds, Basset Hounds, etc. They usually start to calm down around nine months.
The size of your dog is also a factor that affects their energy levels. Small dogs mature faster than larger breeds. They, therefore, get over their adolescence phase much quicker. (2)
2. Their Mental Maturity
Dont second guess exposing your pup to the wide world and everything it has to offer.
Keeping your puppy sheltered for the majority of its adolescence could mean putting a stop to its mental development.
And youd better believe that they will act like an energy drink come to life when they finally experience everything theyve been missing out on!
So, its advisable to let your puppy periodically experience as many new things as possible to decrease the risk of enormous energetic outbursts.
3. Their Social Structure
If you have multiple dogs, you may observe that your puppies tend to be less rambunctious. Older dogs will take them under their wing and mellow them out. They will correct the misbehavior of the little ones, and the puppies will mature faster. An adult dog doesnt have the time for high-spirited pups!
4. Their Gender
The consensus is that female dogs mature faster than males. This maturity could be because the reproductive maturity attained earlier by female dogs has a calming effect on them.
However, there has not been any conclusive evidence to support this claim so take it with a grain of salt.
There is also a widespread misconception that spaying or neutering can rid a puppy of its over-excitable behavior. (3)
While this may be the case with some behavior like scent marking, sterilization will not alter core elements of their inherent personality.
Remember that sterilization might make your dog a teensy bit lazy when they mature or even cause their metabolism to slow down faster.
Heres what energy levels to expect in the different developmental stages of your dogs life.
The Developmental Stages of a Puppys Energy Levels
Newborn to 10 Weeks Old
Newborn puppies are immobile, and their sole activity is feeding to build up strength. They can neither hear nor see at this stage, and their eyes only start functioning around 14 days after birth.
By week 3, your puppies should be able to stand, walk and sit without mishap.
Four weeks means puppies are ready to play, and five weeks old puppies will be transitioning to solid foods.
Between weeks 6 and 7, puppies will finish their weaning process. The puppies will then be ready to begin the process of human socialization. Human socialization is when you will notice the trademark puppy energy levels start to kick in.
10 Weeks to 16 Weeks Old
Ah, the angsty teenage phase has now be fallen your puppy.
Now your puppys energy levels will start to get them into trouble.
They will begin testing their boundaries and experiencing new things (much like human teenagers!)
Begin integrating training into your pups life to establish desired behaviors. (4)
Teach them basic commands like sit and stay. BUT keep in mind that puppies have short attention spans at this stage, so remain patient and keep the training sessions short and snappy. (5)
Your puppy will also start teething during this time. Teething is when a puppys first set of baby teeth fall out and make their mouths itchy.
Teething puppies start to chew on everything and anything in sight to relieve themselves of this discomfort. And this will undoubtedly drive you a bit nuts.
So, if you would rather NOT have your furniture look like dinosaur chew toys, puppy-proofing your house and investing in some chew toys is the way to go!
4 Months to 6 Months of Age
Puppies will debut themselves in polite society as they start their socialization phase. They will direct their still high energy levels towards other dogs and engage in all sorts of scrapes and scuffles.
Dont be alarmed by playful fighting and barking with other dogs.
HOWEVER, take heed if you notice fearfulness, anxiety, and a quick temper in your pup. If you see these things in your dog, enlist the help of a professional trainer to address these issues to ensure that they dont persist.
By four months, you should have your puppy fully vaccinated as well. So go ahead and expose your pup to new things!
6 Months to One Year
Your pup will be familiar with his routine by this time, and they may therefore start to calm down.
Depending on the different dog breeds, your puppy might also be fully grown at this point.
Despite this, however, you still need to keep up with your dogs training and exercises to maintain healthy energy levels.
One Year to Two Years
And hey presto, youre out of the woods now!
Now, your dog will have reached adulthood (note: larger breeds might take up to two or three years) and will be MUCH calmer.
Most puppies will still have so much energy, but their newfound maturity will temper it. Theyll also be able to handle a lot of exercises (unlike in their younger days), so all their energy will have an outlet.
Now that you know whats normal for your puppy in terms of energy at any given time, youre probably wondering;
But HOW do I calm a rambunctious puppy down? Look no further because here are-
Related articles:
9 Ways to Instill Calm Behavior in your Puppy
1. Regular Exercise
Exercise is an excellent outlet for excess energy. You can spend quality time with your pup on walks, games of fetch or frisbee, playtime with toys, etc.
Make sure that you meet your dogs daily exercise needs. Their needs depend on your puppys breed, and you can refer to a vet if you arent sure how much exercise is necessary.(6)
The basic rule is that your puppy should get around 5 minutes of exercise per month of age, two times a day. So, for example, a 4-month-old puppy would need 20 minutes of exercise twice a day.
Another idea is to keep your pup entertained is to start them out in dog sports. You can try;
- Scent Work
- Agility and Obstacle Courses
- Dock Jumping
- Disc Dog
- Canicross
2. Mental Stimulation
If you cannot exercise on a particular day, try working on obedience cues or teaching tricks. Also, utilize mental stimulation toys such as slow puzzle feeders, treat-dispensing, and other interactive toys to keep your pups mind sharp.
Remember, a bored puppy means trouble!These are sure to rid your hyper puppy of excess energy as well because mental exercise (as Im sure many of you can attest to) is DRAINING.
3. Solid Routines
You dont need to look at a clock to know when its time for lunch, do you?
Thats because our bodies get used to our daily routine and know when we need to get our nourishment.
Well, the same concept applies to dogs, too, as long as they have an established routine.
But how will this help in keeping your furry friend calm?
Itll help calm your puppy because hell learn what time is for play and what time is for rest!
On the other hand, your pup can feel a lot of uncertainty and find it challenging to remain calm with no solid routine.
Therefore, on the occasions that you take them out for play, they may feel compelled to overdo it because they wont know when theyll have another chance to have fun.
4. Control their Feeding Habits
Feeding your dog right before bedtime is a big NO. Puppies experience high energy levels when digestion takes place, which keeps them awake and active for longer.
So, if you want a good nights sleep, ensure to feed your puppy at least 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.
Worth reading: How to Potty Train a Border Collie Puppy?
5. Obedience Training
Puppy parents can get so caught up in crate training and house training that they forget about getting their puppy to obey basic commands. Yet, this training is imperative for keeping your dog safe and helping them to calm down.
Start training your pup to sit and listen to you with undivided attention. Prioritize attention-based commands, recall commands, and sitting commands.
Use positive reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors. For example, reward calm behavior from your dog with a treat.
Keep in mind that consistency in your training and reward system is vital.
6. Crate Training
Crate training is a great way to help your pup differentiate between having fun and resting. Through this training, your puppy learns to associate calmness, safety, and peace with their crate. They will instinctively know that their crate is for naps, breaks, and other calm activities.
Heres how to implement crate training in your pups life.
7. Extend their Social Structure to Other Dog
Ensure that your puppy socializes with you and other dogs. In addition to burning energy and tiring your pup out, mingling with other dogs can teach them essential socialization skills.
Organize playdates, send them to dog daycare, a dog park, or a doggy day camp. The possibilities are endless!
Exposing the youngun to older dogs will also help him become a calmer dog as adult dogs will correct the misbehavior of puppies and end the puppy zoomies.
Check out this video to know about how to properly socialize your puppy with other dogs:
8. Model Calm Behavior
If your dog is in an excitable state, seeing you get into a similar state of mind will only encourage him to keep acting boisterous.
In such a situation, maintain a calm and composed manner and direct a basic command to your pup. Your conduct will rub off on your pups energy levels and bring them back down to normal.
Another tip is to create a calm environment to ease your puppy into calming down. For example, play gentle music, rid things that may elicit undesirable behaviors, etc.
9. Ignoring Your Dog
Now, this probably doesnt sound nice, BUT hear me out.
Your puppy being excitable is usually to get your attention. And if you give your attention to a riotous little puppy, it will continue to RIOT when it wants your attention.
On the other hand, ignoring your hyper puppy will make them learn to move on and calm down.
Keep in mind not to make mundane activities into a big deal. For example, if you make a big ruckus over going to work, youre going to find yourself plagued by your pups high energy levels.
Show your pup that its a part of your routine to go to work every day and he will soon get used to it, thus calming down.
When Do Puppies Calm Down?
Most puppies begin to calm down between 6 to 12 months of age as they reach maturity.
But remember that other factors (such as breed) influence your puppys energy level.
So, make sure you provide your dog with an outlet for the healthy release of their energy and note what is typical of their particular breed.
If you are looking to keep your puppies calm, try out some of the approaches listed above, and youll find yourself rewarded with decreases in the energy level of your dog. So, happy puppy parenting to you!
(And if youve successfully navigated the pitfalls of puppy upbringing, CONGRATULATIONS!)
FAQ
When Are Puppies Most Troublesome?
Puppies are most troublesome during their teenage phase, which is typically between 6 to 18 months old. However, with proper training and patience, they can be trained to be well-behaved adults.
When Are Puppies Most Destructive?
Puppies tend to be most destructive around 12 weeks when they start teething. To prevent damage, it is recommended to provide chew toys, keep them away from furniture and clothes.
When Do Puppies Stop Biting?
Puppies usually stop biting by the time they are 7 months old, when their adult teeth come in. However, with proper training, it is possible to stop the biting habit before then.
Do Puppies Need Constant Attention?
Puppies require significant attention, but not as much as commonly believed. It is important to provide them with love and care during the few hours they are awake, but not to over-coddle them to avoid making them overly dependent.
At What Age are Puppies Most Hyper?
Puppies typically display the most hyperactive behavior around 8 weeks old.
How Long Does it Take a Puppy to Calm Down?
It typically takes a puppy up to several months to become accustomed to its new environment and develop more relaxed behaviors.
What Dog Breed is the Most Hyper?
The Jack Russell Terrier is widely regarded as the most hyper dog breed.
What is the Calmest Dog Breed?
The calmest dog breed is the Newfoundland.
REFERENCES:
- https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/characteristics/energy-level
- https://www.rd.com/article/dog-energy-level/
- https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/the-importance-of-spaying-neutering-your-pet/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fellow-creatures/201912/ten-tips-integrate-dog-training-everyday-life
- https://iheartdogs.com/why-dog-training-sessions-should-be-short/
- https://www.hillspet.com/dog-care/play-exercise/puppy-exercise#:~:text=Exercise%20needs%20vary%20among%20breeds,at%204%20months%2C%20etc).
