Labradoodles are known for being very energetic dogs. When they are born, they are so quiet and easy-going. As they grow up, together with them grow their passion for life and eagerness to experience the world around them.
Taking care of a Labradoodle knows to be a very challenging although beautiful task. You might be asking yourself ”Will he/she ever calm down? Is there anything I can do to make it happen?
Although most Labradoodles calm down on their own when they are around 3 years old, there are certain things you can do to help your puppy channel that immense energy into a desirable conduct. A lot of love, patience, playtime, quality training, and an abundance of exercise will contribute to much calmer behavior.
However, some Labradoodles may keep the same level of energy even after being 2-3 years old. The receipt is the same, a lot of physical as well as mental activities will keep your vigorous pet busy, happy, and much calmer.
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Why My Labradoodle is So Hyper?
Most of the Labradoodles ( not to say all of them) are hyper due to the huge energy they have. The secret lies in their genes.
As being the child of a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, Labradoodle couldn’t turn out to be passive and sluggish.
Labrador Retriever is a working dog with a plenty of energy packed in that body. On the other hand Poodle, although looks like a fancy show dog that does nothing for the whole day, is originally bred to be hunting dog. Poodles are also loaded with energy.
So you have a really smart dog with incredible hunting abilities and work ethic. Normally these skills need to be challenged sometimes.
Labradoodles are especially hyperactive during puppyhood. It’s quite normal and expected. This is the period when you have to be very patient, consistent, work with your dog hard, and never give up.
Do you think that a hyper adult dog is a happy dog? It seems true. He is jumping up and down, making circles, barking… many people would interpret this behavior as a sign of happiness. As a matter of fact, he is not happy, he is overexcited and doesn’t know where to put himself. Most probably he feels very upset.
Unlike hyper dog, calm dog is a happy dog.
How Long Does It Take For A Labradoodle To Come Down?
Labradoodles usually calm down on their own around their second or third birthday.
Of course, even if mother nature does her job perfectly and they really get rid of that enormous energy they had in puppyhood, they still need much of your attention and help.
Labradoodles are very intelligent dogs that are in most cases like to please their owners. That makes them perfect dogs for training. They are quick learners.
What Can I Do To Calm Down My Labradoodle?
The first thing you need to know that dogs in general love structure and routine. They don’t like chaos, similar to young children. It is very important to have a daily schedule and stick to it.
Make a good mixture of following activities for calming your dog on daily basis :
- training
- exercise
- playtime
- attention
Also take a deep look on your own behavior around your dog
Training
Training is really important for every dog. Labradoodles are super smart dogs and you can teach them pretty much everything.
If you are consistent and really devoted to training your dog, it can last 3-6 months. But if you don’t do it right, it can last longer or never finish.
If you don’t know how to train your dog, you can check some youtube videos, there are plenty of options there. If you have a budget, you can have someone else train your dog or you can pay for training sessions where you can go together with your pet.
Whatever option you take, it’s ok, just make sure your Labradoodle gets the proper training.
As soon as you bring a puppy you should start with obedience training then crate, housebreaking, and potty training. There are many training options( objects training, voice commands training…) and the good thing is that your Labradoodle is a fast learner and you can teach him whatever you want. You just need to have patience and determination. Never give up.
Proper training along with other activities and your love and attention should make your Labradoodle happy, well-behaved, and confident dog. So don’t skip this very important step. Good training will also influence your Labradoodle to calm down.
I have read that some people choose not to train their Labradoodles as they don’t want to restrain them from independence, they consider trained dog as tied down?!
I honestly don’t understand this, especially knowing that dogs like routine and need some guidelines in life (as we all do). Finally, the training brings out your Labradoodle’s personality and skills, allowing him to become the best version of himself. I don’t see any problem with that.
Exercise
Note that every healthy Labradoodle requires at least 30-60 minutes of daily exercise. The exact time depends on several factors such as size, age, temperament, energy level, living conditions, etc.
Generally, a miniature Labradoodle needs at least 30 minutes of daily exercise but a larger Labradoodle requires a minimum of 60 minutes.
Exercise is super important for your dog for various reasons:
- keeps muscles tones and joints flexible
- helps digestion
- prevents obesity
- makes circulatory and respiratory systems stronger
- helps your dog to burn off the energy
When we say ”exercise” – that could include walking around the block, running through the woods or on the bike path, swimming, or playing fetch. Don’t include the free time you give your Labradoodle to roam around your house ( in case you have a back yard), this is not an exercise. Neither includes the time your dog spent inside the house, no matter how active he was.
Pay special attention in case you have a puppy. It is true that puppies have a lot of energy to spend but on the other hand, you shouldn’t over-exercise a growing puppy as this could damage his developing joints.
It’s not a good idea to take your puppy outside at all before his vaccination is complete. After that, you can start with short walks on a leash but take this as a ground rule: 5 minutes of exercise x per month of age. So if you have a 4-month old puppy, he should have 20 minutes of daily exercise and not more.
Gradually increase the time your puppy spends exercising and that will help him to properly build up the muscle structure and stamina.
Avoid exercising your dog on a full stomach. It can cause bloat. Safe rule: no exercise at least one hour before or after the meal.
Lack of exercise may result in restless behavior. The same will happen if you keep your Labradoodle locked inside for too many hours. I guess there is no dog ( not only Labradoodle ) that won’t go crazy if you leave him alone, locked inside for 8-10 hours.
Bottom line is that if you cannot commit to having at least one walk ( better to have two or even three walks on daily basis) with your Labradoodle a day, then maybe you should consider giving your dog to someone else.
Playtime And Attention
Some of the ”tools” that can help you to calm down your Labradoodle are playtime and attention.
It doesn’t mean that you will have a perfectly calm dog if you play with him for the whole day but if you include playtime in regular daily schedule and shower your dog with attention and love, most probably your Labradoodle will learn how to channel his energy into more preferable behavior.
Again, dogs like routine. That is why it is absolutely necessary to make an exact schedule and not to change it often. Of course, not all days are the same, sometime you just need to change the plans but make sure the change is more the exception than the rule.
Try to do all activities ( including playtime ) at the same time of the day. That way your Labradoodle will know what is going to happen next. This fact makes him feel secure ( just like small children ) which further makes him calmer.
When you determine the time when you play with your dog, do really play with him. Don’t take him to the backyard, throw the ball once, and then start watering the flowers. Make sure your Labradoodle has your full attention during playtime.
Provide also a variety of toys and mental stimulation for your Labradoodle. This crossbreed is super curios ( especially the young ones) and needs plenty of mental stimulation to avoid boredom.
Guess what– if you don’t give your Labradoodle some interesting toy to keep him and his mind busy, he will find some distraction and in most cases, this is something you wouldn’t like to happen.
Here are some examples of good, interactive toys that can stimulate mentally your furry friend but some of them may also help to drain that excessive energy he has :
- AFP Interactive Food Maze Dog Toy
- Kong Classic/ Genius/ Wobbler
- Trixie Mad Scientist /Trixie Gambling Tower Activity Strategy
- Outward Hound Hide- A Squirrel
- Outward Hound ZipZoom Tail Teaser
How Should I Behave Around My Labradoodle?
People make great mistake and respond to overexcited dog’s behavior in the same overwhelming manner.
It’s not that you are doing something wrong, it’s simply a misinterpretation. We don’t play the same way as dogs do and interpret one another’s behavior differently. Also, it is crucial to show to your dog who the boss is.
Due to his gentle personality Labradoodles are not responding well to a harsh relationship with the owner but positive reinforcement along with a lot of love and care can do miracles.
- Don’t make too many squeaky noises when greeting your dog. Talk to him quietly and calmly. Advise other family members to do the same.
- Skip physical play. Many people are so excited to have a dog and they haven’t seen him for the whole day so they may play little rough games with him by pulling or pushing him or even rolling on the ground with him. This is something that will make your Labradoodle even more excited than he already is. Avoid that. Advise other family members to do the same, especially teens.
- Never reward bad behavior. If your Labradoodle is noisy and misbehaved, take him calmly to his training crate for a ”time out”. Don’t let him out before he calms down. You will be surprised by how quickly he will understand your message.
- Don’t forget to reward your dog when he is calm and quiet. Many owners don’t pay too much attention to their dogs when they are calm and quiet, which is a mistake. If you react only when your dog is barking or whining, he will quickly understand that if he does that, he gets attention. When he is calm, you ignore him. What would you do if you were him?
- You should be always in control of your dog. Don’t let him get away with bad behavior. Your Labradoodle has to know always what do you want him to do and why bad behavior is not wanted.
- Show your dog how to relax. Grooming time is the perfect time to slow things down. Sooth brushing or a simple massage will help your Labradoodle to calm down not to mention his happiness for extra one-to-one attention he gets.
Final Thought
Labradoodles are very sociable dogs. Meeting other people leave them very excited, they like any type of attention.
They are very energetic dogs, especially young ones. Like kids, you have to teach Labradoodles how to behave, to give them some guidelines for life.
So proper training is a must, as without it your Labradoodle could cultivate bad habits.
Other activities such as exercise and playtime will help to drain the vast energy they have. If you don’t do this job properly, you will end up with a restless, naughty dogs prone to destructive behavior.
Keeping your Labradoodle mentally stimulated is equally important as keeping him physically active. If your dog is bored or depressed he might feel anxiety which further may lead to destructive behavior.
If you don’t provide some toys that will keep his mind busy, he will find some distraction and I am afraid you won’t like his way of having fun.