When Do Standard Poodles Calm Down?

When Do Standard Poodles Calm Down?

When I was a kid, our neighbors got a standard poodle male named Charlie. As a kid I couldn’t get enough of how much energy this dog had — he was always ready to run around with any other dogs or neighborhood kids.

When Do Poodle Puppies Calm Down?
When Do Poodle Puppies Calm Down?

Because he got so big so fast and kept his puppy energy for so long, eventually the owners had to put him on a leash when he went out to play with us, because he was even too much energy for us kids.

Sound familiar? Poodles have long been a symbol of elegance, but ask any poodle-owner what the puppy-raising process is like and they’ll tell you it’s anything but luxury.

Poodles are great family dogs because they can form friendships with all sorts of people and don’t often “pick” a family member; in addition, they’re quite intelligent and receptive to training. Significantly, however, these dogs were bred to work and as such are born with boundless energy that must be focused.

The answer to “what age do poodles calm down” has a lot to do with the particular dog and the owners’ work with the dog, but a well-trained poodle can level out its temperament as soon as eighteen months, while others may not calm down till two, three, or even four or five years of age.

At the same time, a caveat must be placed. Ian Dunbar, the famed dog psychologist and veterinarian, tells us that training begins the day you bring your dog home and ends the day you bury your dog. Bad behaviors, even in mature dogs, can begin to emerge. Without proper and continual training efforts, hyperactive and listless behavior can emerge even in adult dogs.

What Age Do Poodles Calm Down?
What Age Do Poodles Calm Down?

What Age Do Poodles Calm Down?

I mentioned above that many Poodles tend to begin calming down around 12 to eighteen months. However, this is highly dependent upon the dog in question. Let me give you three case studies of poodles I’ve known.

Case Study: Bella

After Ozzie passed, this same family got a dog named Bella who was a very different case. She was very hyperactive, tearing up all the old stuffed animals that Ozzie used to live peaceably with in his crate.

Because the family had owned Ozzie, they assumed Bella would be calm in later years like him. They were wrong. Bella displayed neurotic behaviors to the end, including randomly barking at and nipping people passing by her in the street. In one famous incident, when she was around seven she tore the back pants off an innocent man walking by in the street.

Case Study: Ozzie

Ozzie was a white male Poodle from California who weighed around 70 pounds when he was an adult. If ever a deer existed in dog form, this was Ozzie. Though he was very large and would occasionally get in scraps with other dogs in the dog park (dogs that were intimidated by him), he was the most docile dog I’ve ever seen.

Ozzie lived in a family with little children, and he was the perfect family dog. Like a patient mother, he would sit unmoving and unhostile as the kids hugged him, dressed him up in their clothes, and generally went crazy. Even from six months of age, Ozzie was completely calm and the owners didn’t need to do anything to encourage this behavior.

Case Study: Charlie

Charlie, the poodle I mentioned above, was much like Bella in that he was insanely hyperactive. The family, well aware of the hyperactivity, trained Charlie very well, making sure to associate positive feelings with silence and calmness (more on that below).

Nevertheless, by eighteen months of age, he remained very difficult to control, tearing through the house with seemingly unlimited energy, and asserting as much free will as an unbroken bronco.

Every Poodle Is Different

As the above case studies illustrate, every Poodle is different. Even with the best training, a Charlie may not settle down until three years of age. However, some really useful techniques can help calm your dog down faster.

Why Is My Poodle Hyperactive?

First of all, it’s important to recognize that dogs, like people, undergo stages of development, each offering its own difficulties to the owner. These are the stages of Poodle development:

  • Puppy (eight weeks to sixish months)
  • Neophyte (zero to eight weeks)
  • Adult (two years to ten or so years)
  • Adolescent (six months to around two years)
  • Senior (ten years to the end of life)

Far and away the most challenging stage of Poodle development is adolescence, though the puppy stage can offer serious difficulties as well, especially for new owners.

Hyperactivity is an extremely natural part of Poodles growing up. On the one hand, Poodles have a ton of energy that in most home environments isn’t spent adequately. Even when it is though, young Poodles are like little children: they love to run around and be crazy, caught up as they are in the bliss of existence.

Tips For Dealing With A Hyper Poodle Puppy

Sometimes, your poodle may be very hyper due to stress and anxiety. You will know they feel uncomfortable if they jump a lot, walk around in circles, or constantly bark.

If this happens, you can help them calm down within minutes with the right solutions. Here are quick tips to calm down your hyper poodle:

  • Give your poodle regular exercise, such as short walks throughout the day or playtime indoors. This is important as a lack of physical and mental exercise can cause hyperactivity!
  • Train your poodle and give proper voice commands to help them realize that their anxious and hyper behavior is inappropriate
  • Invest in interactive toys that can help calm your poodle down, as well as delicious treats so she stays busy and stimulates his brain
  • You can put your poodle in time out to help him calm down, placing him in a crate or room without any distractions. This can help him focus to calm down, so let him stay in there for 10 minutes, repeating this process if he isn’t relaxed yet.
  • Try a relaxant or homemade relaxant so your poodle can calm down, using lavender oil mixed with water.
  • If your poodle continues to show hyper or anxious behavior regularly, he may need to be taken to the vet to rule out any conditions. The veterinarian may also provide medication and other treatments to help lessen the over-hyperactivity.

When An Older Poodle Mounts

They say you can’t teach old dogs new tricks, but this isn’t true. It just takes a lot longer. For mounting, you need to train your Poodle with the “off” command. Have something fun, like a squeaky toy or food with you at all times. If your Poodle mounts, gently give the off command and coax the dog away from mounting.

When An Older Poodle Acts Crazy Or Hyper

Remember that you need to always stay on top of Poodle training. Keeping your dog’s behavior in check even as it gets older is important. One thing I do is, for example, during walks, I still reserve the right to begin a training session out of the blue. This enforces to my dog that I’m in charge and that calm, polite behavior will continually be rewarded.

Related Questions

Do poodles like to be held?

Poodles love to cuddle at night. While they’re relatively active during the day, insisting on plenty of walks, physical and mental stimulation, your Poodle will love to snuggle up to you at night.

Will my poodle ever calm down?

Will my poodle ever calm down? While your poodle may seem out-of-control, will likely calm down quite a bit as they mature. However, with active breeds like poodles, we still have to create outlets for adults to burn off that excess energy, whether physical or mental.

Do toy poodles calm down?

With other dogs and cats, Toy Poodles are peaceful and accepting. Besides the regular clipping, they do need daily exercise, as they are lively dogs. And they do need a lot of daily companionship. They suffer from loneliness and separation anxiety if left alone too much.

At what age do poodles calm down?

For Standards, while they do become adult at the age of 2 years old, you’ll start to notice maturity changes around the 18 month mark. While things will not change overnight, you can expect the adult Poodle to be calmer than his young counterparts in regard to needing to chew, romp around and have constant attention.

Why are toy poodles so clingy?

There are several issues that can cause a Poodle to suddenly act extremely clingy. Having been startled- If a dog has had a scare or has otherwise been emotionally jarred, he will often then stay very close to his owner, cling to their side and may act scared long after the event is over.

Are poodles hyper active?

While it is rare, dogs can be clinically hyperactive. However, most dogs that behave hyper are not clinically hyperactive. In regard to other medical issues, yes there is always a chance that your Poodle is experiencing some sort of discomfort that is keeping her from being able to rest and feel at peace.

Do toy poodles ever calm down?

When do toy poodles calm down? Toy Poodles will reach adulthood by the age of 1, so you may see them become calmer than they were as a puppy. However, despite their smaller size, toy poodles were designed to be the exact replica of their standard cousins in a tiny package.

Are poodles too energetic?

While it is rare, dogs can be clinically hyperactive. However, most dogs that behave hyper are not clinically hyperactive. In regard to other medical issues, yes there is always a chance that your Poodle is experiencing some sort of discomfort that is keeping her from being able to rest and feel at peace.

Are standard poodles very energetic?

Poodles are good family dogs — fun, energetic, smart and easy to train. They do best with plenty of exercise for both mind and body and prefer to be with people most of the time.

Final Thoughts

As I’ve said in this article, each Poodle is different. However, around five years of age, you can expect a much calmer Poodle than your six-month-old. Remember, however, that the training never stops. You must continually encourage your Poodle to “be calm and carry on” with positive stimulus and words of praise. Best of luck!

Edward Hollon is an avid dog lover and writer, knowing all there is to know about our furry friends. Edward has been writing for petdii for three years now, wanting to use her knowledge for good and share everything she can with new dog owners. Edward has two dogs herself - a German shepherd called Banjo and a chocolate labrador called Buttons. Edward knows more than anyone how adjusting to new life with a puppy can turn your life upside down, and she wants to ease some of the burdens through her articles.