Are Goldendoodles Destructive? 6 Reasons and Solutions

Do you ever go back home and find it completely wrecked and your dog is sitting right there with a guilty look on their face, of course, you did, every dog owner has experienced this at least once in their lifetime.

It can be caused by several reasons so here are the possible reasons and how you can handle them?

So, are Goldendoodles destructive? Goldendoodles can be destructive if they are left unattended for a long time, don’t get enough exercise, are depressed, bored, teething, or are afraid, you can make sure that your dog isn’t destructive by giving them at least 40 minutes of exercise daily.

Keep on reading to know all the reasons behind your Goldendoodle’s destructive behavior and solutions that can work with them.

Are Goldendoodles destructive?

Goldendoodles are fun and energetic dogs. If they get enough exercise and all else is well with them, they will be well-behaved and overall very good dogs, but issues can arise when they are not getting the chance to expand all their energy.

However, you can manage them to be less destructive or not destructive at all. To understand how, let’s first discuss what you can expect your dog’s behavior to be at every stage in their life;

Goldendoodles behavioral stages

Goldendoodles can have behavioral stages and it can depend on their age.

Puppyhood: They can be too energetic when they are puppies and will chew on everything they find in front of them unless you train them and let them know boundaries.
When they are about 12-18 months, they will start to be calmer, they will keep playing and do everything that they used to do but with less energy.
Then there’s the senior stage and it’s their calmest one yet.

6 Reasons your Goldendoodle is destructive

The reasons may vary but here are the possible reasons why your Goldendoodle is destructive:

Teething
Separation anxiety
Pain
Boredom
Rough play
Fear

Teething

If they show destructive behavior while they are still puppies (in the first six months) such as chewing on pillows, shoes, or clothes, they are probably just teething, and all you need is time and a little patience.

You can also get them some chewing toys to help them through that rough time. You can check out my recommended chew toys here.

Separation anxiety

One of the possible reasons that your dog is being destructive is separation anxiety and it’s more likely if they show destructive behavior when you leave them alone.

It’s actually common in Goldendoodles to have separation anxiety but you can avoid that by making sure that you socialize them and train them to be calm when you are not around.

Another way to combat the loneliness would be to get another Goldendoodle. Check out why having two Goldendoodles can be better than one here, I also discuss the pros and cons, of course.

Pain

Pain, illness, and injuries can make any dog’s actions unpredictable, and because they don’t know how to act when they’re in pain or why they are feeling this way, they may snap at you or at anyone who approaches them because they are feeling some kind of discomfort.

However, here are some signs to help you know if your Goldendoodle is in pain or injured.

Crying out
Showing signs of agitation
Growling
Limping
Showing signs of agitation
Being sensitive to touch
Snapping at you
Limping
Yelping
Hiding
Breathing difficulty
Having Increased heart rate
Becoming grumpy

If you noticed one or a few of these signs, you should take your dog to the vet. You can also learn about the types of Goldendoodle barking in my post on Goldendoodles good vs bad barking here.

Boredom

It’s more likely boredom if they didn’t get enough exercise that day or left them for too long and that’s how they are coping with the boredom.

However, they can end up injuring themselves, so make sure to provide them with at least 40 minutes of exercise per day and spend some quality time with them whenever possible. Always keep in mind that your dogs may be just one part of your world, but to them, you are their whole world.

Rough play

Sometimes, the reason they are destructive is that they are just playing. Even though it may not look like playing to you, it does to them.

You should let them know the boundaries and that destroying your house, or clothes isn’t playing and it’s not acceptable, you can train them or take them to a professional behaviorist.

Fear

If your dog had a previous owner or if they are a rescue puppy, they may be suffering from past trauma and that’s why they are showing destructive behavior.

Past traumas can make dogs more fearful and most dogs are not able to express what they are feeling so they end up destroying their surroundings out of fear.

Here are some signs to help you know if your dog is afraid.

Panting
Shaking
Lack of appetite
Pacing
Inability to settle
Salivation
Being too distracted
Shaking
Attempting to hide
Yawning
Lifting a paw
Licking lips
Lowered body language
Showing the whites of eyes
Growling
Aggression
Hyperactivity

6 Easy solutions to calm down a destructive Goldendoodle

There are some possible and easy solutions to calm down a destructive Goldendoodle.

Toys and chews
Crate when alone
Keep them confined
Daily exercise
Behavioral training
Consider daycare

Toys and chews

Goldendoodles can destroy their surroundings by chewing on everything and you can avoid that by getting them enough toys and chews to keep them busy and distract them from chewing on your furniture.

Crate when alone

In case you are leaving your Goldendoodles for some time then it’s better to leave them in their crate because if they are wandering in the house then they are more likely to hurt themselves and damage whatever they can damage.

However, don’t leave them in the crate for too long because they can develop negative thoughts about their crate.

Keep them confined

You can keep them confined by gates or fences to maintain them in a safe zone, in that case, you can minimize any damage that can be done.

Daily exercise

If they are destructive out of boredom then all they need is some physical activity to release all their pent-up energy.

You can take them for a walk, swimming, or just play frisbee with them.

Behavioral training

You can always take them to behavioral training, it will train them to be more disciplined when you leave them alone.

You can also train your Goldendoodle by using positive reinforcement and just be patient and consistent with them.

Consider daycare

Goldendoodles are just like kids and sometimes you need to treat them just like one.

If you and your partner are going to work will you leave your kid home alone? Or will you get him a babysitter or take them to a daycare, well, you can do the same thing with your pup.

Are Goldendoodle puppies destructive?

Goldendoodle puppies can be destructive because they are big chewers but while they are teething it’s completely normal and they will often need to relieve the pain by chewing on anything so try to provide them with plenty of chew toys so hopefully, they won’t need your hand or your pillows.

However, once they are 7 or 8 months old the excessive chewing usually stops but you will need to train them during that time, what is acceptable to chew or bite on and what is off-limits?

When do Goldendoodle puppies calm down?

Goldendoodle puppies calm down around 12-18 months old, it’s when they are past the puppy stage and becoming adults.

You may also see a difference in their energy level around 6-8 months just after the teething phase.

However, Goldendoodles are energetic dogs and can still have the same puppy energy even when they are adults.

Are Goldendoodles aggressive?

Goldendoodles are not aggressive but they can be under some conditions such as past trauma, fear, pain, you rewarded the behavior.

Overall, Goldendoodles are not an aggressive breed and if they do behave aggressively then you need to watch them closely to see what is bothering them and deal with it.

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