Why Is Your Goldendoodle So Hyper? And How to Get It to Calm Down?

Goldendoodles are a cross between Golden Retrievers and Poodles which are two of the most energetic dog breeds out there.

They will sometimes act hyper, especially when they’re younger. However, as they get older, their energy levels will decrease and they will rarely act hyper without a reason.

So, why is your Goldendoodle so hyper? You Goldendoodle will act so hyper when it’s young mainly because it has too much energy. They will start to calm down as they get older, but some of them might still act hyper due to lack of proper training and socialization, experiencing separation anxiety, not getting enough physical and mental exercise, and not having a good diet.

Keep reading to learn more about what causes Goldendoodles to act hyper and how to calm them down.

Are All Goldendoodles Hyper?

goldendoodle playing to answer why is your Goldendoodle so hyper

Goldendoodles are generally bred to be high-energy dogs as they are cross between Golden Retrievers and Poodles. So, most Goldendoodles are expected to have extremely high energy levels and act hyper during their puppy years, but as they get older, they will naturally start to calm down.

However, it mainly depends on the dog’s training and living conditions as some Goldendoodles will keep acting hyper when they’re adults and their behavior might eventually escalate to become more destructive or aggressive.

Some of the destructive behavior your dog might display includes chewing on furniture or anything they shouldn’t chew on, biting your hand or pushing hard against you with their bodies, and pooping or peeing inside the house.

What Are the Signs of Hyperactivity in Goldendoodles?

As a pet parent, you need to monitor your Goldendoodle to determine whether it’s acting hyper and prevent its behavior from escalating.

So, here are some signs of hyperactivity in Goldendoodles that you need to be on the lookout for:

Running and jumping around very quickly
Barking loudly and frequently for no apparent reason
Pawing or digging at the ground
Having a very short attention span
Getting tired too quickly
Pulling on its leash when outside
Playing too roughly with others
Being impulsive and not responding to commands

When Are Goldendoodles Expected to Calm Down?

Goldendoodles will act more hyper when they’re young because they have higher energy levels that they don’t know how to release in a healthy manner.

Goldendoodles will start to naturally calm down when they become adults at about 12 to 18 months of age as they will receive more training and learn how to release excess energy better.

If your Goldendoodle doesn’t calm down with age and keeps acting hyper, then there’s likely a reason behind its behavior other than its age.

What Causes Goldendoodles to Act Hyper?

As mentioned before, Goldendoodles don’t act hyper into their adulthood without a reason.

So, here are some of the reasons that could cause your Goldendoodle to act hyper:

Lack of Training and Socialization

If your Goldendoodle doesn’t receive proper training when it’s younger, it’s likely to act hyper as adults as it doesn’t know that this behavior is wrong.

If your dog is also not properly socialized, it will continue to perceive most things as a threat and will act more hyper out of fear.

Experiencing Separation Anxiety

Goldendoodles are very social dogs. They love receiving attention from their owners and they tend to seek companionship.

So, if they feel like they are not getting as much attention as they need or if they are left alone for extended periods of time, they will begin to experience separation anxiety which causes them to act more hyper in an effort to get their owners to pay more attention to them.

Lack of Physical Exercise

Goldendoodles are highly energetic, so they need to be exercised physically in order to release excess energy in a healthy manner.

If they do not receive enough physical exercise, they will seek alternative ways to release their energy which can turn into hyperactive behavior.

Not Having a Good Diet

The quality of your Goldendoodle’s diet has a significant effect on your mood and behavior.

If their diet doesn’t provide your dog with the calories and nutrients it needs, it’s more likely to act more hyper than usual as a way to communicate its need for a change in its diet.

You can also check out our recommended dog foods here, I have only recommended the foods I give to my dogs, and these are the ones we’ve settled on after quite a lot of trial and testing and that my friends’ dogs seem to love as well.

How to Calm Down a Hyper Goldendoodle?

Now that you know the main reasons that may be causing your Goldendoodle to act hyper, here are some tips you can follow to calm it down and prevent its behavior from escalating in the future. Of course, the easiest way to prevent your Goldendoodle from getting hyper is to find out what is causing the hyperactivity and fix it from its roots, and these tips can help you do just that:

Make Sure to Socialize Your Dog at A Young Age

You need to properly socialize your Goldendoodle when it’s young to teach it not to perceive certain things as a threat.

Socialization involves exposing your dog to various situations and allowing it to interact with different scents, sounds, animals, and people.

The best way to do that is by taking your dog for daily walks in a busy park or getting it to play with other dogs in socialization events held by pet shelters.

Always Discourage Your Dog’s Hyper Behavior

Make sure not to praise your Goldendoodle when it acts hyper and to directly discourage this kind of behavior as soon as they start displaying it.

The best way to do that is to simply ignore your dog as this will let it know that acting hyper is not the right way to get you to pay attention.

Another effective way is to use a squirt bottle to spray your dog with water whenever it acts hyper. The water spray will cause a little discomfort to your dog and, with repetition, it will learn to associate being hyper with the discomfort of getting sprayed until it eventually stops to avoid the punishment.

You shouldn’t by any means discourage your dog’s hyper behavior by hitting it or yelling at it as this will only cause the dog to feel threatened and its behavior might escalate more. Physical punishment and any other harsh and inhumane ways of disciplining a dog will almost always backfire, so you need to know how to correct their behavior the proper way to make sure you are not actually making things worse.

You can learn how to discipline a dog correctly here.

Spend More Time with Your Dog and Give It Enough Attention

Make sure to spend more time bonding with your Goldendoodle by playing with it and giving it the attention it needs.

Also, try not to leave it alone for extended periods of time to prevent it from developing separation anxiety.

Engage Your Dog in Various Physical Activities

Make sure to establish an exercise routine for your Goldendoodle that involves various physical activities to help it release excess energy and tire it out.

On average, dogs need around 60 minutes of exercise in a day. Some of the physical activities you can do with your dog include going on daily walks, climbing stairs, or playing games like fetch or tug of war.

Engage Your Dog in Various Mental Activities

Goldendoodles are highly intelligent and they require mental stimulation as much as physical stimulation, otherwise, they will get bored and act out. For example, your Goldendoodle may be chewing your furniture not because they don’t like you, but just out of frustration and they are trying to find something to spend their time and energy in.

You can effectively engage your dog mentally by teaching it to do new tricks or getting it some specialized puzzle toys.

Provide Your Dog with A High-Quality Diet

Improving your Goldendoodle’s diet will help improve its behavior.

So, you need to make sure your dog is eating enough calories for its size and energy levels. You also need to make sure that your dog’s meals contain all kinds of nutrients needed to remain healthy.

It’s recommended to include food that has high levels of proteins and Omega-3 Fatty acids as well as avoid any low-quality canned food that contains fillers, sugars, or byproducts. You can learn more about the foods that you should never feed your Goldendoodle here.

Try to Keep Your Dog Away From Stressful Situations

Some situations might be too stressful for your Goldendoodle and will cause it to act out and become more hyper. So, it’s best to be aware of these situations and keep your dog away from them as much as possible.

However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t introduce your dog to new situations. You just need to be prepared for your dog’s reaction and act accordingly to quickly prevent their behavior from escalating.

What to Do If Your Goldendoodle Remains Hyper?

If your Goldendoodle remains hyper and you can’t seem to identify the cause behind its behavior or get it to calm down, then it might be a good idea to seek a professional trainer to discipline your dog’s behavior or even consult a vet as they’re a chance that your dog could be suffering from a disorder that’s causing it to act hyper.