Labrador Retrievers are wonderful dogs, but some pet owners may struggle with their hyper behavior to the point that they end up searching for answers to the question “when do Lab puppies calm down?”.
If you find yourself in the same predicament, keep reading to learn more about a Labrador’s behavior, when do Lab puppies start calming down, essential tips, and more!
What temperament does a Labrador have?
Most Labradors are outgoing and kind. They are often very patient, especially when they are adults. This actually makes them excellent family dogs.
However, Labradors can still be huge bundles of energy, even when they turn adults. In fact, even as puppies, it will seem like they have endless amounts of energy because they are fun-loving dogs.
This is actually the reason why they make excellent companions for people with active lifestyles.
Symptoms of hyper behavior
Some examples of what hyper behavior looks like in dogs include:
- High energy
- Impulsiveness
- Hyperactive (e.g., lots of movement, fidgeting, etc.)
- Difficulty focusing and easily distracted
However, keep in mind that some of those behaviors are completely normal for Labrador puppies to have.
For instance, high-energy is a normal trait that most Labradors have. You may have to wait for them to get older and let them play more to help them calm down.
When do Lab puppies start to calm down?
As to when will my Labrador puppy settle down, you will want to know that they start to calm down when they are 2-4 years old.
Most Labradors reach full maturity when they are 18-24 months old, so a Lab puppy truly starts to settle down when they are already adults.
However, they can still be full of energy when they are 2-4 years old. They will simply be more mentally mature and be able to control their excitement more, especially if you trained them properly.
How can I make my Labrador puppy calm down?
It may take you quite some time to wait for when Lab puppies do calm down.
So, here are some tips that you can follow to deal with this high degree of energy from your Labrador puppy:
1) Lots of exercising
One of the best ways to make sure your puppy calms down is to burn all their energy.
Labradors are high-energy dogs and need to exercise a lot every day. Otherwise, they will be hyper, chew, bite, among others, because they want to find another way to use up their energy.
Most Labrador puppies will need 5 minutes of exercise for each month of age.
For example, 4 month-old Labrador puppies need 20 minutes of exercise, and they can do that up to two times a day. Of course, you can add a little more or less time to that depending on how your puppy reacts.
2) Keep them entertained.
If your puppy seems a bit jittery even after having a walk and playtime, make sure they have lots of toys available.
Labradors are very smart, so they will get bored very quickly if they have nothing to do.
Make sure they have many toys around them so they can keep themselves busy instead of excessively energetic.
3) Proper training
Proper training is crucial if you want to tell your puppy to calm down while they are hyper.
For example, if they start to jump on you and bark, you can tell them to sit, stay, or go down, among others. If they know how to follow commands, they will learn how to control their hyper behavior.
However, bear in mind as well that you need to be consistent when you train puppies.
Puppies are like children—they need to keep learning until it becomes second nature to them.
Therefore, you need to regularly train your pup to make sure they stay on their best behavior.
4) Stop rewarding bad behavior
You may not realize it, but you might be encouraging your Labrador puppy’s hyper behavior.
For instance, you might instantly give them a treat when they bark so they can be busy and stop barking. However, that may make your puppy think that barking and other hyper behaviors will lead to treats.
So, just be sure never to reward bad behavior when it comes to trying to calm your puppy down. Instead, you can firmly say no and ignore them until they realize they will not get what they want by being hyper.
5) Positive reinforcement and lots of rewards
If your puppy notices that you reward them for good, calm, and submissive behavior, they will slowly but surely adopt those personality traits.
When your puppy listens to you when you try to calm them down, you can give them a treat.
Labradors absolutely love food, so using healthy treats like carrots or boiled shredded chicken is an excellent way to motivate them. However, make sure also that you don’t always give them a tasty treat, especially when they learn how to obey you.
Pats on the head and words of praise are often more than enough for most dogs. Labradors want to please their owners, so kind words and affection are good motivators as well.
6) Spend more time with them.
You may not know it, but your Labrador puppy could simply feel lonely. Labradors love their families, and if they do not get enough attention, they will find other ways to get it, including exhibiting hyper behavior.
To avoid this, one thing you can do is spend more time with them. This way, you can also keep track of your Labrador puppy’s behavior more often and train them to calm down when needed.
7) Relaxing scents
Dogs have a very strong sense of smell, so you can use that also to your advantage.
For instance, you can use a scented air freshener in calming scents like vanilla and lavender. You can place it near your dog’s bed or in other more relaxing areas to encourage them to settle down and be calm.
However, make sure your dog is not allergic to the scents. Consult a veterinarian before you expose them to certain scents, as it could trigger allergic reactions.
8) Stay patient.
Finally, one of the most important tips is to be patient. It is very likely that your puppy will grow out of their hyper behavior. Especially if they are trained and understand that being hyper does not get them their way.
Your Labrador will think like a puppy until they are at least 18 months old. Therefore, you need to be a bit patient with how hyper they are until they mentally mature.
All in all
It is very natural for a Labrador puppy to be energetic because it is one of their personality traits.
However, there are also follow the tips we have mentioned above if you are keen on searching for answers to “when do Lab puppies calm down?”
You can also refer to our post here for more information about what to do to get your Lab puppy to calm down.
