My Goldendoodle is Out of Control! Are Goldendoodles Crazy?!

Dogs can sometimes seem crazy when they start to run around the house without provocation. They may even act goofy or downright weird. If your Goldendoodle is acting crazy, you likely want to know why. Here’s what I’ve found out.

There are a few ways you can help your Goldendoodle act a little less crazy. Read on to find out some tips on keeping them calm.

Are All Goldendoodles Crazy?

Many Goldendoodles can be described as crazy. They are energetic and spirited, having an obvious love for life. They often bounce off the walls, trying to get anyone they can to play with them.

They are rarely relaxed, and many owners wonder when they have time to sleep with all that playing. It is one of the reasons why people fall in love with them, given their fun-loving personalities. However, it can also be difficult to deal with at times. Goldendoodles have constant energy, making it nearly impossible to keep up with them.

Like all Dog Breeds, Goldendoodles Vary in Energy Levels

While it is common for Goldendoodles to be crazy, they do not all share the same spirited personality. Many Goldendoodles can actually be described as calm, which many doodle owners would be shocked about. These calm doodles are not hard to come by, as many are quite relaxed. However, unless you are adopting an older doodle, it is difficult to tell which ones are going to be hyper and which ones are going to be calm.

In the book Goldendoodle, by Kathryn Lee, she mentions how it is difficult to decide which doodle puppies will be the relaxed ones. Many owners have difficulty taking care of puppies, as they are already high maintenance, so they do not want one overactive. She said that a Goldendoodle before the age of eight weeks would likely change in terms of temperament, so it is impractical to try and get the calmest puppy from the litter, as this calm puppy may become energetic with age.

How Do You Tell If Your Goldendoodle is Bored?

One reason why your Goldendoodle is acting crazy is that they’re bored. Goldendoodles are a mixture of both Golden Retrievers and Poodles. Both breeds are considered smart because they’re working dogs or sports dogs.

These breeds had to learn how to fetch and retrieve during hunting season. They were primarily used to retrieve waterfowl.

Due to their intelligence, it’s easy for them to become bored. The same can be said of a breed comprised of the two. Goldendoodles are often intelligent. They require mental stimulation to be happy. If they don’t receive it, they’ll seek it themselves.

How to Reduce Undesirable Behavior Through Positive Reinvorcement

Be patient and consistent in training and establishing good habits. Establish a routine and good habits to help your dog feel secure and calm. Prevent unwanted behaviors through training and supervision instead of being reactive. Consistently reinforce good behavior to establish good habits to establish good habits.

• Crate training: Goldendoodles are known to enjoy the comfort of their crate as a safe haven, so when your dog is acting crazy teach them to be a calm dog in the crate.
• Scents: Introduce different scents around the house and yard and reward them for finding them to keep them entertained and curious. Use scent training to train them to identify and follow different scents as a fun game.
• Dog toys: Provide a variety of dog toys to keep them engaged and active.
• Dog training: Consistently train and reinforce good behavior to establish good habits. Consider hiring a professional dog trainer to teach them new tricks and commands. Use small pieces of chicken as a high-value treat during training. Use a harness for walks to prevent them from getting away and a collar with identification tags for safety purposes.
• Dog park: Take them to the dog park to socialize and play with other dogs. Allow them to run around and get their zoomies out with some playtime.
• Kong: Fill a Kong toy with peanut butter or other treats to keep them busy.

One way you can tell if your dog is bored is if they chew on things they shouldn’t. Coming home to ruined furniture, toys, shoes, and other valuables is never pleasant. Yet it’s a sign that your Goldendoodle needs something to occupy them.

Chewing is fun. It keeps their minds active and allows them to clean their teeth. It’s also one of the easiest ways to entertain themselves. You can help alleviate boredom–and save your furniture–by providing toys for your Goldendoodle to chew. That might be anything from a bone to an actual chew toy.

When they’re given the right kind of toys, Goldendoodles can happily occupy themselves for some time with them.

Another sign that your Goldendoodle is bored is if they just lay around and do nothing. You may even hear a few huffs or puffs from them. These are dogs with nothing to do. Because Goldendoodles have a lot of energy, you need to give them opportunities to release their energy and stave off their boredom.

A great way to keep them active and entertained is to take them for a walk. Even a few minutes outside can make a real difference for them. Regular walks can also make them excited. They’ll be able to understand a routine and know that their walk will occur soon.

Finding your dog digging in the yard can cause you quite a headache. It can also indicate that they’re bored. Like chewing, your dog will start digging holes to entertain themselves. Regular exercise can help keep them calm and from destroying your yard.

Finally, your dog may seem bored if they’re licking themselves constantly. Grooming is a normal part of a dog’s life. It’s also how they express affection. However, if your dog continues to lick themselves without a break, it might mean they’re bored. It’s just another way for them to entertain themselves.

How to Know if Your Goldendoodle Wants Your Attention

Another reason your Goldendoodle may be acting crazy is if they want your attention. Dogs tend to exhibit certain behaviors because they know they will get a response. This is why training can be difficult. If you only give your dog attention now and then, it can reinforce bad behavior.

An example is barking. If your Goldendoodle wants your attention, then they might bark excessively. You respond to them, usually telling them to stop, and it gives them what they want. A negative behavioral trait is born.

Any time the Goldendoodle wants your attention in the future, all they have to do is bark a lot. This may make them appear crazy, but it’s really just a cry for attention.

Fixing this behavioral trait isn’t easy, but it can be done. The goal is to give them regular attention throughout the day and ignore them if they’re barking for attention. By receiving plenty of attention throughout the day, they’re less likely to demand it later.

You should also take them outside regularly to ensure they’re not barking because they need to use the bathroom. Once all other reasons have been eliminated, if your dog starts to bark excessively, you can ignore them. This will help them understand that barking for your attention isn’t acceptable.

Another way your dog may beg for your attention is by laying on you. They might lay their head or their entire body on you. They want to be close to you, but they also want your attention. This can sometimes make your Goldendoodle appear quite silly or crazy.

They may appear desperate to be near you. Giving your dog plenty of attention can make them appear less crazy in this manner, too.

Your Goldendoodle May Still Be a Puppy

Age plays a factor in how crazy your Goldendoodle may be. Most young dogs have a lot of energy. Goldendoodles have even more energy. The Golden Retriever and Poodle have a lot of energy because of their use in sports. They need enough energy to hunt waterfowl down, swim to it, and then take it back to their owners.

Because of their high levels of energy, your Goldendoodle will also have a lot of energy. They’re most active and energetic while they’re a puppy. This stage of their life can last up to 18 months. By then, they’ll still likely have a lot of energy, but they may be more manageable.

There are a few things you can do to help release some of their energy to keep them from acting crazy.

One of the first tips is to be mindful of rewarding energetic behavior. One common trait dogs possess is expressing excitement when you return home. Your natural instinct may be to coo at the dog or be as excited as they are. This rewards their zany behavior. That can lead to other problematic behaviors like pining, wetting the floor, and barking.

A better option is to ignore them. You don’t want to reward the exuberant behavior. Eventually, they’ll calm themselves and learn to modify their behavior. When the overexcitement transitions into happy greetings, you can start greeting your dog in return.

Another great method to keep your puppy in control is to tire them out. The best way to do this is by exercising them. Because Goldendoodles are smart, there’s no end to what fun activities you can do with them. You may want to try teaching them new games like fetch and nose games.

Goldendoodles will likely naturally pick up how to play fetch. Their instincts have been honed to retrieve objects for centuries.

Even something like a short walk can be enough to tire them out. Puppies need shorter walks than adult dogs, surprisingly. They may seem like they have more energy, but it really only comes in bursts. They’re just as likely to run around the house at top speed as they are to drop down and take a nap.

You can play games with them indoors. Some Goldendoodles will love playing Tug-of-War or chasing a soft ball through the hallways. By playing with your Goldendoodle, you can give them the attention they need and tire them out. They’ll be less likely to exhibit crazy behavior as a result.

When Will My Goldendoodle Calm Down?

As long as you haven’t reinforced bad behavior, most of the craziness should disappear as your Goldendoodle matures. For many owners, that age is around 2-4 years old. This is when they’ve left their puppy stage and are starting to enter their later teenaged years. They may still have bursts of energy, but you’ll likely find that your Goldendoodle is far more manageable at this age.

If your Goldendoodle is still acting crazy beyond four years of age, then it may mean you have a very active dog on your hands. As long as you tire them out and keep them mentally stimulated, everyone should be happy.

It might also mean that you reinforced bad behaviors. Training your dog or going through professional obedience training can help undo those behaviors.

How to Relax a Goldendoodle

Thankfully, there are ways to calm a Goldendoodle down. They can be relaxed, even if it may not seem possible at the moment. Below are the three most common ways of calming a doodle down:

Exercise

The first way to relax a crazy Goldendoodle is to increase the amount of exercise it receives. A Goldendoodle needs a minimum of two hours of exercise daily, however, they enjoy getting even more.

A doodle needs more than just a daily morning walk. They need to be active throughout the duration of the day, getting ample amounts of movement. Depending on the age and temperament of your dog, you may need to take your doodle on multiple walks throughout the day.

Stimulation

The second way to relax a crazy Goldendoodle is to provide it with enough stimulation. Goldendoodles can get bored easily, due to their high intelligence and hyper personality. This means that they need stimulation often. Whether it be through socialization or purposeful playtime, your doodle will appreciate it. If your doodle starts to run out of new stimulants, you may notice that they get themselves into trouble or even become lethargic. This can be easily fixed, however, by working on a new trick or purchasing new toys.

Training

The third way to relax a crazy Goldendoodle is to train them. Training is pivotal for any dog, and the doodle is no exception. In order to combat their sometimes fanaticism, the owner needs to teach them appropriate behavior. This is most easily done through rewarding their good behavior. By praising them when

How to Keep Your Goldendoodle From Acting Crazy Around Strangers and Other Pets

One problem that owners may face is crazy behavior around strangers and other pets. Their dog may be perfectly calm in the home. The second a stranger visits or they encounter another animal, however, the dog goes crazy. This is a sign that the Goldendoodle wasn’t socialized.

Socialized means that the dog was allowed to visit other people and dogs. They became used to meeting new people to the point that it no longer phases them. It should be noted that even socialized dogs may be a little excited when new people show up or a new dog crosses their path. The key difference is that a socialized dog will lose interest. A dog that isn’t socialized will continue to bark, pull at the leash, or even act aggressively.

To keep your dog calm, you need to socialize them early. Allow them to go to the park and hang around other dogs. Invite your friends and family over to the house. Even older dogs can be socialized if you continue to take them to the park.

Socializing your dog can keep them from acting crazy.

Closing Thoughts

Goldendoodles may seem crazy, but they just have a lot of energy and zeal for life. You can calm them down by regularly exercising them, giving them lots of attention, and providing mentally-stimulating toys and chews.

Related Content You May Find Interesting

Here are some more articles that may be of interest to you if you’re trying to get your Goldendoodle to chill out.

• Goldendoodles may act crazy because they’re bored or understimulated.
• Many Goldendoodles can be described as crazy because of their high energy levels, but not all of them are hyperactive.
• To keep a Goldendoodle calm, you need to provide mental and physical stimulation to help alleviate boredom.
• Goldendoodles require regular exercise to release their energy.
• Chewing, digging in the yard, or excessive licking can indicate boredom.
• Goldendoodles may act crazy to get their owners’ attention. They may bark excessively or exhibit other behaviors to get attention.
• To fix this behavioral trait, owners should provide regular attention throughout the day and ignore the dog if it’s barking for attention.