When Do Puppies Calm Down? 6 Tricks to Calm Your Puppy

If you’ve just become a parent to a pup and not only your furball brings joy to your life but a mess too. Then you might be wondering, when do puppies calm down?

These tiny furballs are full of energy. You see them wandering around the house, chewing your slippers or curtains like they’ve been hungry for years. Or you see them following you everywhere. All these times they are super excited and their high energy levels are just adorable.

No doubt, being able to see your “more-then-ever” excited buddy play is one of the perks of raising a pup. These are the moments that reflect life in them. But sometimes they are just too hyper to handle, and you wish your puppy calms down.

To know when do puppies calm down, let’s take a quick read!

When Do Puppies Calm Down?

Puppy growth is rapid when they are young. Puppies sleep a lot for the healthy growth of their both body and mind. A puppy on average sleeps about 18 to 20 hours in the early days of its life.

But when your puppy is awake, its energy is never-ending.

No worries! We’ve got you.

As puppies grow old, they gradually calm down. But age is not the only factor behind a pup’s inestimable energy there are some other things to consider as well.

1) Breed & Size:

A pup’s energy significantly depends on the breed. Some dog breeds have very high energy levels and are usually used for sporting events.

These include Border Collies, Dachshunds, Terriers, and Greyhounds, etc. These dogs keep their energy levels on boost even in adulthood.

The size of the pup also matters when it comes to being energetic. Smaller dogs have more energy than mature adult ones.

2) Psychological State:

In the early weeks of a pup’s life, he can experience many new things around him. It is very important to expose him to the new environment so that he doesn’t freak out at random things.

Also, the behavior of adjusting to new things will make him less aggressive and anxious.

3) Socialization:

Like humans, dogs also share the energies of their company. If your pup socializes with older dogs or joins an energetic pack, his energy will certainly get a boost.

4) Gender:

Females biologically have a calmer attitude than males. Females get mature and train much faster. 

Evolution in Puppy’s Energy Levels by Age

Age plays a vital role in determining your pup’s energy level. Even though all puppies act distinctly in terms of how they grow, they generally follow the same growth pattern.

You can read our complete guide on the eating behavior of puppies at different life stages of their life. How long can a puppy go without eating?

1) New Born To 10 Weeks Old:

When puppies are born, they are extremely fragile and can’t even see, hear, or move properly. They entirely depend on their mothers.

Even when puppies start seeing, they still tend to be lazy and reserved. They feed on their mother’s milk for required nutrients and growth.

As weeks pass by and they get a bit older, you will notice a change in their behavior. At about 10 weeks of age, they would become brave enough to leave their mum and explore the world. You would hear them barking, wagging their tails, and wandering around.

So be prepared!

2) 10 Weeks To 16 Weeks of Age:

Until 10 weeks of age, you have seen your puppy being a calm little boy— the joy of your life. But once they reach the age between 10 to 16 weeks, you would notice your calm little boy turning into a little devil with unlimited energy!

At this age, puppies are discovering new things every day and their curious minds are always figuring out how things work. This is a great age of learning for them. So, you should focus on their basic training.

Puppies have brief attention spans so one should make the training short and fun.

3) 16 Weeks To 6 Months of Age:

At this age, your puppy still has nonstop energy but now he is more social and wants to make friends. It is the best time for them to learn how to socialize with other dogs properly.

After 4 months, your pup has had all his vaccines. You can take him to parks or arrange a puppy date at home.

At this time, you must check whether their energy is going in the right way or not. As at this age they start showing the different aspects of their personality.

They become aggressive and that’s surely the last thing you want in your puppy. Try to work on your puppy’s behavior.

Moreover, they also go through a stage of fear that usually lasts a month. During this time take adequate measures. If it prolongs, seek professional help.

4) 6 Months to 1 Year of Age:

At this point, your puppy adapts to the routine and is a bit calm. But you must not stop the training and socializing as they are still energetic. You should train them to release their energy in positive ways.

Thus, now you can expect calmer days coming!

5) 1 Year To 2 Years of Age:

You must appreciate yourself as you’ve made it through the worst. You would notice a huge change in your puppy’s behavior. He is calmer than ever now.

About 1- or 2-years old puppies are considered adults according to most breeds.

Pat yourself on the back as you’ve successfully raised a calm puppy.

How Can You Calm Down Your Pup? 6 Tricks!

Puppies are generally considered more energetic than older dogs. Providing appropriate training during the early stages of life pays off.

Below is the list of ways, that you can adopt to make your hyper pup calm down.

1) Physical Exercise:

Regular exercise is a perfect way to release the bottled-up pent-energy in your puppy. Exercise helps to release their destructive energy and calm them down.

You must take your dog on regular walks in the evening or on a fun trip to the park. It will not only make your puppy calm but also make your bond stronger.

2) Mental Exercise:

If your pup stays at home all day long, there must be ways to make their little minds busy. It’s not just the physical exercise that you should emphasize but mental as well.

You can buy mental stimulation toys like simple games, puzzle feeders, etc. these toys will keep your furball mentally busy.

3) Maintain A Regular Schedule:

Set a daily routine and follow it religiously. It helps your pup to expect what’s coming next.

Either it’s their meal time or time to go on an evening walk, they’ll be ready for it.

If you just randomly do things without a proper schedule, it will make your pup confuse.

4) The Crate Training:

Crate Training is also considered an effective way to calm your pup. Some people think of it as a punishment, but actually, it’s not. The Crate ultimately becomes a safe place for your puppy. It’s where they sleep and feel comfortable.

As your pup adapts to the Crate Space, they will start thinking of it as a place of security and calmness.

So, whenever you feel like your dog’s energy is causing trouble, that’s where the crate comes to the rescue. The Crate would calm down your hyper dog.

5) The Obedience Training:

Most dog owners focus on other training and usually ignore obedience training. Through this training program, your dog would listen to your orders. Thus, it makes things easy and safe.

There are several different techniques, from making them sit down, to make them fetch the ball you just threw away in the park.           

Your priority should be sitting commands, recall commands, and attention commands.

6) Ignoring the Puppy:

Well, ignoring the puppy might sound inappropriate but it really helps to calm him down.

You can do this by avoiding praising them at everything. Puppies get excited on normal occasions like when you come home after a long workday, they would be super happy to see you and start barking.

For the sake of the training, you must ignore them sometimes. They would eventually learn this and move on. Teaching them not to make minor things “a big deal” must be your goal.

When Do Puppies Calm Down – Conclusion:

Most dog breeds start to calm down around the age of 6 to 9 months. They become mature enough to deal with troubles at this age.

Thus, they lose their boundless energy and become calmer. By following these “how to calm your puppy” tips, you would notice a positive change in your puppy’s behavior.

So, don’t wait and give them a try!