# Age, energy trends



## fjm

Always a bit sad to realise they are no longer pups - but now is when you start to reap the benefit of all the hard work you put into those puppy months, raising a happy, sociable, well behaved dog!


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## PaddleAddict

I love that Jäger can walk for miles and do fun stuff with us, but I feel the same way as you, that I am always trying to so hard to give him enough exercise and worrying it's not enough. 

I noticed a BIG change in his energy level in the past two months. He used to NEVER lie down to rest. At night, I would know he was tired and he wouldn't settle down unless I put him on the leash and forced him to relax with me. Then he'd crash, LOL. He was like a toddler. 

But now, he'll snooze in the kitchen while I'm making dinner or lie quietly on the floor while we watch TV at night. It's awesome! I do sometimes think "Oh, he's not a puppy anymore" but I think it's a good thing really. My neighbor just got a puppy and it brought back all of the crazy memories from when he was younger, honestly, he's much more fun now!

P.S. Jäger succeeded in sneaking his bully stick outside last night and buried it for really in the yard! He seemed pretty happy about it, too. LOL!


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## Chagall's mom

_Careful_ *JE-UK*, this is when I hear "Multiple Poodle Syndrome" strikes; once your first "baby" is no longer one! Chagall is 19 months old and he too has found his "mellow" button. As a younger pup he had two speeds: "start" and "stop." Now he has a "pause" setting. I like it! I can actually type with both hands on the keyboard instead of having to use one to toss him a soft toy to retrieve. He still plays and loves to walk and walk, but he's definitely not the full-throttle, non-stop "energizer bunny" he was when he was younger. I am _very_ happy I'll be spending the frosty northeast winter indoors with a dog who will nap several times a day. In fact, I plan to join him!


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## JE-UK

Chagall's mom said:


> _Careful_ *JE-UK*, this is when I hear "Multiple Poodle Syndrome" strikes; once your first "baby" is no longer one!


I know!!!!! I find myself idly browsing breeder websites for litter announcements. 

I've already prepped dear dog-novice S.O. for our 2nd poodle "in a few years", and he's not adamantly opposed, so now it's just a matter of chipping away at his defenses.

I do find myself coming back again and again to this sad little guy at the Many Tears rescue. An 8 y.o. ex-puppy farm dog.


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## Chagall's mom

*JE-UK:* I think that little rescue in need is lassoing your heart for a reason and maybe you need to fast-track getting #2!!!


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## CelticKitti

Kodi finally kinda slowed down at age 2. He turned 3 Sunday and I kinda miss his puppy energy. Although I did add a second dog right before his 2nd birthday so maybe I just don't notice it as much. But I am no longer the human throwing machine to send a ball flying at least 6 hours a day.

Older rescue dogs always touch my heart. Especially those puppy mill dogs. They don't know what real love is. These poor old dogs deserve to be spoiled for the rest of their lives!


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## flyingduster

Paris is 4.5 years old, and still going nuts. haha!


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## murieics

It's actually kind of a relief for me to hear that they do settle down a little when they get older. I love playing with Jake (and we play, and play, and play...), but I think it will be nice to actually be able to sit down and take a breather sometimes after a walk when I get done with work. 

With all the energy he has now, I literally pick him up from my friend's house in the afternoon, and then spend the rest of the night until bed time wearing him out. By the time we actually crawl into bed, I'm pretty well spent (part of the reason I am looking forward to doggie daycare a few days a week..). 

I'm not gonna lie, the idea of him cuddling on the sofa with me for a nap every once in a while is actually kind of nice.


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## Yaddaluvpoodles

You all are too funny! Poodles settling down at 2, 3, 4 years old? Oh my.

A couple of years ago, stranger who was playing with Vic at our local laundramat opened her mouth, looked at her pearly whites and commented to me that it sure is nice when dogs get this age and settle down. As Miss Highpower-Highdrive Vic really had started to settle down, I was impressed with his insight. I asked him how old he thought she was... I can't remember the reply, but it was in the neighborhood of 3 or 4 years. Vic was a few months shy of her eighth birthday. His chin dropped when I told him her age.


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## Savannah

Flash was an absolute rocket for the first 22 months--I was actually very worried that he might be too much for me to handle! Then he started to slow down a bit. At that point I discovered clicker training, Karen Overall's Protocol for Relaxation, and Leslie McDevitt's book 'Control Unleashed'. He's still up for an all-day hike, but now he's capable of being a couch potato when his energy isn't required. Just what I wanted!

I have no way of knowing how much of his relaxation came from his age, and how much was due to the training, but there's absolutely no question the training helped. He's able to switch from hyper and playful to half-asleep on demand, which makes him the ideal companion!


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## georgiapeach

Calming down with age is exactly why I like older dogs! I'm not a puppy person. :ahhhhh:


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## outwest

I had forgotton how much energy a healthy four month old puppy had. My puppy pesters my 5 year old whippet to play, play, play. I feel sorry for Echo (the whippet). Luckily, I have trained Bonnie to leave him alone when he goes to his crate, so he has a safe place from puppy nibbles. I do spend an awful lot of time throwing balls for Bonnie and throwing balls for Bonnie and throwing balls for Bonnie. LOL. But, she is so darned cute I do it. 

I have been thinking I might try to train her to do tricks because she has so much energy she needs something to think about. She came from a half show line and half preformance line. The breeder said she would be a good agility dog, but I don't think I am up for that. 

I would love to take her on a hike at our wilderness park. Pretty soon she will be big enough to do it. 

I am looking forward to her settling down, but I have a long way to go!


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## sandooch

Gigi will only be 7 months old in about a week, but I am already looking forward to her getting a bit older and settling down. She constantly wants to play tug-o-war or have me throw her road-kill toy and, try as I might to get her to stop, she still mouths our hands (not too hard and it's not as bad as when those sharp puppy teeth were still in, but I wish she'd stop already). Oh, and the hyperness from when I walk out of the house and come back in, even if it's only for 5 minutes. She acts like she hasn't seen me in years and will jump and jump and jump on me for at least a couple minutes before settling down. Whew! It's a bit too much energy for me to deal with, but I know she'll settle down eventually.


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## Rowan

My miniature poodles used to run long distances with me (max 8 miles)--up until they were approx 7 and 8! And they'd still be chomping at the bit afterwards (while I was flat on my back, er, I mean stretching--yeah!). They'll rest if I'm writing or reading, etc., but otherwise they are still pretty active. 

I love that most poodles seem just as content to _get-up-and-go _as they are to chill in front of the television. I don't run mine long distances any longer (although the vet says short runs are okay). But they do love to go for long walks and race around the back yard!


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## WestCoastSpoo

So everyone is talking about when their poodle calmed down, but when did the energy START?? Huxley is almost 3 months old now and I'm just wondering when his energy level will ramp up, if ever. Is it around 5 months? So far he has little bursts of energy in the morning and evening (but he will easily settle down in the middle of those if I need him to). He does like to play fetch and play with his toys if we're game and has LOTS of energy at puppy socialization class when he can play for a whole hour with his puppy friends, but most of the day he just lays at my feet (periodically getting up to make sure he's as close as possible to me)  I keep preparing myself for the crazy puppy energy I hear about, I'm just not sure when to expect it! lol


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