# 6 month old poodle, need some wisdom!



## Ozzy129 (Dec 26, 2016)

Hey everybody!

This is my first post on the forum, just need some general advice. My family just brought home a 6 month old poodle puppy from a reputable breeder a week ago. He's really taken to us, gets along well with the family, and is very well behaved. There are a few small problems I've noticed, however. We were told he's a very excitable, squirmy puppy, and while we see glimpses of that, he tends to spend a lot of his time laying on his bed (our previous puppy 10 years ago was the same way so I'm wondering if it's something with how we treat him). We do try and play with him, we offer him walks outside, but he doesn't seem to want to do much (or he still hasn't learned to play). I know poodles need a lot of physical and mental exercise, so I'm worried he might not be getting it. Furthermore, he tends not to listen very well. He IS well behaved, but we've had trouble getting him to pay attention such that we can train him with commands like "sit", "come", etc.

I was simply wondering if anybody has gone through a similar process, adopting a poodle pup at this age. From what I understand puppies tend to take in a lot of vital information when they're a few months old, so I'm worried we might've missed a key time in his training, and he might never fully adjust because of it. I was just wondering if anybody on this forum had any similar experiences/tips and advice on raising a 6 month old poodle, or maybe let me know if i'm blowing things out of proportion and am worried for nothing. Thanks so much!!


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

Hi - maybe you are expecting too much right off the bat. Surely at this age, he will need time to adjust to his new situation. I think maybe you are a bit too worried - too soon for that. After all he has a new home, a new family and is only 1 week with you. Hang in there, I am sure he will blossom.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I agree - be kind, be patient, avoid anything that might scare him, and give him time to get used to all the changes in his life. It is quite likely that your house is much busier than the breeder's (children? visitors? lots of coming and going?) which can be very tiring for a puppy. But that is only if he is eating, drinking, peeing and pooping normally. Lethargy can be a sign of fever or pain, usually accompanied by a reluctance to eat or to accept handling. If in doubt, call your vet!


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Welcome to PF and congratulations on your new puppy. I agree he needs time to adjust to his new family and routine, especially if your wellness visit with the vet was all clear. Poodles are very sensitive to changes. I'm sure he will come out of his shell in another week or so.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Wait until he settles in then "look out" you will see his personality coming out and you will have a time of adjusting yourself. Adult dogs can spend as much as 80% of their time sleeping or appearing to be asleep. Puppies about half that.
Eric


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Dogs are very comfortable with schedules that are known and predictable. I think that it may be a bit confusing to suddenly be taken out of the environment that your dog has known for 6 months and moved to a new place with new ways of doing things. But dogs adapt very well, and I'm guessing that your dog will be just fine.

I assume that your pup had a lot of contact with other puppies and adult dogs. He may miss contact with other dogs, so if there is some way you can provide that, it might help. And I think dog-dog socialization is always good for dogs. Try play dates, dog park, puppy classes or puppy daycare.

I'd let your dog tell you what he needs during the first first few weeks. If he wants to sleep, that’s fine. You could try getting a high-value treat (like cheese) and rewarding him for making eye contact with you. But make sure it is fun for him and don’t push the training until he is ready.

I got Cammie when she was 8 weeks old. She was extremely interested Bob (my poodle who was then 11 years old), but not so interested in me. That was frustrating and hurt my feelings a little, but it changed before long and now she is very strongly bonded with me.

In terms of whether your dog missed some key period of training or socialization, I think your dog is going to be just fine. But it would be interesting to know about your dog’s life with the breeder. Was he kept in a kennel and pretty much ignored by humans? Or was he a loved part of the family? Even if his early socialization was not good, it is likely that your pup will be fine, assuming that he has a good basic temperament. I know of two breeder dogs who were retired from puppy making when they were 6 years old. In both cases, the breeder did not treat them kindly and they were very sad poodles. But they both adjusted extremely well to their new homes, even after 6 years of sadness.

Best of luck to you and your new pup.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

No I do not think you missed the puppy stage of being with the dog. I have had 2 puppies and 6 others from 8 months up, and they all have turned out the same with the same training. He is new and scared and confused, he will be just fine. When I get a dog from 8 months to 5 years, I train them just like I did my puppies and see no difference. I have to train them for potty patches, and then outside also. How to behave when we travel, and again, they come out the same as the young ones did


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## BrooklynBonnie (Jan 16, 2015)

Agree with everyone else that it's too early to worry yet. We brought home Chuui at 5 months old, and although the breeder told us she knew all sorts of commands very well, and would indicate when she needed to go out, we never saw any proof! We had a dog who for almost 2 months would pee in the house, poo in the house despite our efforts to train and ignored us almost as long when trying to practice commands with her. 

BUT after that time, we realized that while we were stressing about maybe we shouldn't have gotten an older pup after all, she actually HAD settled in, learned how to use the bells to ask to go out, and was copying our other dog when we gave commands. She just needed more time.

As for the sleeping, I am still surprised at how much our dogs slept as puppies and still sleep as ... older puppies. They pretty much sleep (or rest with eyes closed) 70% of the time it seems. And when they aren't sleeping/resting, they are tearing around playing with each other or demanding we play a game with them.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

I agree with the advice you've already been given--he just needs time to settle in. In addition to using treats liberally with training, you might try feeding him at least part of his daily kibble from your hand to reinforce that you're the giver of very good things. 

We brought ours poodles home at not quite 5 months and at 9 weeks. It took both of them time (I can't remember how long, but not very) to attach themselves to us. Now they're always within sight, if not reach, of us. Best dogs we've ever had. Smart, affectionate, funny, energetic, obedient (well, most of the time), and very pretty. You'll enjoy your boy more every day!


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## Michele (Jan 20, 2015)

I have a five month old who has been with us since 8 weeks and training daily. She knows commands and does them when SHE WANTS. She is independent and will barely sit near us...unless SHE WANTS to. She is the absolute opposite personality of our grown boy. And she doesn't lay still for a second.....so I'm jealous there. 
My point is that they are still young and your baby is new to you. It will take time and then.....more time.....


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Welcome to PF! I got my girl at 4 months old (16 weeks) and even after 'settling in' she has remained a very sweet 'easy keeper' you may just have a dog with a very good disposition and until it proves otherwise you shouldn't worry about it...........he's a baby and will learn once he is feeling secure and confident in his new home!
One bit of advice is to find a treat that is very high value and use it ONLY when you are training a behavior and at this stage training should just be a few minutes at a time, a few times a day............Good Luck and enjoy !


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