Cavapoos aren’t usually considered to be hyperactive as adults, so anyone bringing a Cavapoo puppy home for the first time might be confused at all of their energy!
All puppies tend to be hyperactive, so don’t worry – they usually grow out of it.
In the meantime, however, there are a few things you can do to help calm your Cavapoo puppy down. Use positive reinforcement to reward calm behavior, make sure they’re getting plenty of mental stimulation, and don’t leave them alone for too long.
These steps should help to release some energy and show your puppy that hyperactive behavior is not rewarded in your house.
Today we’re looking at why Cavapoo puppies are hyperactive, how you can deal with this behavior, when you can expect them to grow out of it, and more.
We know how stressful a hyperactive puppy can be, so let’s get started right away!
What Is Hyperactivity In Dogs?
Hyperactivity and high energy levels are often used interchangeably when it comes to puppies. Many don’t know how to distinguish between the two.
It is normal behavior for Cavapoo puppies to have high energy levels thanks to their Poodle parent, and many will learn to calm down as they mature.
However, hyperactivity is different. This is where the puppy cannot seem to calm down all day, creating messes wherever they go due to their inability to relax.
Owning a puppy is hard work on its own, but a hyperactive puppy can be completely draining.
So, how do you know if your puppy is hyperactive? Here are a few of the telltale signs:
- High energy levels
- Can’t sit still
- Impulse control
- Shorter attention span
- Always looking for attention
- Might show aggression in stressful situations
- Finds it difficult to socialize with other animals.
Some Cavapoo puppies grow out of their hyperactive behavior as they reach maturity.
However, you shouldn’t rely on this hope, as some dogs continue to be hyperactive into their adult years. These symptoms might even escalate if not trained.
It is, however, normal for your Cavapoo to have short, sharp bursts of energy and these are know as Zoomies.
Why Is My Cavapoo Puppy So Hyper?
Cavapoos aren’t known for their hyperactivity, so this can come as a shock to new owners.
There are a few reasons why they might be so active during different times of the day, so try to determine whether there is a pattern in your puppy’s behavior.
Here are a few of the most common reasons for Cavapoo hyperactivity.
1. They’re In A Social Setting
Cavapoos are very sociable dogs thanks to their parent breeds, the Poodle and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
They’re outgoing and love making new friends, and puppies sometimes get so excited about meeting new people that they become hyperactive.
This can be seen by them jumping up, yapping, and running around the new strangers.
This might be misconstrued as aggression or assertiveness, but in reality, this is just the Cavapoo puppy trying to make friends.
2. They’ve Been Left Alone
Cavapoos often suffer from separation anxiety as adults, so it’s no wonder that they will also be nervous when left alone as young puppies.
Cavapoo puppies should only be left alone for two hours at a time when they’re young, but even this short amount of time can elicit anxiety.
So, when you arrive home again and your puppy is so excited to see you, it can get so amped up that it turns into hyperactivity.
This should calm down within 10 minutes of you being home, but it can last for much longer.
3. They’re Bored
Thanks to their Poodle parent, Cavapoos are incredibly intelligent dogs. Even as puppies, these dogs are cleverer than most.
While this is a great thing when it comes to training them, it can also have its drawbacks.
When Cavapoo puppies don’t get enough mental stimulation, they might turn to hyperactive behavior to get some of their pent-up energy out.
Adult Cavapoos still need plenty of mental stimulation, but they don’t tend to get hyperactive without it. Instead, they’ll resort to destructive behaviors to release their energy.
4. They’ve Not Had Enough Exercise Or Play Time
Similar to the point above, Cavapoo puppies need plenty of exercise and playtime to release excess energy.
Owners might think that as the puppy is smaller, they don’t need as much exercise as an adult Cavapoo.
However, this is largely incorrect as most will need the same amount of exercise, just in smaller intervals throughout the day.
Keeping a puppy is a full-time job, and you’ll need plenty of time to get them outside throughout the day to exercise them.
A five-minute walk around the block every hour will help to keep their energy levels in check and prevent hyperactive behavior.
How To Know When Your Cavapoo Is Getting Too Excited
Puppies can become over-excited within a matter of seconds, and it can be difficult to keep up with sometimes!
It should be rather obvious that your dog has become super excited by their behavior. They might be sitting still one moment, running back and forth at record speed the next.
Other signs of hyperactivity include nipping, jumping, yapping, spinning in circles, and gasping.
Your puppy will go from a calming presence to an uncontrollable one instantly.
It’s important to note that there is a difference between hyperactivity and high energy.
Cavapoos can be prone to high energy levels thanks to their parents, so hyperactive behaviors might be normal for them to display – from time to time.
High energy levels will quickly be diminished with these behaviors as they’ll release the pent-up energy your Cavapoo puppy has been holding onto.
However, hyperactive dogs might not be so quick to calm down as they are so over-excited and overstimulated.
Typical Hyperactivity Triggers
When you want to learn how to calm a hyperactive dog down, it pays to know the root of the cause first. Your puppy is overly excited – but why?
We’ve already alluded to some of the reasons for hyperactive dogs above, but triggers are specific things that your dog hears or sees to send them into a hyperactive state.
Removing these triggers as much as possible can prevent them from becoming hyperactive in the first place, minimizing the need for you to train these behaviors away.
The Great Outdoors
A common trigger is outside influences. Is your dog pulling on their leash while you take them for a walk?
If so, they might be getting triggered by all of the different textures, sights, smells, and sounds of the world around them.
This is normal for puppies, and they should grow out of it as they get used to their surroundings.
In the meantime, take them to enclosed dog parks where you can let them off the leash to run around and explore as they wish.
The quicker they come to terms with everything around them, the quicker they should stop getting hyperactive at the sight of trees or birds.
Yard Time Fun
Expanding on the previous trigger, some Cavapoo puppies might get triggered when you allow them into the yard for a runaround.
If you ask them if they want to go into the yard and they instantly start wagging their hips and jumping at the door, it’s a good indication that the idea of being outside is triggering their hyperactivity.
Again, they should grow out of this as they get used to the yard.
However, it might be a good idea to let them out more frequently as they might be getting hyperactive as they have too much pent-up energy.
Allowing them to burn this off more often might prevent this from being such a hyperactive trigger.
Hyperactive Greetings
Do you find that your Cavapoo puppy is most hyperactive when you get home after being away from them for a while?
This might be because seeing you after some time apart is a trigger for them. Unfortunately, this is a trigger that doesn’t often go away on its own.
You could enlist the help of a pet sitter or family member to spend time with your puppy while you’re away, as this might prevent them from getting so hyper when they see you again.
The good thing about this trigger is that they will often calm down after 10 minutes or so once you get home.
Food Time Excitement
Like humans, when hungry dogs know food is coming, they might get excited about it and start jumping or yapping.
However, hyperactivity around mealtimes can cause the Cavapoo to eat their food too quickly, which can cause bloating and nausea.
So, hyperactivity should be avoided around food as much as possible.
Consider why your dog is feeling so excited over their food. Are they ravenous? Are they eating enough for their body weight and exercise level?
It is important not to overfeed your dog as this can lead to obesity. However, some puppies tend to be hungrier than others.
Try giving your dog smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day instead of one large meal to see if that calms their hyperactivity.
For more information on how to feed your Cavapoo, check out our informative blog.
Tips For Calming Down A Hyperactive Cavapoo Puppy
Now let’s look at how you can calm your hyperactive puppy down. Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts to follow when training your hyperactive Cavapoo puppy.
Do Give Your Puppy Plenty Of Energy Outlets
One of the best things to do when you’re experiencing a hyperactive puppy is to give them lots of outlets for their energy.
Keeping them content and tired will prevent them from having enough energy to get hyperactive, which is what you both want!
If you see your Cavapoo puppy beginning to get overexcited, redirect their focus onto something else. This might be a toy, a structured game such as fetch, or a training session.
Cavapoos need plenty of mental stimulation, exercise, and socialization, so make sure they are getting all of these things to reduce hyperactivity!
Mental puzzle games are great for Cavapoos as they keep them entertained for plenty of time and give them something to focus on while you’re out of the house.
Leave plenty of treat cages and puzzle games over the house for them to find.
Don’t Encourage Their Hyperactive Behavior
We get it – your Cavapoo puppy going zoomies around the house can be cute… The first time.
However, once they’ve shown hyperactive behavior 10 times in one day, it can get rather exhausting.
But, if you’ve shown excitement over their hyperactive behavior, they might think it’s a good thing and continue to do so.
Hyping up your puppy will only end in them thinking that hyperactivity is celebrated, prolonging the behavior.
Once your Cavapoo starts showing signs of hyperactivity, remain as neutral as possible.
Give them something else to do to redirect the energy, such as a chew toy, or give them some quiet time in their crate.
Consistently doing this should help them understand how to redirect their energy into something more suitable.
Do Use Positive Reinforcement For Calm Behavior
Dogs should never be treated with negative reinforcement – it never goes well for the dog or the owner.
Cavapoos are people pleasers and love positive reinforcement, as it works well for them.
When you see your dog remaining calm after a trigger instead of responding with hyperactive behavior, give them plenty of relaxing positive reinforcement.
Think head rubs, calming words of positivity, or a chew toy that they can enjoy on their own.
Don’t bring the energy levels too high with your positivity as this might undo what they’ve just learned, so keep the environment calm!
Rewarding them when they’re displaying relaxed behavior will help them learn what is correct behavior and what isn’t.
Don’t Ignore It And Hope They Will Grow Out Of It
While most Cavapoo puppies will grow out of their hyperactive nature as they mature, they can all benefit from a helping hand.
Ignoring the hyperactive behavior might show them that it is okay to do, therefore continuing it into adulthood.
The best thing to do is try to find the trigger for your dog’s hyperactive behavior and remove that as much as possible.
Using positive reinforcement will also help to train this behavior away so that, as they get calmer with age, they move away from their hyperactive tendencies.
Do Take Some Deep Breaths And Remain Calm
We know all too well that a hyperactive dog can be stressful and taxing on a new owner.
However, it is imperative that you stay calm and don’t show your Cavapoo your frustration. Showing them your annoyance might make them more hyperactive or make them cower away.
You need to remain calm to model this behavior to your impressionable puppy.
At What Age Can You Expect Cavapoos To Calm Down?
Cavapoo puppies can be very hyper, but the good news is that they tend to go through their developmental phases quickly.
You should be training your puppy to calm down throughout their developmental stages, so they’ll usually calm down once they reach adulthood.
Let’s take a quick look at the developmental stages of a Cavapoo puppy.
3 To 12 Weeks – Socialization Period
This is considered one of the most important stages of a Cavapoo’s development as they soak every piece of information up like a sponge.
Gently introduce your puppy to plenty of things during this stage so that they can get used to them quickly.
This will prevent overstimulation in the future, which can lead to hyperactivity.
3 To 6 Months – Testing Period
Here is where your puppy will learn the boundaries of what they can get away with. This is a good time to start training by putting boundaries in place.
Crate training is a good way to show your Cavapoo that they should be calm at regular intervals throughout the day.
This will also help you in the future when you need to leave them alone for a few hours.
6 To 18 Months – Adolescence Period
This can be a tricky stage, as many puppies forget everything you’ve been teaching them for the last few months.
They like to test boundaries and see what they can get away with. Remember to keep calm and be patient – you will get there!
You might see lots of hyperactive behavior here as you try to train them out of it again.
Remember to only use positive reinforcement and give them plenty of outlets for their energy.
2 Years And Beyond – Adulthood
Your Cavapoo puppy can now be declared an adult, and they will soon settle into their adult personality.
Provided that you have been maintaining your training efforts to keep the hyperactivity at bay, they should start to calm down around the two-year mark!
Summary
Hyperactivity is normal in Cavapoo puppies, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.
Calm a hyperactive puppy by using positive reinforcement when they’re relaxed, diverting their attention to something else, such as a chew toy, and giving them plenty of outlets for their energy.
Remember that Cavapoo puppies need plenty of exercise, mental stimulation, and socialization every day.
Without this, they might resort to hyperactive tendencies to release their pent-up energy.