When Do Young Labrador Retrievers Calm Down?

Young Labrador Retrievers have high energy levels. A dog owner may wonder when all the drive and energy will finally end.

At What Age Do Labrador Retrievers Calm Down?

Labrador Retrievers will start to calm down at 2 to 4 years old. Labrador Retrievers start getting into all sorts of trouble as puppies. The high-energy nature means you will deal with lots of mischief for a while. However, training helps to calm them down.

We spoke to expert veterinarians and dog breeders about the hyper nature of Labrador Retrievers. 

They confirmed that before 2 years, this is the naughtiest age for a Lab. As they grow up, they do calm down, but not fully, since they still retain their energetic nature.

Do Labrador Retrievers Ever Calm Down?

Labrador Retrievers are super friendly dogs common in most households across the country. Most dog-loving families enjoy their company because they’re affectionate and intelligent. Labs are good companions for kids and tend to fit in quite well.

However, one trait stands out when raising a Labrador Retriever at home. This is a dog breed that’s so energetic and active.

They want to move and run up and down, especially when young. From the age of 6, it will be full steam ahead for this adorable fur friend.

Labrador Retrievers’ energetic nature becomes full-blown as they hit the teen years. This is where training comes in to ensure they learn good behavior and do not cause chaos. Labs can cause havoc in your home if left to their own devices as they look for ways to keep themselves entertained.

The good news is that high energy and mischief won’t last forever, especially with proper training, exercise, and structure. From 2 to 4 years old, you can start seeing signs of your Lab calming down, which is a huge relief for many pet parents.

When you notice signs of hyperactivity in your Lab puppy, don’t panic. This is a normal occurrence in high-energy dog breeds. They experience bursts of energy that cause them to be hyper most of the time. The energy does decrease with age, but not completely.

Adult Labs must spend time outside walking or running at the dog park. This is to ensure they get enough exercise and expend the excess energy. 

Signs that your Lab needs exercise, including bouncing off the walls and taking things apart.

Chewing is a common trait with Labs that shows they need to be active at that moment. Also, this indicates that your Lab requires attention. In fact, boredom is the start of trouble for Labrador Retrievers who are always indoors.

So, work on engaging your Lab at home by playing games and heading outside to enjoy a walk. They are also big fans of cuddles and attention when indoors. During winter, it’s important to give them lots of attention since it might be impossible to go outside as often.

How Can I Calm Down My Labrador Retriever?

Calming down a Labrador Retriever is a top priority for many pet parents with young Labs. High energy can lead to lots of trouble at home. 

While Labs tend to calm down as they age, taking an active role is important to ensure this happens.

Training from a young age is a good way to start shaping your Lab’s behavior. That way, they understand what is expected as they grow older. There are ways that you can calm down your Lab as you continue to mold their behavior.

Lots of Exercises

One solution for a hyperactive dog is to ensure they remain active. Since your Lab spends most of the time in the house, this can lead to boredom and lack of exercise. One of the best ways to start calming down your Lab is ensuring they tire themselves out.

For instance, if you have puppies at home, open the back door and let them run around in the yard. Remaining active is important for Labs since they’re an energetic breed. Labrador Retrievers were working dogs bred to assist fishermen in the old days. They’d pull nets full of fish and even go after escapees.

Today, most Labs are bred for companionship and are always indoors. While they are an affectionate and friendly breed, they still need a way to expend excess energy. Pet parents must ensure they walk them regularly and even allow time to run around the park.

A bored Labrador Retriever can become restless and even irritable. Their hyper nature causes them to seek ways to keep themselves entertained. This can lead to mischief as they seek to vent out their energy.

Be in Charge

Teen years are the most challenging for any dog breed. At this stage, they’re growing and learning about their surrounding world.

And, for many, it’s time they get into the most trouble. The good news is you can prevent crazy situations by taking charge.

A Labrador Retriever is a smart dog, which can lead to stubbornness. This is why you must begin training early to teach them good behavior. It’s also important that your Lab understands that you are in charge and not the other way around.

Early training can start at 6 months as your Lab puppy starts to explore the world. Start teaching them to listen when you speak. Simply saying ‘No’ must be understood and cause your dog to cease the bad behavior.

Still, it’s important to remember it’s better to train your Lab and not scold them. Beating your dog is highly unethical and can even land you in trouble with the authorities. Instead, learn to be firm as you correct bad behavior, which lets your Lab know you are in charge.

Social Interactions

Let your Lab go outside and meet other dogs. Socialization is crucial for Labrador Retrievers, and it’s best to start it from an early age. Enrolling them in doggy daycare is even better, so they spend time with other dogs and have loads of fun.

Social interactions help to stimulate your Labrador Retriever mentally. They can meet new dogs, have social interactions, and also know how to behave around new people. Otherwise, keeping them isolated might lead to your dog barking at every passing stranger and dog.

Another way is to stimulate your dog with games and lots of activities mentally. For instance, teaching your Lab to fetch or use answer tactics when you ask a question. Some Labs even master bringing items for their owners, like slippers and robes.

Keep Changing Playing Habits

Certain games and playing habits can cause your Labrador Retriever to become excessively hyper. This is most likely to occur during those early stages, like teen years. Since your Lab has yet to master full control, playing games can make them spin out of control.

As a pet parent, it’s important to take charge of the situation by changing playing habits. Have your Lab calm down so they can listen to your command. Keep doing this even if they continue to spin and jump about the place. 

Sooner or later, they will calm down and obey the command.

It’s simply natural behavior when you see a Labrador Retriever with lots of energy getting excited. In fact, you should be worried about their health if you see them lying around. If a Lab remains inactive and doesn’t show much energy, they’re most likely not feeling well.

Training Sessions

Labs start to exhibit high energy at a young age. When your puppies are 6 months old, they’re all over the place. 

This is why it’s important to start training early. Training is the best way to modify your Labrador Retriever’s behavior.

Proper behavior makes it easy and possible to live with a Lab in your home. Otherwise, you might keep butting heads as they get into trouble. Training starts to modify their behavior which is crucial for hyperactive pets.

What Are Dog Zoomies?

Have you ever seen your Labrador Retriever running around in circles? Well, dog zoomies are characterized by your dog running around in circles. At this point, they tend to have a burst of energy that sends them shooting off.

Dog zoomies are common in Labrador Retrievers since they are a highly energetic dog breed. When they have lots of pent-up energy, it can seem like it’s driving them crazy. Suddenly, you notice your Lab get super hyper and spin in a circle.

The possibility of zoomies is high in active dogs, which can happen at specific times of the day. Watch your Lab when they wake up or late in the day after being indoors since morning. Also, stressful occurrences like bath time can also lead to zoomies.

While young dogs tend to have frequent zoomies, this occurs in all stages of life. Since Labrador Retrievers are always active and energetic, you can see this hyper nature throughout. But it’s good to understand that zoomies are natural dog behavior.

And another positive is sometimes zoomies mean your dog is super happy. Most dogs tend to express their happiness by jumping up and down and moving in circles. For instance, they get the zoomies when you come home or when it’s time to go outside for a walk.

It’s important to understand dog behavior, including zoomies, and make it easier for them. One way is to ensure a clear path by the door, so they don’t knock things down. Also, you can make them less hyper by heading outside to have fun and run around.

Will Neutering My Lab Calm Him Down?

One reason that your male Lab is too hyper can be hormones. As they grow from the puppy stage and get ready to breed, hormones start to surge. This leads many dogs to experience hyper behavior and get into a lot of mischief.

Neutering has been a way to calm down a hyper-male dog for a long time. This is essentially removing the testicles, so they no longer produce hormones

However, neutering only works if you don’t want your dog to breed. And it won’t get rid of all the energy in Labs.

Still, this is another way to help instill calm behavior in your Labrador Retriever. Male hormones lead to sexual impulses in Labs that are accompanied by hyper behavior. Neutering lessens bad behavior, like marking their territory and aggression.

And at the end of the day, neutering helps to reduce stubborn behavior in male Labradors. Remember, a Labrador Retriever is an intelligent dog breed. While this is amazing in many ways, they tend to become stubborn.

However, with neutering and proper training, your Lab learns and understands who is in charge. They calm down and tend to take fewer risks at home. That way, you won’t feel anxious or fearful having a Labrador Retriever at home with the kids.

Key Takeaways

• Labrador Retrievers are an active dog breed that is hyper and energetic. This can lead to much mischief and destructive behavior at a young age.
• Labrador Retrievers start to calm down from 2 to 4 years old. However, it’s important to start training them early.
• As highly energetic dogs, Labs need lots of exercise. Spending time outside walking or running helps them expel the excess energy.
• There are certain ways to help calm down a hyper Lab. These include exercise, taking charge, and social interactions.