# When Do Puppies Start To Calm Down?



## Bullet Vom Law

Hello,

I know that all puppies have a lot of energy, but I was just wondering at what age do German Shepherd puppies start to come down? 

My almost 7 month old German Shepherd male has a TON of energy and is always on the go. I try to exercise him everyday and this helps for a little while, but then he has all of his energy back within a short time.

The breeder said that he would be a little to medium energy dog, but I just don't know if this is going to happen. Also, on a side note, he is out of German lines and the owners breed for family pets.

My ultimate goal is for him to be a full time inside dog who can be happy with a couple of hours of exercise everyday (including agility and obedience training), but will otherwise be happy just laying down beside me while I work on my schoolwork, etc.. Is this possible or am I dreaming??

Thanks,
Taylor


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## wolfy dog

They are an active breed to start with. That's why don't have a bulldog 
I have a 6 month old GSD.
Long early morning walks, playtime with other dogs, good food and some training and play off and on throughout the day does it. He is calm in the house. Check the ingredients in his food. Coloring, corn and grain can make them hyper. I found that besides the health effects, raw meat makes them more content after a meal.
One day when he is old you'll miss this crazy time.


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## Freestep

Some puppies NEVER calm down and only get more intense as they mature. I have had a couple like this.

Some puppies will start to calm down when mature, at the age of 2 years or so.

And some will remain very energetic and active, but find an "off" switch when in the house and nothing is going on. Some reach this level around age 2 as I mentioned, others, not until age 5 or so. Some never! A lot depends on the breeding. Do you have a pedigree for your pup?


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## Lucy Dog

Depending on the specific dog because they're all different, they don't ever really "calm down", at least not for a long time. This is an active breed. They're always going to be active dogs and need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. This is not the type of breed that's typically going to want to lounge around all day while you watch TV or a read a book and be content with that. 

Your puppy will start to mature as he grows in age. He'll think more clearly and you won't see all the crazy puppy antics that you're seeing now - hopefully. He will be more behaved in the home because he'll know and understand the rules of the house. 

This is all achieved through consistent training and mental maturation.


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## doggiedad

with training, socializing and exercise you can have
the type dog you want.


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## paulag1955

Shasta is 2 years and 4 months old and she is still pretty excitable and energetic, but she channels it more appropriately now. And that is just in the last few months that I've been able to say that. She can now be trusted to go visit our older neighbors with no one worrying that she will maul them with love.


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## llombardo

By the time mine was about 5 months she knew the difference between being calm inside and being ready to go when it was time. Inside she is a cuddle bug, but as soon as she see's the leash...off to the races we go They grow up way to fast, like others have said...enjoy it


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## Dainerra

is this your first GSD? What experience do you have with them? It's entirely possible that your boy is a medium-energy GSD, which equals pretty darn energetic when compared to some other breeds.

Singe will be 2 in December and he's no where near slowing down. My Rayden just turned 9 and has bad hips but, compared to some friends' dogs, he still requires a lot of exercise.

What you are asking is very possible. It will just take being consistent with expecting him to settle down when he is in the house. Also, be sure that you work his mind; physical exercise alone won't keep these guys down for long


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## lzver

Our Jake is already starting to calm down at 7 months old. He is far calmer in the house now. My husband walks him in the morning before he leaves for work, we have a dog walker come in mid-day to feed him and take him for a quick walk. Then he gets another walk when I get home and my husband takes him to the park to play ball when he gets home from work. In between all the walks and play time, Jake is much more content to chew a bone or sleep.


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## elisabeth_00117

Zefra is 16 months old... I'll let you know when it happens....


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## Bear L

Mine calmed down about 1 month before she went into heat, so 8 months. I don't know yet how she'll be like after heat since that's where we are right now.... hopefully no change! Right now, my dog is the dog you are describing. Some days I don't even do anything with her, she just plays a bit in the yard and naps away the rest. When I take her out, she can go and go.


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## JakodaCD OA

Masi is 4, she has as much energy now as she did when I got her, but thankfully she does have an off switch in the house. 

Somedays I watch her and think to myself, when will I be able to take an afternoon nap?


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## rooandtree

my guy is 7 months..and if i dont do at least a 2 to 4 mile walk everyday and lots of fetch,chase and playing in the yard he would drive me up the wall...as he is right now because its raining outside so we are late for our walk so he wont leave me alone or stop getting into things he shouldnt  as soon as we do the walk he will be the calm puppy i love


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## KatsMuse

elisabeth_00117 said:


> Zefra is 16 months old... I'll let you know when it happens....


:rofl:...sorry, I love this answer.

(BTW, Mine are 4 yrs and other is 8 months. The 4 yr old is still a pistol but a little calmer than 8 month old.)


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## TimberGSD2

Well Kya is 12 and she has slowed down a bit.....and only because her body has forced her to.


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## Scarlettsmom

I think they probably mature around 2-3 years old. That's been our experience...that's not to say that the aren't prone to the zoomies until they are well into their "senior" years. 

Scarlett is defnitely as goofy as ever, but like another poster said, she does have an off switch.


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## blackshep

I feel lucky, my 4 month old pup has a pretty good 'off' switch when we're inside and chilling out. But she does like to bring me her toys to throw while I'm watching TV  If I ignore her, she'll lay down and snooze though.

She does have moments where she loses her mind over things, but all in all she's pretty nice to have around.

Putting her into doggy daycare (if you can find a good place) has really helped with keeping her busy all day and she's ready to crash when I get her home, which has been lovely.  Also great for socializing her too, so kills two birds with one stone.


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## RuggedManiac

I have a 9yo male GSD mix and a 6 1/2yo female GSD/Malamute mix. They have been pretty happy dogs. The male we've had since he was 2 1/2 yo and the female since she was 10 mos. Two days ago I brought home a 4 1/2 mo old male who the rescue thinks is a GSD/Husky mix. He has been with a foster family for two months and is very smart and really quite well_behaved for a puppy. This is the youngest dog I've ever had, and I'm going crazy with worry that someone will get hurt when they're playing. I am not a relaxed person in the first place and was actually looking for an adult, but this little guy met us and his fosters thought we would be perfect for him as they were looking for a home with at least one dominant dog to teach him his place and how to behave. My female is definitely an alpha and my male seems to be one reluctantly. We decided a male would be our best bet for a happy household. After two days my older two seem to be tired of the puppy. Am I expecting too much of them to entertain him? We used to walk three times a day, but since puppy came we have walked four times a day. Can I train the males not to bark when they play? I know they're dogs, but we don't do well with barking in the house if it goes beyond an alert of someone at the door or a need to go out. I guess I'm wondering how long it might take for the newness to wear off so they are all content to hang out and have their places in the pack worked out? I want a calm home again so I can feel less stressed. I know he needs to play and that's great, but the noise is hard for me to deal with. I imagiine I will worry for a while about someone getting hurt. Thanks for any advice you can give me. I'm praying I can make this work and not find out I wasn't cut out for puppies!


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## MichaelE

Lisl is a very energetic almost 7 month old pup. She has an off switch inside the house, but she's always ready to chase Kong or the Jolly Ball outside.


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## elizabethtrotchie

I am a first time GSD owner but before my husband got me Timbre I had done alot of research on the breed(have been wanting a GSD for alot of years). I knew that the breed was high energy before I got my terrific b-day present. Still knowing and actually dealing with are two different things lol. I have a bad knee and sometimes my husband has to take him for his runs. He doesn't mind but i feel guilty for not being able to keep up. His walks are all mine though. And my husband says the runs help them bond i geuss what I'm saying is team work is a good way to deal with the energy

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## katdog5911

Stella is 23 months and she is definitely calming down. She absolutely needs her walks, fetches and training but can also enjoy a mid day nap! Her walks don't need to be quite as intense or as long as earlier, although she would be happy to do more! And she is always ready for a game with her jolly ball.

Right now she is napping on the couch across from me. I know that if I got up and said let's go....she would be up and running!


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## Zeeva

I saw the biggest difference after 3 years...


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## AHWooWoo

We're in exactly the same place at 7mos. My puppy is more relaxed and a MUCH better listener after a long walk or park visit. The early morning hours are tough before the first walk. He will chew on everything including non-toys and his play often becomes rough. We're getting a fence put in next week so hopefully he will run around early to help burn off some of the excess energy.


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## AngVi

I have two pups. My girl just turned one and my boy is 7 months. As long as I let them run,run,run in the morning therapy will sit down all day at work with me. But as soon as I get home they need to run, run, run and run some more. A tired puppy is a good puppy.
Your pup will figure out your schedule 


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## Rodimus80

Bullet Vom Law said:


> My ultimate goal is for him to be a full time inside dog who can be happy with a couple of hours of exercise everyday (including agility and obedience training), but will otherwise be happy just laying down beside me while I work on my schoolwork, etc.. Is this possible or am I dreaming??


Are you saying you don't keep your German Shepherd in the house with you? German Shepherds are very pack orientated dogs. Bad idea to leave one out in the yard while you do what ever you want. German Shepherds become like shadows to their Pack Leaders. To take that away would be to rob the dog of what it needs.  If you are worried about your puppy ruining your stuff or peeing then you should really reconsider having a German Shepherd. It cannot be stressed enough, German Shepherds are NOT for beginners.


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