Are Goldendoodles Really Dumb?
Even though Goldendoodles can act a little goofy at times, Goldendoodles are actually a smart hybrid dog. After all, the two parent breeds, the Golden Retriever and Poodle are both among the top 5 smartest dog breeds. Not only are they highly intelligent water retrievers, but they’re also great at understanding human emotions, which is why they make excellent guide dogs.
What Makes Goldendoodles Seem A Little Dumb?
Goldendoodles can sometimes seem a little goofy and crazy when they start to run around the house without provocation. Sometimes they act downright weird. If your Goldendoodle is acting crazy, then you probably want to know why. Here’s why they can seem a little goofy.
One of the main reasons for a Goldendoodle to act crazy is because they’re bored or under-stimulated. They’re either trying to get their owners’ attention or trying to entertain themselves.
There’re a few things you can do to help your Goldendoodle act a little less crazy. Keep reading to find out some tips on keeping them calm.
A common reason a Goldendoodle will act crazy is because they’re bored. Goldendoodles are a mixture of both Golden Retriever and Poodle, which are both working dogs or sport dogs.
Golden retrievers and Poodles are breeds that learn how to fetch and retrieve during hunting season.
Due to the Goldendoodles’ high intelligence, it’s easy for them to become bored quickly. The same can also be said of any breed that consists of the two. Goldendoodles is a dog that requires lots of mental stimulation to be happy. If they don’t get it from their owner, they’ll try to seek it out themselves.
One way that you can tell if your Goldendoodle is bored is if they chew on things it shouldn’t. Although coming home to ruined furniture, toys, shoes, and other valuables is never pleasant, it’s still a sign that your Goldendoodle needs something to occupy them.
Chewing is fun: it keeps their minds active while also giving them a chance to clean their teeth. It’s also one of the easiest ways to entertain a Goldendoodle. You can help to ease boredom in Goldendoodles and save your furniture–by providing toys and more toys for them to chew on.
When a Goldendoodle is given the right kind of toys, they can happily occupy themselves for some time.
Another sign that a Goldendoodle is bored is if they’re just lying around, doing nothing. As Goldendoodles have a lot of energy, owners need to give them opportunities to release their energy and stave off their boredom.
A great way to keep Goldendoodles active and entertained is to take them on daily walks. Even taking them a few minutes outside can make a real difference. Regular walks can also keep their mind busy. When in a routine, they’ll be able to understand the routine and know that their walk will occur soon.
Some Goldendoodle owners can find their dog digging in the yard, which, understandably, can cause quite a headache. Again, it can also indicate that they’re bored. Just like chewing, a Goldendoodle may be tempted to dig holes in an attempt to entertain themselves. Giving a Goldendoodle regular exercise can help keep them calm and from destroying your yard.
Finally, a Goldendoodle may seem bored if they’re licking themselves constantly. While grooming is a normal part of a dog’s life, as it’s often how they express affection, if it continues to lick itself without a break, then it could mean that they’re bored.
Goldendoodle Always Wants Your Attention
Another reason for a Goldendoodle to act crazy is that it wants your attention. Dogs will tend to exhibit certain behaviors as they know they’ll get a response. This is why training some Goldendoodles can be difficult. If you only give a Goldendoodle attention now and then, it will reinforce bad behavior.
Barking: if your Goldendoodle wants your attention, then it may bark excessively. Once you respond to them, to get them to stop, it gives them what they want. A negative behavioral trait is born.
Your Goldendoodle knows that if it wants your attention in the future, all they have to do is bark a lot. This can make them appear crazy, although it’s nothing more than a cry for attention.
Fixing this behavioral trait isn’t easy, although it is still possible with some patience. The goal is to give the Goldendoodle regular attention throughout the day, and ignore them if you think they’re barking for attention. By giving your Goldendoodle plenty of attention throughout the day, they’re less likely to demand it later.
You also need to make sure to take your Goldendoodle outside regularly to ensure they’re not barking because they need to use the bathroom. Once you’ve eliminated other reasons, if your Goldendoodle starts to bark excessively, then you should just ignore them. This will help them understand that barking for your attention won’t work in the future.
Another common way for a Goldendoodle to try to get your attention is by laying on you. Although they want to be close to you, they also want your attention. This can sometimes make a Goldendoodle appear a little silly. This can make them appear desperate to be near you. Giving your Goldendoodle plenty of attention can make them appear less crazy in this manner, too.
Your Goldendoodle May Still Be Young
Age plays a big factor in how crazy a Goldendoodle will be. Goldendoodles have even more energy than most young dogs. Both Golden Retrievers and Poodles have a lot of energy, especially when they’re young because of their use in sports. They need all that energy to hunt waterfowl down, swim to it, and then take it back to their owners.
Because of their high levels of energy, your Goldendoodle will also naturally have a lot of energy. They’re most active and energetic while they’re young. This very energetic stage of their life can last up to 18 months. By 18 months, they’ll still likely have a good deal of energy, although it should be a bit more manageable.
There’re a few things you can do to help release some of their energy to help to prevent keep them from acting crazy all the time.
The first tip is to be mindful of rewarding energetic behavior. One common trait Goldendoodles possess is expressing excitement when their owner has returned home. An owner’s natural instinct may be to coo at the Goldendoodle or be as excited as they are. However, this only rewards their goofy behavior. The problem with this is that it can lead to other problematic behaviors, like pining, wetting the floor, and further barking.
A better option is to simply ignore them in these situations. After all, you don’t want to reward their exuberant behavior. Over time, they’ll calm themselves and learn to change their behavior. When the overexcitement transitions into an appropriate, happy greeting, you can start greeting your dog in return.
Another great method to keep a young Goldendoodle in control is to tire them out. The best way to do this is by giving them lots of exercise. As Goldendoodles are smart, there’s no end to what fun activities you can do with them. You can try to teach them new games like fetch and nose games.
It’s natural for a Goldendoodle to pick up on how to play fetch very quickly, as their instincts have been honed to retrieve objects for centuries.
Even something like taking your Goldendoodle for a short walk can be enough to tire them out. Young Goldendoodles should only be taken on shorter walks. Although they may seem like they have more energy than older Goldendoodles, their energy tends to come in short bursts. A Goldendoodle puppy is just as likely to run around the house at top speed as they are to drop down and take a nap.
Playing games with your Goldendoodle indoors: Goldendoodles like most dogs love playing Tug-of-War or chasing a softball through the hallways. By playing with your Goldendoodle indoors when they start to show more energy, you can give them the attention they need and tire them out. Doing this should cut down on their crazy behavior.
Do Goldendoodle’s Ever Calm Down?
As long as you haven’t reinforced bad behavior, most of the craziness that younger Goldendoodles show should disappear as it matures. In most cases, that age is around 2-4 years old. This is when they fully leave their puppy stage and begin to enter their later teenage years. Although they may still have bursts of energy, you’ll likely find that your Goldendoodle is far more manageable at this age.
If your Goldendoodle is still acting crazy beyond the age of 4, then it is highly likely that you’re going to have a very active dog on your hands. However, as long as you know how to tire them out and keep them mentally stimulated, everyone should be happy.
As it may also mean that you reinforced bad behaviors, training your Goldendoodle or going through professional obedience training can help undo those behaviors.
What To Do If Your Goldendoodle Acts Crazy Around Strangers And Other Dogs
One problem that owners may face is crazy behavior around strangers and other pets, or dogs in the local park. Even though a Goldendoodle may be perfectly calm while at home. The second a stranger visits the house or they encounter another dog, however, the Goldendoodle acts crazy. This is a sign that a Goldendoodle hasn’t been socialized properly when it was younger.
Socializing a Goldendoodle means it has been allowed to visit other people and dogs. They have been used to meeting new people and dogs to the point that it no longer phases them. Although, this isn’t to say that a socialized dog doesn’t get a little excited when new people show up or a new dog crosses their path. The key difference is that a socialized Goldendoodle will lose interest in other people or pets around them a lot quicker. Whereas a Goldendoodle that isn’t socialized will continue to bark, pull at the leash, or even act aggressively.
That’s why it’s so important to socialize a Goldendoodle when it’s young. It benefits the dog as it allows them to go to the park and hang around other dogs, without their owner having to worry. You can start socialising your Goldendoodle by inviting over friends and family to the house.
