[tina.abrams]

Just wondering when Labradoodles start to calm down and not act like puppies anymore. Most people say labs don't calm down till they are around 2 or 3 years old. Not sure the behavior of a standard poodle.

What kind of behavioral or other changes can I expect as Labradoodles age?

[Jac]

Hi Tina,
I think it is more a temperment/personality thing than an age thing. As you know, I have two sisters...they are very different in their behavior, and at different times!
Soooo, it is a tough call to make. But by settling down, you mean that they stop constant chewing and accidents in the house...that should be at least by a year or 18 months...but that isn't to say that they will stop chewing! It just slows down. So does the jumping.
But, my dogs (2 years old now) are still very puppy-like at times...and I adore that!
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jacque.bayley.lexie.chase.rosie.nitos.amelia.dupree.madison.sherwood.gerry www.backporchlabradoodles-jacque.blogspot.com www.backporchlabradoodles.com

[seazr]

Ha ha ha! I've been wondering the same thing! Our Dakota is in puppy kindergarten and it goes something like this:
Between commands, since there really is not enough room to do the backwards doodle pounce that wannadoodle describes, Dakota does a single doodle backwards hop followed by a half-flip double-toe rotation! And he does this over and over and over again as the other dogs look on in disbelief and obvious admiration! But as soon as he’s given a command he executes enthusiastically. The instructor almost always uses him as the demonstration dog because he always “gets it!”
We'll deal with the energy, for as long as it lasts, because we so appreciate the "doodle smarts"!

[Chesterpal]

Chester will be 2 in June. I don't think he's lost his puppiness he just gets silly for awhile and then stops as if he's decided he wasn't being a dignified doodle. If my husband "grrrrs" at him Chester will "grrrr" back and then do that funny drop to his elbows and wiggle his butt from side to side thing (Chester, not my husband ). Then they run around the house but when husband says "Ok, come here" Chester will and he'll be calm. He'll still do the goofy jumping around and kong playing but not constantly hyper.

[2doodsmom]

We have had a noticeable "settling down" in George and Gracie in the last month. (They are 8 months old.) They have definitely learned that the wild puppy behavior is for outside only. I'm looking forward to them learning that the jumping and mouthing is only with each other, but we still have to remind them that they can't do it to us. The chewing? Just like Jac said, it has slowed a bit and we have gotten better at removing temptations. I'm still ALWAYS looking for new chew toys. They are still ALWAYS in their crate when we are away from home....but they are getting sweeter and sweeter, by the day.
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Lisa and George and Gracie
http://labradoodle-dogs.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=79
Outside of a dog, a book is your best friend, and inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
--Groucho Marx