# Excitable/Restless Behaviour in Cockapoo Puppy



## NovaLuna

Hi All, 

Just looking for a bit of general advice around our 7 month old cockapoo puppy. 

Background: We have Luna, 7 month old cockapoo and Nova, 3.5 years old mixed breed. 

Exercise: Approx. 30 minute walk in a morning, approx 45 minutes-1 hour in the evening followed by short training sessions and mentally stimulating games (ie treat balls, kongs, etc.)

Up until a month ago, Luna was pretty chilled out in the evenings, then suddenly this behaviour started seemingly out of nowhere. The only way I can describe it is as constant 'zoomies' around the living room. She had a phase of barking at the TV (at nothing in particular, just whenever it was on), however we seem to have solved that by being a bit firmer with our voice and making her come away from the TV. The other behaviour still exists. 

A month ago, you could have set your clock by the fact that she would have crashed by 9:30pm. Now, she won't settle at all even though she is clearly tired. Last night, she did settle down about 10ish but at the slightest noise she was up and on the go again. As soon as we go to bed, she goes in her crate and settles instantly and sleeps through. 

Our other dog is also a high energy dog (part husky) but she was nine months old when we got her so not sure if she was a little calmer due to being a bit older (she was still nuts and had us pulling our hair out, but never did this constant zoomie behaviour). 

We've been to the vets and ruled out any medical concerns. A behaviourist who saw her said it's not anxiety and she's just being an obnoxious puppy. 

Are we going crazy about normal puppy behaviour? My last little puppy was a chilled out westie so not sure if this is something she will grow out of or not. Nova was crazy but never with this kind of behaviour but she was older when she joined our family so maybe we just missed this stage! 

Thank you!


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## beckymnd

Welcome to adolescence!! All sounds COMPLETELY normal. I'm really surprised both your vet & behaviourist haven't mentioned she's entering her teens!

Plenty of mental stimulation, healthy edible chews etc


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## NovaLuna

Phew! Thanks Beckymnd! 

We had originally suspected that may be the case, but as it came on so sudden and seemed so 'obsessive' we were a little uncertain. Especially because our other dog was already 9 months old when she joined our family, we missed out on this fun part haha! 

Funnily enough, the past couple of days we seem to be reentering a more calm period - don't get me wrong, we're still having the zoomies and the craziness but it seems a little bit more watered down. For the past couple of nights she has got to a stage in the evening where she has chilled out, and tonight while I've been cooking she's been laid on her mat in the kitchen chewing an antler (with intermittent zoomies in between) which is a far cry from how crazy she was a week ago. 

Hopefully we'll be able to see the light on the other side soon!


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## beckymnd

Hehe oh yeah Dexter is 7 months now, and we have on & off days. Sometimes he'll be SUPER disobedient, running around barking like mad and just completely unable to settle himself down. Last night for example he was barking for about an hour & just wouldn't stop!! 

Other days he's super chilled out and spends the evening cuddled up on the couch with us, then sleeps like a log all night. 

I think it's just the surge of hormones causing inconsistent behaviour ^_^


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## Jackson2017

ha yes adolescence is a joy!

On Thursday I took my 8 month old into work and he was the complete opposite of the 5 month pup I brought in back in December. Everyone loved him but his behaviour was that of a toddler one minute and a stubborn teenager next

It's tough as we keep thinking where did we go wrong but we are aware it's part of them growing up and as long as we keep it up he will come out the other side (hopefully!) LOL


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## NovaLuna

You're not wrong there Jackson2017! 

We're thinking Luna might be coming up to her first season as well, she's had some very odd behaviour the past few days where she has needed to go out to pee more often but suddenly has an aversion to putting her feet on the artificial grass so would rather hold it than pee on the patio. 

We seem to be getting there, albeit slowly, with the other behaviours. I think we had such a tough time of it when she hit 6 months old where she would just constantly bark at the tv when it was on (at nothing in particular). It got to the point where we didn't watch tv for over 2 weeks because there was no point! Luckily, that phase seems to have passed so everything now seems a little bit easier, but I still worry that we're doing everything wrong!! Haha


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## LuckyCockapoo

Interesting, Lucky has been similar...

In the months up to 12 months old he developed selective deafness, some days becoming almost wantonly disobedient. I somewhat blamed it on the winter, not enough exercise and stimulation so getting a bit bored. But maybe it was his age. These last few weeks, having turned 1, he seems to be doing this less. 

He also got fussy with food and only a raw diet got him reliably interested again. He lost a little weight, peaking at 14.7kg at about 9-10 months and now just under 14kg (we were away on holiday for 2 weeks and he lost some of that weight then).

A month or two ago, at times I could have strangled him... he had the odd day of zero recall and even on the lead just refusing to not get his own way.

Don’t you just love em


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## Jackson2017

LuckyCockapoo said:


> Interesting, Lucky has been similar...
> 
> In the months up to 12 months old he developed selective deafness, some days becoming almost wantonly disobedient. I somewhat blamed it on the winter, not enough exercise and stimulation so getting a bit bored. But maybe it was his age. These last few weeks, having turned 1, he seems to be doing this less.
> 
> He also got fussy with food and only a raw diet got him reliably interested again. He lost a little weight, peaking at 14.7kg at about 9-10 months and now just under 14kg (we were away on holiday for 2 weeks and he lost some of that weight then).
> 
> A month or two ago, at times I could have strangled him... he had the odd day of zero recall and even on the lead just refusing to not get his own way.
> 
> Don’t you just love em


Oh this has made me feel like my adorable little puppy is just like everyone's adorable little puppy

Jackson is 9 months on Sunday 

The selective deafness is classic as is the "doing whatever possible to get attention in the wrong way"

I'm not sure we are going to have any worries re food as he eats everything (almost to the point I'm worried something is wrong) but as for his attitude, we are going back to basics as I was getting worried that all he was hearing was the word NO & STOP IT

Interesting that lucky lost weight while you were away on holiday, is that just natural anxiety as he missed you? We have a couple of holidays planned this year and he is staying with family but off course as its the 1st time we will be away for a period of time I am worried


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## LuckyCockapoo

Jackson2017 said:


> Oh this has made me feel like my adorable little puppy is just like everyone's adorable little puppy
> 
> Jackson is 9 months on Sunday
> 
> The selective deafness is classic as is the "doing whatever possible to get attention in the wrong way"
> 
> I'm not sure we are going to have any worries re food as he eats everything (almost to the point I'm worried something is wrong) but as for his attitude, we are going back to basics as I was getting worried that all he was hearing was the word NO & STOP IT
> 
> Interesting that lucky lost weight while you were away on holiday, is that just natural anxiety as he missed you? We have a couple of holidays planned this year and he is staying with family but off course as its the 1st time we will be away for a period of time I am worried


I’m sure one of our old dogs thought his name was “Bobby No”...

Some of Lucky’s stunts are:
- Stealing something, preferably a shoe, and taking it in the garden to instigate a game of catch me if you can. He did this from an early stage. 
- Selective deafness.
- Deciding he’s going to stay out on a walk and sitting down, refusing to move, if you head home (sure sign he’s been bored!)

I’ve started getting him to do a sit when he’s over excited to get him to have some self control. He’s getting better at it. 

He used to eat anything you gave him. And any old rubbish outside. Horse poo is a favourite (and another game to play to try to outwit me). He’s just fussy with his main meals now. 

I wouldn’t worry about a little weight loss. At least not now they’re beyond the little puppy stage.


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## Jackson2017

LuckyCockapoo said:


> I’m sure one of our old dogs thought his name was “Bobby No”...
> 
> Some of Lucky’s stunts are:
> - Stealing something, preferably a shoe, and taking it in the garden to instigate a game of catch me if you can. He did this from an early stage.
> - Selective deafness.
> - Deciding he’s going to stay out on a walk and sitting down, refusing to move, if you head home (sure sign he’s been bored!)
> 
> I’ve started getting him to do a sit when he’s over excited to get him to have some self control. He’s getting better at it.
> 
> He used to eat anything you gave him. And any old rubbish outside. Horse poo is a favourite (and another game to play to try to outwit me). He’s just fussy with his main meals now.
> 
> I wouldn’t worry about a little weight loss. At least not now they’re beyond the little puppy stage.


yes they are stunts aren't they, Jackson loves to steal something he knows he shouldn't have then play catch me around the dining table and his new one is standing outside the door (even in pouring rain) and not coming inside until he sees possible chance of food

We are struggling with calming him down when we come home in the evening, we ignore him for as long as possible and the reward when he finally sits but it doesn't seem to change and it repeats the next day, we will keep working on it

Lucky sounds like a bigger size cockapoo like Jackson, people keep suggesting he is a labradoodle!


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## LuckyCockapoo

Jackson2017 said:


> yes they are stunts aren't they, Jackson loves to steal something he knows he shouldn't have then play catch me around the dining table and his new one is standing outside the door (even in pouring rain) and not coming inside until he sees possible chance of food
> 
> We are struggling with calming him down when we come home in the evening, we ignore him for as long as possible and the reward when he finally sits but it doesn't seem to change and it repeats the next day, we will keep working on it
> 
> Lucky sounds like a bigger size cockapoo like Jackson, people keep suggesting he is a labradoodle!


This all sounds exactly the same - stealing to play chase and not coming in, questioned what he is... 

Lucky would stay outside in all weathers, doesn’t mind being wet through or covered in mud. 

He gets excitable but he calms down pretty quick. He’s not hyper. He still occasionally has mad zoomies where he runs round crazy, but it’s not often.


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