How Much Hyper Behavior is Normal
Puppies are bundles of pure energy and it is normal for them to have surges of high activity, followed by periods of rest. It is normal for a Maltipoo puppy to romp all over the house, sliding around and acting silly, only to crash down and fall asleep without much warning. The pup is filled with curiosity and drive, but can only go for so long before he needs to take a nap.
There tends to be a leveling out that occurs; as the Maltipoo grows a bit older he needs fewer and less frequent naps but also has learned some restraint in how he acts when he is awake. Also, as a puppy learns about his world, there is less that is 'new' and this can help calm him down as well.
Things that can Make a Maltipoo Hyper
There are several elements that can make an active Maltipoo even more hyper; some can be controlled and some are simply factors that the puppy will outgrow:
1) Encountering new elements
- When a Maltipoo is very young, so many things are new. Every time that the pup comes into contact with, sees or even hears something novel, this triggers an inquisitive response. The Maltipoo may jump up, bark, run and otherwise be on high alert to figure out, 'what is this?'
2) A high energy household
- Most often, a dog will act in a way that correlates to his environment. It is rare to find a mellow, calm dog in a loud chaotic household. In cases of older Maltipoo dogs acting hyper, typically the house has too much foot traffic, loud noises (arguing, blaring TV's, etc.) and other stimuli that is too overwhelming for the dog to relax and calm down.
3) Not enough healthy ways to release energy
- When dogs are inside too much, they can suffer from the canine equivalent of cabin fever. This can happen if owners are gone at work all day and after arriving home are distracted by household obligations such as cleaning, cooking and childcare. Other factors include weather related issues such as rainy or snowy weather that limits how often a dog is taken out.
How to Help a Maltipoo Calm Down
While the puppy stage of being hyper is usually temporary, if a Maltipoo is not socialized properly he may continue to act hyper around a wide variety of triggers. Dogs that have not learned how to respond to other people, dogs, cars, situations and events may always respond in a negative way.
There are things that you can do that can lead to a calmer, more restrained dog.
1) Gradually expose your puppy to all sorts of outside elements.
A dog that very rarely sees a squirrel will act very hyper when he does happen to come upon one. However if he sees them every day when he's taken outside, at some point it will become a tad boring and will not elicit a major response. This example is true for the majority of stimuli.
Just about every element will be perceived as 'new' the first 20 or so times that a dog encounters it. As soon as a Maltipoo puppy
has had all of his puppy shots and can then safely be taken out into public places, socialization training should begin. The key is to do a slow and gradual introduction to the world. Short sessions are best, and this is built upon in both frequency and duration.
A Maltipoo that is walked alongside traffic, see other dogs, interacts with cats, hears birds and other woodland animals, sees a wide variety of people and has his world expanded will learn to act calm. Expect your Maltipoo to be hyper at first and opposite to that, some may behave shy or timid. However, when an owner handles himself in a matter-of-fact way with gentle encouragement, dogs typically follow suit.
2) Teach independent play.
When a dog thinks that his only form of entertainment is to play with his owner, this can lead too much reliance on this interaction. Depending only on his human to bring about fun, a Maltipoo may act super hyper in an almost begging sort of way… jumping up, barking and just about demanding attention.
While playing with your Maltipoo is a very important part of care and helps create a strong bond between owner and dog, learning to focus on toys is vital as well.