Expecting your new golden retriever puppy to be all obedient, calm, and lovey-dovey when it turns out to be the opposite can make you question your sanity and regret your decision. We will talk about the age your golden retriever puppy gets easier and what you can do in the meantime to avoid feeling like a bad dog parent.
Golden retriever puppies get easier when they reach maturity and adulthood, which is between 18 and 24 months. By this time, they will be physically and emotionally developed and will have gone through the puppyhood and rebellion stages.
Until your puppy reaches adulthood, you can’t expect to sit still and watch them poop or pee on the floor, excessively bite and chew on your furniture, or be disobedient. We’ll cover everything in this article to help your time go as smoothly and memorable as possible with your little canine.
Table of Contents
How Long Until My Golden Retriever Puppy Gets Easier?
Your golden retriever puppy may seem like a little demon to you right now, regardless of how adorable they are.
Your little canine companion is getting used to a new environment, getting to know new people, and going through various developmental phases in their puppyhood. All this will affect their behavior.
However, golden retriever puppies calm down once they reach adulthood, which happens between 18 and 24 months.
Meanwhile, you need to be patient with them, give them attention, keep training and socializing them, set routines for them, and reinforce positive behaviors.
Don’t set up bad habits. It’s harder to break bad habits once they have been established.
Therefore, you should use this time to bond with your puppy and help them build good habits as they are in the learning phase.
What are Puppy Blues and How Long Do They Last?
Puppy blues is a term used to describe feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, anxiety, and disappointment when you bring a new puppy home.
You may even start looking for answers to such questions – “When do I get my life back after puppy?”
This may lead you to feel guilty about being a bad pet parent.
Studies suggest that having canine companions can be therapeutic for humans. However, getting a puppy can be overwhelming for some, especially first-timers.
You don’t need to feel embarrassed or guilty. Remember that puppy blues can last for days, weeks, or even months and it’s totally normal. Every dog owner’s experience is different, and some may never experience this.
To overcome this phase, you need to just make sure you bond well with your puppy, keep training them, and establish a consistent routine.
All this means an easier and calmer golden retriever puppy, which equals a happier and more relaxed you!
Do Puppies Get Worse Before They Get Better?
You may think if puppies get better with age. However, your puppy may get worse before they get better.
Most puppies separate from their mother and littermates when they are 8 weeks old. They may feel sad and need time to adjust to a new home and people and start experiencing new things.
RECOMMENDED READING: Why Do Golden Retrievers Look Sad? (10 Must-Know Signs)
Furthermore, when they enter their teenage phase, they may start regressing to old habits and behaviors.
All this may get worse for you, but the good thing is knowing that it will eventually get better.
You should ensure to remain patient, stay consistent with your little pup’s routine, and keep training them to make it all a whole lot easier for you.
When Do Puppies Become More Independent?
Puppies become more independent when they enter their adolescence phase, which is around 6 months. By this time, they will have learned many basic commands and should be done with potty training.
RECOMMENDED READING: How to Potty Train a Golden Retriever Puppy? (10 Easy Steps)
They will have a better understanding of basic manners and what behaviors are acceptable. Not to mention, you should still remember that they will be a typical “teenager” during this stage.
In other words, they will rebel and show unusual behaviors as they produce hormones.
Just because they have become independent on the basic tasks that need your time and effort doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t supervise them, as they can still make mistakes.
Golden Retriever Puppy Developmental Phases
Your golden retriever puppy behavior stages will vary in accordance with their developmental phases. It’s imperative for you to know about these phases as it will help you understand your pup’s behavior better, so you can take the right steps accordingly.
Here’s your golden retriever puppy development week by week (and month by month).
8 to 12 Weeks
Considering that a puppy shouldn’t be separated from their mother and littermates till they are 8 weeks old, you will have your little golden retriever at home with you when they are 2 months old (8 weeks). This is when your journey begins with them.
The socialization period in puppies starts at the age of 3 weeks and lasts till 12 to 14 weeks. It’s crucial for you to socialize your little one with as many environments, objects, and people during this period to ensure they don’t behave fearfully, anxiously, or aggressively later in life.
RECOMMENDED READING: Anxiety in Golden Retrievers: Symptoms, Causes, & Solutions
It’s essential to note that your puppy may go through the 1st fear period, which is around 8 to 11 weeks. Of course, this coincides with the socialization period. However, not all puppies go through this period, and it’s not easier to tell if they will experience this or not.
During the fear period, what seemed normal to your puppy may suddenly frighten them. It’s a normal developmental part and nothing to worry about.
However, make sure you socialize your puppy in a safe and gentle way. Don’t force them to meet new people or have new experiences. Let them be as comfortable as possible, use positive words, keep encouraging them, and use reward-based training.
You certainly don’t want to force your puppy to get out of the fear zone and scare them for life.
Your golden retriever puppy will be experiencing new things and environments at this stage of their life and it’s time for you to build a strong bond with them.
Mostly, their daily routine will be like this:
Eat → Go Potty → Sleep → Play → Repeat
Nevertheless, they will have a short attention span and a lot of energy! Make sure you meet their social, mental, and physical needs. (We’ll discuss in the tips section below in detail)
12 to 24 Weeks
Between 12 and 24 weeks, your golden retriever puppy will become more confident and curious about the world around them. You can also start seeing their personality develop by now.
Make sure you keep socializing them in a controlled manner to make them feel more confident and secure. You should also be able to interpret their body language as to when they are feeling anxious or uncomfortable.
Between 12 and 16 weeks, your puppy’s permanent adult teeth will start to grow, and this will lead to sore gums. You will also notice your little pup chewing almost everything in your home to soothe teething discomfort. It’s important to give them chew toys to relieve the discomfort.
RELATED: Do Golden Retrievers Chew A Lot?
By 16 weeks, you should enroll them in training classes to socialize them and help them learn manners. To ensure they don’t punish puppies for training them, you can visit and observe the classes yourself before enrolling them.
However, you shouldn’t overlook the importance of house training. They should be able to understand basic commands by now, like “sit” or “sleep”. Make sure they have a consistent routine and know the house rules and boundaries. (We’ll discuss more tips later)
RECOMMENDED READING: 5-Month-Old Golden Retriever Behavior: A Complete Guide
ALSO READ: 4-Month-Old Golden Retriever Behavior: A Complete Guide
6 to 18 Months – Teenage Phase
Most dog owners keep training their little canine companion until they enter the teenage phase. However, it is even more important to keep training your puppy in their adolescence since they will undergo several behavior changes due to emerging hormones.
It’s equally important to keep socializing them. However, they may go through the 2nd fear period, which is between 6 and 14 months. So, you should use the same coping strategies as the 1st fear period to prevent permanent fear behavior.
By 6 months, your golden retriever should have all their adult teeth grown in, but they may still like holding something in their mouth. Make sure they understand your commands like “drop it” or “give” to handle them better.
They will also be little explorers by this time and discover new things like the best spot to pee and learn more about the neighborhood.
During their teenage stage, they may start testing boundaries and challenging you. They may be cranky, aggressive, disobedient, withdrawn, and even moody. They may also regress to their old habits.
Along with training and socialization, you should give them plenty of physical activity and mental stimulation to help them release all their pent-up energy, so they can calm down.
It may be one of the toughest phases in puppyhood for you, but the good news is that, like other phases, this will also pass.
RECOMMENDED READING: Golden Retriever 6 Months Old Behavior: A Complete Guide
ALSO READ: Golden Retriever 7 Months Old Behavior: A Complete Guide
18 to 24 Months – Maturity Stage
Congratulations – you made it! Officially, the puppyhood of your golden retriever comes to an end at this stage as they fully develop physically and emotionally. Your puppy’s personality and traits will unfold completely at this stage.
By this time, they should be well-behaved and socialized. However, it’s better to keep polishing their skills and practicing the training that they have received till now.
They will still be quite energetic right now but easier to handle with training. It’s time to cherish the bond you share with your canine companion now!
RECOMMENDED READING: 18-Month-Old Golden Retriever Behavior: A Complete Guide
ALSO READ: 2-Year-Old Golden Retriever Behavior: A Complete Guide
Reasons Your Golden Retriever Puppy May Be Difficult to Handle
Your golden retriever puppy may be difficult as they go through different developmental stages, as we just discussed.
In addition, several other reasons may cause them to be too hyper.
1. Hyper and Active by Nature
Since golden retrievers were traditionally working dogs and used to fetch upland waterfowl and ducks during hunting, they are high-energy, active, and playful dogs.
Due to their high energy levels, they need to calm themselves down and require a lot of activity. Otherwise, this fluffy ball of energy may get out of control for pet parents!
RECOMMENDED READING: Why Is My Golden Retriever So Hyper?
2. Lack of Physical Activity and Mental Stimulation
As golden retrievers are active and playful by nature, they need lots of physical activities and mental stimulation. Otherwise, they may become bored very easily.
You certainly don’t want your little pup to get bored, as they can start showing destructive and overexcited behavior. Moreover, excessive chewing, barking, digging your lawn, and jumping on you can be witnessed as a result.
Recommended Reading: Do Golden Retrievers Dig?
3. Lack of Attention
Dogs are naturally affectionate and social.
RELATED: How Do Golden Retrievers Show Affection?
They may excessively jump, bark, or paw if you don’t give them enough time or attention.
Recommended Reading: Do Golden Retrievers Jump Fences?
Also Read: Why Do Golden Retrievers Paw at You?
They may feel neglected if you haven’t played or cuddled with them for a long time. They may also need assurance that their bond is strong with you. (We’ll discuss the tips soon)
4. Lack of Training
If you don’t obedience train your golden retriever puppy properly, you will have difficulty calming them down as they will pick up bad habits and act out.
As dogs are always eager to please their owners and are willing to learn from you, you should properly train them. This way, they will know the rules and their boundaries and won’t give you a tough time.
Tips To Get Through the Puppy Stage
Raising a golden retriever puppy while working or being a full-time parent can be a bit nerve-racking and exhausting.
However, now that you are aware of the reasons that cause your puppy to act out, the puppyhood stage will become a breeze for you with these practical tips.
1. Prepare for the Arrival of Your Golden Retriever Puppy
You may wonder how to prepare for a golden retriever puppy. As you would prepare for the arrival of a baby, you and your household members will also need to be prepared for your golden retriever puppy.
Start puppy-proofing your house and lawn before your little canine arrives. This will ensure your possessions’ and puppy’s safety.
For instance, put shoes and electrical cords out of their reach. Make sure they don’t have access to cleaning products and medicines.
You will also need to shop for the basics for them – food, bowls, leash, collar, cozy bed, and crate.
RELATED: How to Crate Train a Golden Retriever? (Step-by-Step Guide)
2. Create a Consistent Schedule
You need your little canine companion to quickly adjust to a new home by setting a schedule and ensuring they follow it.
Otherwise, they may keep showing separation anxiety, play and eat less, growl, and bark. All of this will make it harder for you to handle them.
RELATED: Why Do Golden Retrievers Bark So Much?
Therefore, you should set a schedule for them to wake up, eat, go potty, sleep, and play at the same time every single day, no matter what.
This will make it easier to adjust to a new place and prevent them from feeling anxious.
Bonus tip: Sticking your pup’s schedule chart on the fridge will make sure everyone follows the same routine in your home, even if you aren’t available.
3. Provide Mental Stimulation
Mental stimulation can make dogs more tired than physical exercise. Mental stimulation not only helps them learn more but also prevents boredom and unwanted behavior.
If they aren’t mentally stimulated enough, they will feel bored and create their own fun, which may be translated into “destructive” behavior by humans. Your puppy should have about 20 to 30 minutes of mental stimulation daily.
To exercise your pup’s brain, you can play games like “hide and seek” and teach them tricks with lots of praise like “roll over”.
In addition, interactive toys are ideal for engaging their brain. For example, QQQNG Dog Puzzle Toy encourages your puppy to get treats by figuring out how to dispense them.
AWOOF Snuffle Mat keeps them busy by allowing them to sniff the mat and search for hidden treats.
You can also give them chew toys to help them soothe their sore gums and keep your furniture protected and their mind busy.
4. Engage Your Golden Retriever in Physical Exercise
Many pet owners ask questions like, do puppies get easier when they can go for walks or any other physical activity? Short answer – yes, puppies do calm down when they get enough physical activity.
Since they can get bored and show inappropriate behavior and even have a lot of pent-up energy, physical activity will help them stay active, well-behaved, and release excess energy.
Studies demonstrate that one of the reasons for obesity in dogs is the lack of physical activity, which can adversely affect their health and longevity.
However, you shouldn’t go overboard with exercising them as they are still little pups, and their body is developing. Excessive exercise can result in problems with their joints, which can be debilitating.
According to The Kennel Club, a good rule of thumb is to exercise your puppy for 5 minutes per month of age (up to twice a day).
Say, a 4-month-old puppy will need to be exercised for up to 20 minutes TWICE a day (5 minutes x 4 months). That would be up to 40 minutes of physical activity every day.
Remember, in addition to physical exercise, they will also need to be mentally stimulated.
5. Give Them Attention Regularly
Since puppies can act out and feel insecure if you don’t give them enough attention regularly, you should make them feel important by playing with them, talking to them, and training, walking, petting, and feeding them.
Recommended Reading: Do Golden Retrievers Like to Cuddle?
Now, you may wonder how much attention you should give your puppy to ensure they are healthy, well-behaved, and happy.
AKC recommends that a dog should generally get at least 2 hours of dedicated social time with humans or other dogs every day, which can be broken up into periods of time spread across a day.
6. Train Them
When your golden retriever puppy isn’t well-trained, they will behave aggressively and inappropriately. Training helps them become a well-behaved dog and be more in control. Otherwise, they may be quite hyper and not calm down.
You should give them obedience training and make sure they reliably respond to commands like drop, fetch, sit, sleep, stay, etc.
You may also wonder how to train a golden retriever puppy not to bite. Although biting is normal for puppies as they are little and untrained, you can teach them to bite or chew appropriate things.
Recommended Reading: When Do Golden Retriever Puppies Stop Biting?
Introduce your puppy to chew toys that they can bite. If your puppy is on a biting spree, remove yourself from the situation, go to another room, and ignore them until they calm down or get distracted by a toy.
RELATED: Do Golden Retrievers Attack Humans?
Also, mentally and physically exercising them can release all their pent-up energy.
No one wants accidents to happen around the clock everywhere in the house. Make sure you also potty train them by taking them outside to the same spot so they can relieve themself.
AKC advises using the month-plus-one rule to calculate how long a puppy can hold it. For a 4-month-old puppy, it would be 5 hours. If you’re still witnessing accidents, you can take them out half an hour earlier to poop or pee.
7. Reward Your Puppy for Good Behavior
Rewarding your golden retriever puppy for good behavior encourages them to repeat the action or behavior in the future.
You should always reward your puppy for listening to you or for good behavior like sitting, pooping/peeing outside, or even remaining calm.
Praise words like “good boy” or “you did a great job today” will surely be the cherry on top!
8. Bring in Help
You can share the responsibilities of raising a golden retriever puppy with your household members to make your day less exhausting.
Joining support groups can allow you to meet new puppy parents who are struggling with the same things as you, and this will calm you down as to you’re not alone. You can also share helpful tips.
Suppose your golden retriever puppy is giving you a hard time. In that case, you can always get professional help from a vet, pet trainer, or dog behaviorist to make everything easier.
9. Take Some Time Off
Raising a puppy can be draining, and you may get tired of looking after them 24/7. Take a few deep breaths and take some time off the hectic routine to relax, recharge yourself, and resume taking good care of your little canine.
Only a few hours will also do the job. Until then, you can ask one of your family members or friends to care for your puppy or hire a pet sitter while you unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What age are golden retrievers most difficult?
Some people may find their golden retriever puppy most difficult during their early stage (between 2 and 6 months) as they need to be potty trained and constantly supervised. For others, it may be the adolescence phase (between 6 and 18 months) as their behavior keeps changing due to the production of hormones.
2. Are golden retrievers difficult puppies?
Golden retriever puppies are easy to train as they are pretty intelligent and always eager to please their owner. As long as you properly socialize, train, exercise, and give proper attention to them, they shouldn’t be difficult puppies.
3. How do I calm my golden retriever puppy down?
To calm down your hyper golden retriever puppy, you should properly socialize them, mentally stimulate them, incorporate daily physical activities, give them attention, and keep training them. If it’s not getting better, you can always consult a behaviorist.
Conclusion
Golden retriever puppies get easier when they reach the maturity phase (between 18 and 24 months). The different developmental stages can cause their behavior to change along with other factors like boredom and lack of attention and physical and mental activities.
As long as you properly socialize them, keep training them, give them proper attention, and release all their pent-up energy through physical and mental activities, raising a golden retriever puppy should get easier for you.
If your golden retriever puppy is behaving aggressively, we highly recommend reading this article next: