Are Cavapoos Hyper? [Strategies]

Cavapoos are adorable small dogs, so it’s understandable if you brought your Cavapoo home hoping to have a lap dog you can cuddle with.

There’s no doubt about it—Cavapoos love a good cuddle session. However, they’re an active breed, so if your Cavapoo jumps from your lap to the couch to the dining room chair, you might be wondering—are Cavapoos hyper, and will it always be this way?

There are several reasons why Cavapoos can be hyper. In this guide, I’ll talk about hyper triggers as well as training techniques you can implement to help you calm your four-legged best friend. Above all, keep in mind that your Cavapoo doesn’t act hyper to drive you crazy, but usually out of love.

When Friendliness Translates to Hyper Behavior

Cavapoos are friendly dogs, and they get excited when visitors come to the door. However, because they get so excited, it can sometimes come off as hyper behavior. 

They will often bark, jump up at your guests, and smell them from toe to knee (or wherever they can reach). They also may give love nips, especially if they’re puppies.

The important thing to remember is that Cavapoos aren’t a vicious breed. However, their hyper personality may feel intimidating for people who don’t have much experience being around dogs. 

Therefore, it’s best practice to ask your guests if they’re comfortable with your Cavapoo greeting them before they step inside. If they aren’t, then find a safe place to put your Cavapoo in the meantime.

Hyper Behavior With Other Dogs

Cavapoos are social animals. They typically get along well with other dogs, especially if you introduce them to dogs at a young age. 

Your Cavapoo likely looks forward to playtime with your neighbor’s dog or visiting the neighborhood dog park. Therefore, their excitement may lead to a burst of hyper behavior when they realize that they’re going to interact with another dog.

I think we can all agree that it warms our heart when a dog gets excited about an activity, and dogs getting hyper when they meet is normal across many breeds. So, as long as your dog isn’t letting his hyper nature get out of hand when he greets a dog, such as barking or nipping at him, there’s little need to control this short burst of hyper behavior.

Spreading Out Your Love

If a dog comes up to you at a dog park, it’s normal to pet it and give it attention. However, your Cavapoo might feel jealous or left out. If this happens, he might start jumping up at you, running in circles, or barking—or doing all three at once.

It’s important to realize that your Cavapoo is doing this out of love, not to drive you crazy with his hyper ways. Therefore, by being sensitive to this fact, you can try to give your Cavapoo equal attention as the other dog.

I’ll talk about training techniques for Cavapoos shortly. But for now, it’s important to note that just because giving attention to another dog might make your Cavapoo hyper, it doesn’t mean that you should ignore other dogs. On the contrary, it’s good for your Cavapoo to get accustomed to this and learn that at the end of the day, he’s the one you take home with you. 

As a final note, your Cavapoo might get extra hyper if there are other big dogs around. Because Cavapoos are a small breed, they might feel intimidated by larger dogs, and they show their discomfort by acting hyper. Therefore, you should strive to have your Cavapoo play with dogs around the same size.

Separation Anxiety

The Cavalier blood in Cavapoos means that they’re excellent companion dogs. While that’s a wonderful trait when you’re with your Cavapoo, it also means that Cavapoos tend to experience separation anxiety when you’re not there.

For this reason, it’s not uncommon for a normally calm Cavapoo to turn hyper if he sees you picking up your car keys or doing some other routine activity that signals to him that you’re leaving. 

Your Cavapoo will also likely act hyper when you return home—his heart bursts with joy that you made it back in one piece and that he’ll get to spend time at your side. Any dog lover knows how good it feels to have such a grand welcome home, but if the hyper greeting goes on for too long, your Cavapoo will likely need some training.

Aside from training, an effective technique for handing a Cavapoo that gets overly hyper because of separation anxiety is to bring home another dog. As mentioned earlier, you should aim to get a dog around the same size so that they can play and interact more comfortably together.

Training Techniques for Hyper Behavior

Dog training starts with the human. So, before we talk about how to train your Cavapoo not to get so hyper, below are some strategies you should implement to avoid your dog from becoming hyper in the first place.

• Maintain a calm, low voice.
• Don’t make a big deal out of your dog getting hyper.
• Provide your dog with lots of time to play so he can release his energy.
• Lavender oil may help calm your dog, but you should be careful about overusing essential oils, as some aren’t safe for dogs.

Perhaps most importantly of all, do a quick check of your energy level throughout the day. Are you showing outward signs of stress or anger? Even if you’re not gearing these emotions towards your Cavapoo, he can still pick up on negative feelings.

Use Positive Reinforcement

One of the best ways to train your Cavapoo not to be hyper is to give him extra attention when he’s calm. Make sure the attention you provide is in a calm way. For example, gently rubbing his stomach and talking to him in a soothing voice versus ruffling up his fur and exclaiming what a good boy he is.

Mental Exercise

Mental exercise is just as important for Cavapoos as physical exercise. To exercise your Cavapoo’s mind, try hiding his food in toys or use dispensers that release his food gradually. You can also try to give him heavier or larger toys so that it takes more effort and thinking to carry them around.

Put on a ThunderShirt 

If your Cavapoo gets hyper from separation anxiety, it might help to put on a ThunderShirt, which will gently squeeze his body as if you had him wrapped up in a hug. It’s important to only use this shirt during his moments of anxiety and to never let him wear it unsupervised. 

Get Him Out of His Crate

Too much time spent pent up in a crate can make your Cavapoo hyper. Therefore, make sure to give him plenty of time to stretch his legs around the house and outside, as well as have cuddle time with you.

Give Your Cavapoo a Hug

Although hyper behavior can drive you crazy, it usually means that your Cavapoo is acting out of love or excitement—two beautiful emotions. 

By implementing the training techniques I covered here, you can help your Cavapoo stay calmer in scenarios that typically trigger his hyper ways. As long as you use positive reinforcement and give lots of love to your Cavapoo, he should feel safe and calm down.