When Do German Shepherds Calm Down?

[Malakai The Great]

This has to be one of the most common questions I hear from new shepherd owners. You bring home this adorable little fluffball, and before you know it you’ve got a teenage rocket zooming around your house like they’re fueled by jet engines.

So, when do they finally calm down?

Here’s what I’ve seen and experienced over the years:

Puppy stage (0–6 months): Endless energy bursts, short attention span, and a mouth that wants to chew everything. You’ll get moments of calm, but don’t expect them to last long.

Adolescence (6–18 months): Buckle up! This is when most shepherds are at their wildest. They’ve got adult-sized bodies and puppy brains. Expect testing boundaries, selective hearing, and zoomies galore.

Young adult (18 months – 3 years): You’ll start to see the energy level even out. With consistent training and exercise, they’ll learn to settle in the house after activity.

Adult (3–5 years): Most shepherds hit their stride here. They’re mature enough to relax when nothing’s happening, but still more than ready to work or play when you ask.

Senior (6+ years): Energy naturally tapers off, though plenty of shepherds stay playful well into their senior years.

The key takeaway: Shepherds don’t just magically calm down with age. They calm down when their physical and mental needs are consistently met. Exercise, structure, and engagement are what transform a restless shepherd into a balanced one.

So the short answer is: expect some version of puppy chaos for the first couple of years, but with the right outlet, they’ll learn how to switch off and be the amazing companions they’re meant to be.

 

[MyDogBitz]

Buckle up! That made me laugh. My pup is not quite 9 months old yet and he's definitely a rocket. He is settling down with more regularity now but he can fly through the house with reckless abandon too.

I swear he has no body awareness whatsoever. LOL! I'll to give him a verbal queue to relax, which he knows. BUT if he's too excited to stay relaxed I'll crate him until he settles.

 

[Malakai The Great]

Buckle up! That made me laugh. My pup is not quite 9 months old yet and he's definitely a rocket. He is settling down with more regularity now but he can fly through the house with reckless abandon too.

I swear he has no body awareness whatsoever. LOL! I'll to give him a verbal queue to relax, which he knows. BUT if he's too excited to stay relaxed I'll crate him until he settles.

Haha, I know that stage all too well. Shepherd puppies really do charge through life like they’re made of springs, zero concept of where their legs are going. It’s like watching a freight train with no brakes.

Sounds like you’re handling it perfectly though. Teaching a relax cue and backing it up with the crate when needed is exactly how they learn to switch off. It takes time, but that ability to go from rocket mode to calm on command is one of the best skills they can have.

Hang in there! Before long you’ll miss some of that chaos when the mature, steady version shows up.

 

[MyDogBitz]

Haha, I know that stage all too well. Shepherd puppies really do charge through life like they’re made of springs, zero concept of where their legs are going. It’s like watching a freight train with no brakes.

Sounds like you’re handling it perfectly though. Teaching a relax cue and backing it up with the crate when needed is exactly how they learn to switch off. It takes time, but that ability to go from rocket mode to calm on command is one of the best skills they can have.

Hang in there! Before long you’ll miss some of that chaos when the mature, steady version shows up.

Yeah, he's going to be 9 months old in about a week and he weighs about 78lbs give or take. So he's like an over sized ADHD puppy. He's pushing buttons with Mom when I'm not home and testing boundaries regularly. I live in a three story town home with limited, private out door space so in-house behavior and a crate is paramount. LOL.

 

[Malakai The Great]

Yeah, he's going to be 9 months old in about a week and he weighs about 78lbs give or take. So he's like an over sized ADHD puppy. He's pushing buttons with Mom when I'm not home and testing boundaries regularly. I live in a three story town home with limited, private out door space so in-house behavior and a crate is paramount. LOL.

78 lbs at 9 months, that’s a whole lot of teenage shepherd energy packed into one dog. No wonder he feels like an oversized ADHD pup. They really do love testing boundaries at that age, and it sounds like he’s keeping both you and Mom on your toes. Are you the main handler/person for Bomber?

 

[MyDogBitz]

78 lbs at 9 months, that’s a whole lot of teenage shepherd energy packed into one dog. No wonder he feels like an oversized ADHD pup. They really do love testing boundaries at that age, and it sounds like he’s keeping both you and Mom on your toes. Are you the main handler/person for Bomber?

He's definitely my dog. We're attached at the hip. I'm his care giver, trainer, handler, play mate, best friend, disciplinarian, everything...

He's really a sweet dog for being as big and powerful as he is. He's not so tall as he is thick and muscular. His tail is really big. He was so small as a little puppy I didn't think he was going to be this big but he is a big boy.

He's in that boundary testing phase. I've been coaching Mom a little on how to use play to teach her authority when I'm not around. She's been doing really good with that.

When Bomber's misbehaving she will scold him, he'll drop and "show the belly." She was reconciling with him as soon as he did that.

I had to explain that he was doing that to get out of trouble, not to "make up." So, after he shows suppression she'll repeat "NO, Bad Dog" and giving him a little tap on the nose with her index finger.

This way he knows he's in trouble and can't get out of it. This has been working better, it's a lot more clear for the dog - you're in trouble now and you can't get out of it.

I work with a TWC training team occasionally. They explained punishment like this: first you interrupt the bad behavior and then you punish the dog. Their approach is incredibly light handed yet very effective.

At 9 months old I expect a lot more hilarity in the future. LOL!

 

[Malakai The Great]

He's definitely my dog. We're attached at the hip. I'm his care giver, trainer, handler, play mate, best friend, disciplinarian, everything...

He's really a sweet dog for being as big and powerful as he is. He's not so tall as he is thick and muscular. His tail is really big. He was so small as a little puppy I didn't think he was going to be this big but he is a big boy.

He's in that boundary testing phase. I've been coaching Mom a little on how to use play to teach her authority when I'm not around. She's been doing really good with that.

When Bomber's misbehaving she will scold him, he'll drop and "show the belly." She was reconciling with him as soon as he did that.

I had to explain that he was doing that to get out of trouble, not to "make up." So, after he shows suppression she'll repeat "NO, Bad Dog" and giving him a little tap on the nose with her index finger.

This way he knows he's in trouble and can't get out of it. This has been working better, it's a lot more clear for the dog - you're in trouble now and you can't get out of it.

I work with a TWC training team occasionally. They explained punishment like this: first you interrupt the bad behavior and then you punish the dog. Their approach is incredibly light handed yet very effective.

At 9 months old I expect a lot more hilarity in the future. LOL!

That attached at the hip bond is exactly what makes shepherds so special. They’ve got one person they can look to for everything, it changes how they move through the world.

You explained the belly flop perfectly too. A lot of people misread that as being submissive to reconcile, when it’s really just avoidance. Teaching mom how to handle those moments consistently is huge, and it sounds like she’s getting the hang of it.

I like the approach you mentioned from TWC. Interrupt first, then follow through with a clear consequence. It’s fair, it’s light-handed, but it leaves no confusion for the dog. With a powerhouse like Bomber, clarity is everything.

And yeah, at 9 months… the hilarity is just beginning. You’re in for some memorable months ahead.