Did You Notice Your Dogs Personality Change As They Got Older

With my oldest dog, I could definitely see a change in her personality as she got older, it's almost like the became more "mature" so to speak and was not as silly and goofy as she was when we first got her.

However my beagle acted like a big baby the whole time we had her. You would have never guessed she was 10 years old. I'd say out terrier was kind of the same way, always full of energy and hyper right up to the day she passed.

 

Yes, my dog's personality definitely changed. When he was a puppy he was way more aggressive, he was always trying to bite everybody's ankles. He was also more willing to play. Now he still likes to play, but he is more fussy, he wants to play only when I'm throwing him apples or cones .

 

Dogs do mature with age. When their younger they seem to maintain that puppy persona of wanting to play and get into stuff. As they get older they seem to listen better and seem to settle down better. This happened with my older dog Oso, I'm still waiting for Buddy to do the same, but then in dog years he's now a teenager and we know how difficult an age that can be for humans, guess that can also apply to dogs.

 

I won't say that my dog's personality has changed, but it is toned down a bit. She is only 3 so there is more maturing to go. But, I have noticed in the last 2-3 months that she is more behaved. It's like the volume has been turned down on some of her more wild behaviors.

I remember that my Lab went through different phases. She matured and became obedient at 3 and got lazy at 5. By the time she was 6, she didn't want toys any more. She became more mellow as she aged. When she died just short of 14 years old, she was a quiet dog who love laying in the sun and seeing her favorite people. A short walk was the highlight of her day.

I have really noticed it with my brother's dog. His chow mix was very wild and aggressive for the first few years. He hated strangers and would bark constantly at people even if he'd seen them before. He often bit for no reason at all. He also could play endlessly. He was one of those dogs you could throw a tennis ball for hours to and he would want more.

When he hit 8 years old, everything change. He got old very quickly. He didn't want to play much any more. He preferred laying at people's feet. He got tired in the middle of walks. He became a more trustworthy dog. The wildness left him, too. He is 11 now and I would say he has less energy than my Lab did at the same age.

 

Yes, my little Pommy's personality changed when he reached about two years. The other dogs changed around the same age as well. It was a good thing! When I first got him at six months he was glued to my hip. He didn't want to go anywhere without me. Even indoors he had to sit or stand with me all of the time. He was a twenty four hour cuddle bug too! And then, one day, shortly after he turned two, he started sitting on his own and napping by himself. He wasn't attached to me anymore and now he cuddles only when he really wants to. Such a relief. I love him to death, but I wasn't sure that I could handle being glued together forever...LOL! He's also highly opinionated now!

 

Usually our dogs become mature or more behaved as they grow older.
Just like learning when and/or where to do their things and not to chew or destroy things.