Hi, I wonder if anyone can advise...we have an 8 month old standard poodle who is very friendly and never aggressive with other dogs but he is a bit hyper when trying to engage other dogs in play. It's a problem for smaller dogs who are intimidated by him and also for older dogs who find his boisterousness a bit of a problem and many of them growl at him and a couple have attacked him. He doesn't seem to recognise any boundaries when playing with other dogs. He also barks at dogs who refuse to play with him. Is there any way of settling him down around other dogs?It's becoming a real problem. He doesn't listen to us or obey any commands when there is another dog on the scene.

Sadly, this is a problem often encountered by larger breeds. Everyone seems to expect a small-breed puppy to behave like a puppy, but if a larger one acts in the same way it gets told off, by both people and other dogs. :( How often does he get to play freely with other dogs? The more 'normal' it becomes, the less exciting it will be (Christmas every day would be really boring!). The only sure cure for puppy behaviour is age, I'm afraid, and even then they have their moments!

thanks for the response. I thought that it was a bit of that....because Alfie is big people think he's grown up and they get a bit miffed by his behaviour. Personally it doesn't bother me that he likes to play - I think it's normal and it just upsets me that people get annoyed with him. He doesn't bite or get aggressive with dogs but so many people don't seem to like their dogs to play and keep them on the lead.
Sadly he doesn't get to play as often as he used to, we moved recently and he's left his old doggie friends behind. I think he might be a bit lonely  because he doesn't get to meet dogs who are allowed to play. We are staying in Milton Keynes temporarily and people here just seem to walk their dogs on the lead unlike where we lived before in London. I think because he's not meeting so many dogs he's getting a bit over-excited when he does. I'm a bit worried about it because I think he needs proper doggie play and he's really missing it. He's very sweet natured, just overly friendly sometimes. 

Poor Alfie - he sounds like a completely normal puppy. What a shame the other dogs you meet now aren't as well-socialised as he is. Hopefully people will relax soon and let their dogs play too. Good luck - it sounds to me as though Alfie is perfectly normal, and it's a pity these other people have a problem with that.