Hi, i AM AFTER SOME ADVISE IF POSSIBLE.  OLLIE IS ONE NEXT WEEK AND IS A LOVELY NATURED DOG EXCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIALISING WITH DOGS.  HE IS VERY KEEN TO MEET THEM BUT AS SOON AS HE DOES HE STARTS TO JUMP UP AT THEM AND SNAP AROUND THEM.  IT TAKES AGES FOR HIM TO CALM DOWN AND i END UP HOLDING HIM BY THE COLLOR WHILE HE IS PANTING HIS HEAD OFF WITH EXCITEMENT. HE HAS NEVER GROWLED, BARED HIS TEETH OR SHOWN AGGRESSION LIKE THAT AND WHEN HE SNAPS, IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE HE IS TRYING TO HURT THEM OR START A FIGHT, MORE LIKE HE IS TRYING TO GET THEM TO PLAY.

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO ANYONE AND WILL HE CALM DOWN WITH AGE?  IT TOOK US AGES TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT BEING A STAFFY, HE WASNT A SAVAGE BEAST!!! BUT NOW HE IS SHOWNG HIMSELF UP BY GOING COMPLETELY OVER THE TOP AND BEING QUITE ROUGH.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SHOW HIM THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE?

I do think this is a Staffy thing-Amber is incredibly rough and she will be two in May-she and your boy are typical of the breed-very in your face dogs,very boistrous and excitable. Its great that hes not aggressive and you may find that some dogs would in fact put him in his place if you didnt have hold of his collar-he is still very much a baby.
Im not sure how to suggest to deal with him other than to try training him to look at you and to sit but no doubt as soon as you let him go-he will be just the same-these dogs are just so fussy and excitable-perhaps some of our members more up on training will be able to suggest something .

Bull-types play very hard. It's normal, though you have to keep in mind that other dog types may not like to play rough and get defensive.

I would say to let him play with dogs you and he knows and who's human you know aswell. With frim but fair correction when introducing him to new dogs.

Thanks for both replies.  I think the main problem is that he gets himself so excited he ends up almost frantic and goes in for maximum play at level 10 and expects everyone to be the same!!!

He is getting better now though and I am trying to get him used to greeting dogs calmly without jumping up all the time. 

I agree with Carolyn, this is definately a Staffy thing. My 2 year old boy Harvey used to do it all the time snapping away like a demented crocodile . I was quite concerned at first but quickly realised it was a play thing and not aggression. When he does it around my mastiff bitch she growls and lunges at him when she has had enough and he eventually backs off or else I intervene but I know how you feel when they do it to other dogs, being Staffy's people automatically think it must be aggression and when you try and explain they just look at you with that "Yeh, right" look on their faces .

It is difficult to control when you are out and about with them but I have found Harvey does it much less now he is that bit older, it was all the time when he was a year old. Good luck, I am sure with all the expertise on here someone will be able to advise you how to control it. xxxx