Merlin's dog relations, good and bad update

Good news?
-He has progressed leaps and bounds since he's learned how to communicate with me that he wants out. He looks up at me, and I scoop him up/we leave....we haven't had a single incident in very long and he has so much fun at the park now. Which is amazing!

-We are back at the park during non-peak hours and making sure we have an exit strategy and it's more FLUID (we move around a lot more instead of kind of forcing interaction unless he wants to stay)

- No longer doing meetings on leash and his reaction to other dogs on leash around him (bark, stop, stare, tense) is down to almost nill.

Maybe it's age, maybe it's change of environment, a lot is the behaviorist and management but either way, things are A LOT better.

Bad news?
Merlins general play style could use some work. While most of it is just chase/be chased which is great... he insists on spending the entire play session barking.
It's very strange to me because he isn't a vocal dog at all (doesn't alert bark or really bark any time except during these situations). But get him at the park in play mode and it's like BARK IN EVERYONES FACE THIS IS SO AMAZING
dogs don't tend to mind at all... but owners and those who live in the buildings surrounding the park might and would love to get some ideas on how to curb it without hurting his enthusiasm, he is just SO HAPPY

we have also had some pouncing/running over issues with the smaller ones..
He doesn't get corrected by the other dogs, so the behavior tends to continue..
Any idea on how to rein it in?

Right now we just leash up anytime we see a dog less than 20 pounds because if they want to play chase it always ends up with Merlin jumping over/on them. No harm done but no exactly polite playtime for the owners...

I never figured out how to curb the barking while playing with other dogs. It tended to make Cohen a little crazy and aggravated other dogs, resulting in a potentially explosive situation. So... Cohen just doesn't play with most other dogs any more.

Barking during play is a very aussie thing in my experience/opinion. Cara and Snitch YELL ALL THE TIME during play, I have a video somewhere that was basically "this is why I needed a detached apartment". We also just went to a litter reunion for Snitch and all wrestling/play was accompanied by at least one barking dog.

Jasper is also a dog who doesn't bark that much throughout daily life, but OMG constantly while playing. I find it really irritating but haven't really found a way to curb it. So when I get too fed up with the noise, Jasper can't play any more, basically...

Gimmick is another play barker. He also has the misfortune of having the most obnoxious, monotonous bark ever. Thankfully he limits it to daycare

Sounds just like Sawyer, honestly, even down to the running over smaller, fluffy dogs when he was 18months to 2 years old. Only thing I've ever found is to teach him to have a ball in his mouth at all times during play, so at least it's muffled.

Bailey's a play barker, too!

Same here

Basically the only trait Riff got from his Aussie half, and the one Aussie trait that I hate, is the excitement barking He is definitely an obnoxious play barker and it drives me nuts.

Haha, like this? I hate it and it can escalate the other dogs tenfold. Haven't figured out how to tone it down, I think I've just lessened intense "play" itself. When she starts the barking I put her away.

[YOUTUBE]4KUunMLoSJo[/YOUTUBE]

Yeah, pretty sure it's impossible for an Aussie not to play bark haha. Journey isn't horrid but she does get rather barky if she is playing chase games, or if a dog is ignoring her other pleas to play. Then she yells at them. I tried getting her to stop but it's just natural to her when she plays. However, I do make her settle down and quit if it's excessive and she is being rude. And she too is a quiet dog in all other areas in life. Except flyball, but that counts as play too.

Every Aussie I have ever met has barked incessantly during play, haha. Seems like it might as well be a breed trait.

I'm another with a dog who you're whole section of bad news describes. Oh, Chomper.

It is. Aussies are barky. So are Collies, Shelties, Corgis, and other herding breeds.

Fran, I thought you researched heavily before you got Merlin? It doesn't make sense to me that you are calling this a bad thing and treating it like a problem that needs to be fixed. It's like getting a Dane and trying to stop the drool. He's a normal Aussie boy puppy. He barks when he's excited. That can be playing ball, playing with dogs, you, etc but it's all some level of excitement.

Sawyer's barking completely convinced me out of considering an Aussie or a Collie for my next dog. I'd end up giving the dog away or debarking it. Neither are options I want to pursue. Bay convinced me out of considering V, as much as I love her, I cannot stand a dog that loves the sound of it's own voice.