my 16 week old cocker spaniel puppy has got into the habit of barking whilst play chasing with other dogs. i think it's just over-excitement as she is just desperate to play- but obviously it's not ideal and i dont want her getting into trouble with it. Equally, when she is not being played with by another dog she with run circles around it and try to initiate a play.

Any tips to control her excitement off lead?

Sounds like it is not the play initiating behaviour that is the problem, but you lack of control.

Does she try to initiate play with dog AFTER you have given her permission, or does she just access dogs when she feels like it?

If it is the former then barking is not a problem, if it is the latter, barking is not the problem.

The problem is that she is approaching other dogs without being expressly released to do so and/or being invted to by the other owner.

So, whether she barks or not is immaterial, she is still in danger of being injurerd by another dog or owner etc.

So instead of concentrating on the barking concentrate on the control, a pup of this age should stil be very owner orientated.

If she has more fun with dogs than you, you will merely become a means of transportation to the canine version of a nightclub.

this sounds very familiar. Ollie (my cocker spaniel) used to do this as a puppy a lot (and still does now if he plays with dogs, which he isn't too fussed about doing now hes an adult). Although the barking is an annoyance, I've found it the way a lot of spaniels play and I just leave them to it.

Although I agree with Smokeybear, only once you have given her permission to play (and the other owner is ok with this), then she can play with dogs. Whilst she is playing, barking isn't a problem because it is play barking. However if she's barking at dog to make them play, when either the dog or the owner clearly aren't interested, then this is wrong and needs to be corrected.

You could keep her on a long line and harness and only let her off in the other dog and owner want them to play.

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I wouldn't think that barking when playing is a problem. Other dogs recognise the difference between barks and would see a play bark for what it is. I wouldn't worry about it.

However, I wouldn't let her run circles around other dogs that don't want to play. If she is trying to initiate play, trying to bully another dog into it isn't a very polite way to go about it and alot of dogs (and owners won't appreciate it), she may get away with it while she is a youngster but it isn't a habit you would want her to have when she is older and other dogs aren't going to be so forgiving.

So, I would let her bark as she plays if the other dog (and owner are happy) but train for a good recall ( which I'm sure you are doing anyway) and use it if she starts barking at dogs that aren't playing with her. I imagine recall is still work in progress for a 16 week old, so I would use a long line with her also.