Ridgeback Needs To Socialise.

[QUEENY]

I have an 8 month old Rhodeshian Ridgeback who is/has outgrown his regular playmates

which we meet up with every saturday and have done so for the last 4 months or so.

We have anywhere from 5-15 dogs that all meet up for a couple

of hours Saturday mornings and he gets on really well with them all, have had no problems

so far. They are mostly Labs, a few smaller breeds and (2 German Shepherds - which he is fine with but they dont come every week). He also goes to obiedience school and is in the begginners grade, so still learning basics but is pretty well behaved. However the dogs aren't allowed off leash there and not sure why but no one really lets there dogs even sniff each other and they are quite strict about dogs getting too close to each other as well.

The problem is that because he's already a large dog and outgrown most of the other

dogs in the play group i am starting to notice a few of the dog owners getting a bit worried about their dogs getting hurt (which i can understand). With a few of the dogs when he walks towards them a few owners are now shooing him away from them and usually he will just turn around and walk off to look for another dog to play with. He's not aggressive towards them at all but plays with them as if they are the same size or just as strong.

Wondering if anyone knows anywhere in Sydney where other large breed

dog groups meet up, or even where any other Ridgeback owners take there dogs to socialise.

If not, besides getting another dog for a playmate do i have

any other options for socialising him with other dogs?? I live in the Parramatta area,

and don't mind driving a bit to get there, however the closer to home the better.