Oakley is just shy of 6 months old. We got him at 4 months old and have done a relatively good job of socializing him and bringing him places. We bring him to lunch with us a lot and he is amazing he just lays down and is calm the entire time. When we take him in public with a lot of people and sounds he is fine for the most part.

The issue we are having with him is when we take him on walks in areas that don't have much going on such as our apartment complex. He will walk fine when nothing is going on and then if he notices one person or a dog walk by he goes nuts and wants to run over to meet them. He barks and whines and pulls like he just HAS to meet them. I try to pull him back and make him sit and tell him "Settle" but it doesn't seem to have much impact. I was thinking of bringing small treats on each walk so that I can redirect his behavior when he starts to go nuts but I wanted to see any other suggestions for this. I just found it odd that if he is in an area with a lot of people and things going on then he is fine, almost like he can't choose who to go meet so he just ignores it all, but the issue lies when it is relatively quiet and he notices one person or dog walking by.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

My boy is this way. It is very much a who-to-meet-first thing. There's a lot for his attention to bounce off of so he doesn't become too focused on one thing. When there's only one thing to focus on he can focus it all on that and makes himself a complete embarrassment. Treats and redirection is a solid plan if you have a treat that is high value enough to pull him away. Completely walking away from the people if he is freaking out is another option. Training him that the only way he is going to meet anyone is to be calm about it. Anytime he is going to meet someone make him wait until he is perfectly calm if you can. I am actually in the middle of doing some of this now. Keno woos when someone comes in the door and won't hardly get out of the way long enough for them to enter the house. He gets to meet no one until he is sitting quietly and the more noise he makes, the farther away I make him stand. It's time consuming, but like earning food, sometimes it's good to earn steps toward attention.