Dog playing up after visitors

I have noticed that if my friends dogs come and visit us when i take Benji for his walk he plays up, he hides from me, i call him nowing he is in the bushes some place but i call and call then from no ware he comes bounding back.
Other days he is as good as chips.
I must admit my friends dogs are very active.
Am i imagine this?

It could be to do with high levels of adrenaline if he is excited to see them. My staffie always comes home from walks high as a kite and charges round the house. Ifi try to put my bull lurcher pup in his crate straight after a walk he won't settle at all.

Hi Roger no I don't think you are imagining it and I agree with Catrin about the adrenaline.

Dogs can be a bit like children sometimes, when they have friends to play they can get over excited and have difficulty calming down

Bella used to do this upon returning from a long walk. Bemused me because I sort of thought the longer she'd been out and the further she'd walked etc. the more likely she'd be to flake out on her return. But she used to get inside and have a little mad five minute zoomies! Me wondering WHERE she got the energy for it! She stopped doing it about a year ago?

I think you are more puzzled by the 'hiding' though. She might feel a little overwhelmed? Bella has a good doggy friend next door. They've walked together on and off for her whole life and run about and play wrestle. But, if Mara comes into our apartment - Bella makes it obvious she doesn't really want her there! She will grab her best toys and get on the sofa with them. And more often than not buzz off into the bedroom on her own?

I don't understand it at all.