[AngelBunny]

I've been involved in rescue for several years. If indeed your dog was abused yet he's "too friendly...even when strangers come to the house," you should count your lucky stars instead of lamenting.

You should be celebrating this behavior because it shows your dog has a stable temperament, one that was able to get over his abuse. Dogs with weak nerves and unstable temperaments often don't overcome abuse and this makes them unsafe dogs. You were lucky in acquiring your boy.

At 1-1/2 yo, your dog is still young--males typically don't mature mentally and physically until they're about 3 yo. Give him time to grow up and mature.

Taking him to obed class where the trainer has working dog experience and uses positive reinforcement is something I encourage you to do. If he's sound, try agility. Reward him for being confident and ignore him when he cowers or flinches. In other words, don't talk to him in a reassuring, soothing tone because being a dog, he'll interpret this as a reward for retiring behavior.

If you literally just got your dog, be careful about socializing him in public until you know him better. You want to make sure experiences he has are positive. And, since you don't know him well, you want to be sure you understand your dog and his limitations before you start letting people meet him.