play or challenging behavior?

Question
I have a 10 year old male Lhasa and 2 King Charles Spaniel pups, (12 and 9 months) and all dogs are neutered.  On occasion the two pups seem to 'gang up' on the Lhasa, block his path, try to get in his face, and sometimes put their paws on his head.  I can't tell if they're trying to kiss him, smell his mouth, look for affection, or what.   Is this friendly behavior, or are they being disrespectful to him?   The most the Lhasa has done in return is stand over one of the pups.   Other than that, he turns to find another direction to get away from them, but they follow.    Do you have any idea what's going on here?  

Answer
The other behaviors are harder to interpret.  The paws on the head are definitely a sign of dominance.  You just don't mess with another dog's head. Standing over the pup shows he does not accept it.  With them being neutered, it may limit the extent of the rivalry.  It is very important it is clear to all of them that you are top dog.  They still will need to sort out the pack order, but number 2 just isn't as important as top dog.  You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/