I am having trouble with recall training when there are distractions of other dogs. Recall to other distractions is good. (ducks, geese squirrels and usually people)

My flat coated retriever is 7 mths old and absolutely loves other people and dogs he is very friendly but a little boisterous so I am nervous of upsetting other dogs by allowing him off the lead and letting him play.  However when we meet fiendly labs etc. and the owner agrees I let him off for a play but have had to go and get him three time this week. 

I have had conflicting advice from trainers, one said avoid other dogs and another said to meet and let him play with as many as possible.  Do any FCR owners have strategies to improve my training.  I have tried treats and toys to keep him interested in me to no avail.  I would dearly love him to be off lead in company, but find that dogs rushing up to him when he is on lead make training him to be polite more difficult.

The problem is, the less he gets to interact with his own species, the more interesting they become.

Put yourself in his place. You are (as far as you know) the only human on an alien planet. The inhabitants are very kind to you, and you are fed well, and are warm and cared for and cherished. But they don't speak your language, either verbally or bodily. Basically, they're weird! But they're not unkind, and you quite like them.

Then occasionally you see others of your own kind! Yay! They speak the same language! They understand your body language ... almost, because you're out of practice. Your 'pet alien' (that's us!) can take a running jump!

Your ideal is that he becomes so blase about other dogs they are less interesting than you.

Thank you JG, that is the one most helpful piece of advice I have read, ever.  I will now go to my ongoing  training with a new perspective :)

CG

that seems to make sense, I will contiue to let him play with as many dogs as possible and let you know how we get on.

Just make sure that you give him permission to go and play, not let him decide for himself that he will run off and play.

ok thanks for advice

And don't even attempt to call him back if it's clear he won't comply! All that does is teach him he can ignore you.

thank you so much jeanjeanie and others who have given such great advice,  have now been meeting up with 3 labs pups 2x weekly to walk my pup he is absolutely loving it.  For rest of week we meet as many dogs as possible except Sunday which I have taken as my day for peace and less stress.  Well today I was over the moon as we met two dogs my pup said hello, I called and he then followed me along path. Still a long way to go but I was so pleased it really seems to be working.