@gbb If your lab is food crazy (almost all are), then working on recall should be pretty easy. Start in the house by rewarding the dog when they just happen to come near you, then progress to calling them and rewarding when they come, then have them bounce between two people each with rewards. Never chastise them for not coming, just reward when they do and if you need to change the rewards often so they don't get bored, some carrot or cheese works wonders with labs. You can then progress to trying this in an outside place with no distractions and then work in more distractions like other dogs and people with picnics etc. The same goes for using a whistle, but I would save using the whistle outside the house when you are 99% sure that the dog will react, don't use it when you don't have it fully mastered as you want it to be a guarantee it will work.
Having said all this, when I open our boot at our Guide Dog puppies favourite free running spot, we have to tell her to wait if any dogs are around else she will be straight out as soon as the boot is opened.
Having said all this, when I open our boot at our Guide Dog puppies favourite free running spot, we have to tell her to wait if any dogs are around else she will be straight out as soon as the boot is opened.