That sounds like a great idea!

I was thinking as well as doing your normal class for socializing him why not think about doing another different just obedience class? That way he can learn that some times he doesn't get to play with the other dogs and does always have to listen to you.

With you wanting him to stay closer when off lead I have found doing a reward for "check in" works a treat! Start by being in an in-closed area let him off, sure he will just dart away ignore him as soon as he comes close throw a treat so he can see it and walk off quickly away from him, every time he comes close throw and walk away. (yes you will feel like a treat despiser!) After he figures out to get treats he needs to come close then wait for him to make eye contact with you before throwing the treat and walking away. When he is staying in close vary the treat with a "good boy" so he never knows if he will get a jack pot or not, dogs are gamblers so he should keep trying even if he doesn't get the treat every time.
When he has mastered it in the in-closed space then use the long line out in the open starting from the beginning of throw and walk for him getting close and work your way up till he is staying close all the time. Pretty soon he will become a velcro dog!

Thanks ill try the treat dispenser thing! We have done similar but not enough work in it.

I took him to obedience class for the first year or more. Sadly it closed down as not enough people attended and their other class is too far away for me to get to. It was difficult finding another obedience class in the area who a) I liked their methods and b) would allow a "problem" dog in class. He was very good in class. He can behave perfectly in the environment and on a short lead. The problem comes with off lead and real world application

He also attends agility class and we soend a lot of time there working on lead with Sits/Downs/Focus exercises around other dogs which helps him a lot. Thing is neither obedience classes or agility (he is on lead here) are going to teach him off lead recall like on a walk. He'll recall perfectly every time in a church hall

So he does still get obedience training at home and on walks and in other classes, even though we no longer attend an official obedience class. The problem is constantly how do you teach and dog off lead control...when they can rarely go off lead to practise.

He'll do off lead heelwork perfectly in the house or an empty park. I think practising on a much longer long line might have to be the way forward.

Is it any different teaching recall for him than it would be with any curious adult dog - other than needing a bit of extra care?

I think that is a great idea.

Hope it goes well for you.

Let me know how you get on with it all, got my fingers crossed for you both!

Thanks all for your helpful comments amd support

Well tonight's walk perfectly summed my dilemma Went off to the one park I can let him off in if it's empty, armed with squeaky tennis balls and a pouch rammed with hot dog and fishy oat treats. Parks empty so I let him off lead. Start training, he was perfect. Recalls, Sit, Down, Watch Me, Emergency Stops, Wait etc. Couldn't fault him. Walking around off lead to heel perfectly, totally engaged. I was really pleased with him.

The park is 80% brick wall and a small section near the gate is railings. A man outside on his mobile started acting strangely and shouting. Cain ran towards him, I recalled him, he came back. Great.

Then a dog came to the gate to come into the park. I shout out to ask the owner to wait a moment while I put my dog on lead. Cain clocks the dog and bombs over like a bat out of hell No chance of getting his attention, the red mist has come down and he's gone deaf

On the way back we walked past some fields, he was on his flexi lead. He recalled away from a heron that caught his eye. There were actually two horses standing by the fence in the field. Cain stared but recalled away when I asked and even walked perfectly the heel past them!

So he CAN do it. Problem is there seem to be totally different rules off lead, he's far more compliant on the flexi or a long line. My problem is this bolting behaviour. I need to stop it or he'll never get off lead. Now I dont think Cain will ever be able to go off lead in all situations. However sometimes we're on a wide, flat empty green and I'd like to let him off to play ball. If he didn't dash off at dogs on the horizon, then I could let him off and recall him and out him back on lead when we spot dogs in the distance. Problem is, with the way he reacts now, he'd be long gone if he spotted a dog first Sigh.

What does Cain do when he actually gets to another dog?

He's completely unpredicatable. He could
1) Sniff politely and walk away
2) Try to engage in play
3) Kick off and bark
4) Jump on their back and try and flatten them

He bowed at the dog behind the fence tonight, hackles puffed in arousal, he was stiff then had a bark at it. He is worse through fences though. He's not been truely aggressive like he really wants to attack, but he can be a bully, he can be physical and pushy and he can be gobby. I won't risk it as if another dog ran up to mine and did one of the less desirable behaviours, I'd be most unimpressed. Also I don't want him rehearsing these bad behaviours, and if it was a small dog he could seriously injure it by leaping on it. He CAN be fine with other dogs, but when he's not, he gives no warnings (it's the Akita in him) and just barrels straight in

I've not read all the replies, so apologies if this has already been said.
The best type of Dogs to socialise a "reactive" type with are non reactive, confident ones. With confident owners.
So you can do anything you need to, to gain & keep your boys attention...be that giving him huge amounts of treats, making loads of noise or playing with a toy.
I did this with my girl... I started off just working her (on lead) around a class that was in progress...it was a noisy class with Dogs off lead doing searches & retrieves.
I gradually moved closer & by the 3rd week I could let her off (the others were on lead) & she recalled....she did do a "lap of honour" first, but came to me happy.
Him just being around well behaved calm Dogs & owners will rub off.
There's a few of the franchise type training clubs, that offer all sorts of training in enclosed areas, popping up all over the place. This is the type of club I went to (based in Herts)

Sorry I've only skimmed through but due to his ancestry (at least the Akita half) maybe recall will never be his forte? I think sometimes we have to accept that our dogs are not suitable off lead dogs. I don't mean to sound depressing or anything - I found that once I accepted that my dog was going to be an on lead dog I've been much more relaxed and so has he. I couldn't possibly relax with him offlead if I have no idea how he will react to certain things this time. Am I making any sense?