UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you use a shock collar this will make the dog fearful and maybe even agressive. The humane alternative is a citronella anti- bark collar. It allows the dog so many barks then the dog is sprayed with citronella. It annoys the dog and doesn't harm him.
I disagree profoundly - every hunting retriever I know (mostly Labs but some Goldens and Flat Coats) is trained with an electronic collar, and they aren't fearful or aggressive (wouldn't be any use as retrievers if they were. They have to sit on the line and honor other dogs, plus go after birds that aren't always completely dead.)
Properly used, electronic collars do not cause pain and merely annoy the dog. Obviously, sadists and stupid people need not apply (but that's true of all animal ownership.)
I attended a great seminar a couple of weeks ago by a professional trainer who uses the electronic collar sensitively and to amazing effect. My dog was a "guinea pig" and she figured out the drill in five minutes. He did compliment me that she was very intelligent and very sensitive to the collar. On a scale of 15, we had to go up only to a high 2 and then backed down to a medium 1 for a good response.
Citronella will destroy your dog's sense of smell. Retrievers need their noses in prime operating condition.
I strongly disagree. If this were the case, two Humane Societies in large towns near me wouldn't be using this method (with a trainer) to help train dogs for adoption.
I've seen no signs of aggression or fear in my own dog. The shock he occasionally gets is instantaneous and gets his attention immediately. He responds as he's been trained and the correction is over with.
I've held the shock collar in the palm of my own hand (as required by the trainer) to feel for myself how painful it is. It is not severe at all.
The collar is best used in conjunction with a trainer who himself has been trained in proper use.
My dog's collar has adjustments for strength of the shock, from zero to 100. My dog has never required more than a setting of 20 and normally responds to a 16.