They are starting to use collars more overseas. They haven't used them much mostly because the dogs are different, they do a different style of hunting there, a different style of field trials.

Americans have changed all the hunting breeds, from English pointers/shorthairs to labs, etc. As the breeds have evolved so has the training. Rex Carr is known to be the biggest innovator of the electric collar. I think he was the first to use it as a tool to teach, not punish.
If you use an e collar, make sure the dog understands why its being corrected, and remember,
The more pressure you use, the better trainer you have to be.

Robby

Huck18: I understand and appreciate your well thought out explanation. I have watched all of Freddie King's videos. My concern lies in my unfamiliarity of the correct use of an e-collar, hence my reluctance to do so at this time, which isn't really a big deal since I'm still waiting on a puppy. However, I've heard/read of dogs being ruined or problems created by incorrectly using an e-collar. I certainly don't want/need that when the time comes.

I understand, I was in the same situation as you and have read just about every dog training book there is both British and American. Just like you I was really hesitant to use the collar. I found a retriever club and sent my dog to a trainer so they could train ME how to use it the proper way. But it's not rocket science, I think Mike Lardy, Evan Graham and Freddie King all do a good job teaching and explaining it. If you followed their programs you would end up with a much more refined and more advanced retriever than using the British way, IMO.

At the end of the day the same dumb azz that ruins a dog using an e-collar is the same one that would ruin that same dog with a slip lead, stick, check cord...fill in the blank. I mean some people just shouldn't use power tools for there own safety but I'm not one of them.

It's not like you start using the collar on day one and turn it up to a 10. You start by just letting the pup wear it without it turned on for a few weeks. Just put it on him before you take him out to run around. Then after he is old enough you start out at the lowest setting and work your way up till you see some kind of reaction from the dog. My dogs reaction was a slight ear flench. It was on the 3rd click higher than the lowest setting. That was the baseline setting for where we would start collar conditioning him. So it's not painful or dramatic at least not any more than jerking with a slip lead or whipping them with a stick.

I also put the collar on my arm at the same setting as I got the ear flench reaction from my dog and I could barely feel anything. It felt like a very slight pinch. That's all it usually takes to get a positive response from the correction. Sometimes if he is really fired up or hell bent on something I may have to turn it up another level or two but it's never dramatic and usually I get a positive response the first time.

All I know is my dogs (and most others) get very excited when they see that collar come out. They love that thing.