This is not the place to discuss the pros and cons of the E-collar. There are forums with literally thousands of members in every discipline of dog competition known to man for that. You say that your pet 'trusts' you....I would not, if you are going to take him into areas that have the possibility of that type of injury without some form of preventative measures. Sitting and talking to him doesn't cut it in my book. You, as a responsible owner, need to take measures to insure his safety and I could care less how you do it.

I find it amusing that you cite Millan as your model trainer. He is heavily criticized in many circles as heavy handed and inhumane, with a little research you will find that information. I actually agree with much (certainly not all) of what he teaches and have or currently apply many of the same techniques. These are not revolutionary techniques however, they are as old as Koehler, Whitney and Wolters. Leash corrections, establishing Alpha hierarchy, fatigueing dogs prior to training and Alpha Rolls, all of which he uses have been around since before Millan was born. In fact he is currently fighting several law suits for plagiarism. If you are suggesting that (as opposed to Vets who are money driven) Millan is not... I would direct you to his site and maybe you have the time to count the number of items and services he is selling along with his shows. Don't misunderstand me, I have no problem with the man....he has found a way to successfully market himself but it's basically the same package....different wrapper.

I don't know where you have gotten the idea that a 'shock' collar is used to 'shock' a dog into submission. It is not used in that fashion. It is used when the dog has already been taught an action and is then applied at its lowest level (not highest) recognizable by the dog to realize that he has made an error. In the competitions that I participate in, any sign of abuse or excessive pressure on the animal results in immediate disqualification.

Take this for what it's worth in your life Hooty. Many years ago I lost a son to drowning. I had told all of them to stay away from the water near our property many times. I have always blamed myself for not being more forceful. The next time I caught another son playing near the same water he got his butt paddled...I never had to do it again.