If you are searching this, you are probably out of ideas. The walks are bad, the recall is gone, and somebody has told you this is the thing that finally works.
That is a reasonable place to arrive after months of being pulled down the street. The answer is still no, and here is the reasoning.
What the evidence says
A review of aversive training methods found them associated with worse welfare outcomes, and with no training advantage over reward-based methods.
Dogs trained with aversive methods have been found to show more stress-related behaviour than dogs trained with rewards.
Reward-based training, in survey work, was associated with higher reported responsiveness and fewer reported problem behaviours.
Punishment-based approaches are also associated with fear, avoidance and defensive aggression. That last risk is the one that ends badly for everyone.
Where that leaves us
Halfgrown does not recommend prong collars or shock collars, does not sell them, and will not describe how to use one. That is a settled position.
We will not pretend reward-based work is instant either. It asks more of you in the first fortnight, and it does not carry those risks.
What to do instead, tonight
Name the 1 behaviour that made you search this. Pulling, lunging or running off. Work on that alone for 2 weeks.
Change the equipment to a well-fitted harness and a plain 6 foot leash. Retire the extending leash while you practise.
Feed your dog beside your leg every 3 or 4 steps, for the first 5 minutes of every walk.
Use a 30 foot long line in open spaces, so that running off stops being rehearsed.
Halve the walk and add sniffing time. A short walk you can manage beats a long one you cannot.
If you already own one
You do not need to feel ashamed about buying it. Take it off, put it away, and swap to a harness for the next 2 weeks.
If your dog has already been trained with one, expect some caution around collars and handling for a while. Go slowly, and keep sessions short and cheerful.
Safety note
If you are considering one of these tools because your dog has growled, snapped or bitten, stop and get help now. Aversive tools carry a risk of fear and defensive aggression. Speak to your veterinarian and a qualified behaviour professional before you change anything else.
Today's version, in one line: harness on, 1 behaviour chosen, and food every 3 steps for the first 5 minutes.