Diligent training can break most dogs without a collar...but there are some that need it.
Even with the collar, there is some work involved, but they are humane and valuable tools.
With field dogs, they associate the collar with fun (hunting) and I have seen dogs that will run to you and jump up for the collar.
As said earlier, buy a collar with adjustable power. Better yet, buy a collar that has both a beeper and a zapper. Most dogs will learn very quickly and soon respond to the beep just as well as the shock. There is some very good short range stuff (100 yards or so) collars out there for around $100.
The biggest question is really "Do you need to use a dummy collar?"
The guys I hunt with do not. As mentioned above, their dogs associate the collar being put on with fun...and these are already very well trained dogs to begin with.
If you are looking to modify normal, day to day behavior, you want the dog to learn to mind before you stimulate him/her, n other words, you want them to mind without the collar. Some willful dogs will rapidly figure out that they do not have to mind when the collar is not one. In these cases, you have the dog wear a collar with a dummy electronics box all the time. Other dogs just want to please, and the collar is a tool to help them learn how...they quickly figure out what you want them to do and you may never need the collar again.