I hate that I'm even asking this...

[Jen and Annie]

I never thought in a million years that I would consider using a prong collar, but Annie is so incredibly strong. I have tried 'stop-and-go' on our walks for her on-leash pulling, and it seems to be slowly working. If she pulls, we stop walking. She is pulling much less often, but it still happens, and we still stop when she does it. I have tried positive reinforcement when she is walking by my side. I feel like I have tried everything, and I need to get her leash walking and jumping greetings under control. I have always thought I would never use an aversive method with her, but I think I am at a loss, especially with her human greetings.
Over the past few weeks I have been researching prong collars, and I have always been against them - but mostly because they look so barbaric. From what I've read, the dog is actually the one in control of the correction for the most part, and that it is more of a 'slight pinch' than it is a stabbing into their neck. I am writing to poll the DK members on your experiences with prong collars.
I am fully committed to the time it takes for training, but no matter how much I run Annie, or try to drain her energy - she is always able to muster up enough energy to exhuberantly jump on people. She is very very stong by now, at over 70 lbs. She almost knocked over a small child at the dog park a few weeks ago, which is what prompted my research on new methods. It's like she sees the person who is LEAST capable of defending themselves against her jumping, and jumps on them. :-{
She just LOVES people. I can prevent her from jumping, just by keeping her on a short leash, but she flails and freaks out trying to get to the person to say hi, in her Annie way. She basically goes deaf and can't hear any of the "SIT! No, ANNIE! LEAVE IT!" when she wants to see someone. Once I'm able to calm her down (usually takes 2-3 minutes, and I have to physically hold my hand on her back to prevent her from continuing to flail around) she will sit and whimper for the person she wants to jump on, and I can hold her back to keep her from jumping on them, but sometimes will just give a HUGE tug and rip my arm almost out of socket to try and greet the person.
I have read that the prong collars really can be a useful tool, but I just feel so bad to put one on her...please tell me of your experiences or suggestions on the pulling on leash and jumping up on people. I know she is such a sweet girl, and I worry that using a prong collar will change her personality. She really is a doll, she just has a hard time hiding her excitement for people. Will a prong collar work to help me correct the pulling/jumping up, without changing her sweet personality ?

I really want what's best for her, but would also like to 'save' the poor people that she meets.

[Jen and Annie]

She has done basic obedience, and she listens to her basic commands, when it's just me and her.  We practice on our daily walks - stopping to "sit" and "wait", etc. And she does great.  I do train with her daily, and we practice her commands.  The pulling and jumping are the sticky points in our training - when she gets extremely excited, like when she sees someone she want's to meet. I have a hard time getting or keeping her attention at that point..  

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Then you need to redirect her.  As soon as she approaches with a negative ( over excited approach) turn her back around and head in the other direction, with a new set of commands. Heel, sit, off, stay, down, look,  etc. whatever the case may be.    Regain her focus on what she should be doing

I completely understand as I still have this problem with greetings. It is our weakest link  :(  

My thoughts are though, that you did not think of this approach. You are just going to use a collar for jumping.  The collar is not magic, the obedience is magic.  How are you going to get her to not jump on someone with just a collar?   Pull her backward? 

Do you understand what I am saying>?  The collar is used in conjunction with training. It is not the trainer! 

[Jen and Annie]

Yes!  I understand.  The plan is first to help her to learn that the pinches are controlled by her.  I saw a great video about preconditioning on the collar.  (the series starts with this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nibaQnS44FE and continues with a conditioning exercise.)  We would start with normal daily walks, once she understands what the collar is.  I was actually thinking that I would give our "AH AH" which I use as a "NO" - just prior to when she will cause herself to get the pinch.  When she doesn't acknowledge my "AH AH", she will get a pinch, and hopefully begin associating my "AH AH" with - "I'd better listen or I will get a pinch". 

To be honest, I'm hoping to try and be able to tackle the problems without hiring a professional trainer - when I say I have been reading for weeks, I mean it.  She is really a perfect dog, except for when we have visitors, or meet new people.  

She really paints a horrible picture of herself with her greetings, because with me and my husband - she is a dream come true.  

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I already knew you were going to try to use one alone  :)  I could read between the lines.

I wish you the best, however I still encourage another training class and one while the dog is still young is best.  But, good luck.  We are always here in the training group for follow ups and help.

I for one, wish I could go to training more often,.  The dogs there are fantastic. And even the trainers go there for training.  Lots of trainers training.  I could never compare.

http://www.germandogs.com/congratulations.htm

[Jen and Annie]

Our lifestyle isn't exactly conducive to attending training classes, at least not at this time. We travel a lot and are mostly in remote locations, or I would go to a legit training class. I'm going the "DVD - DIY" route with this. We are a wild band of gypsies with no real place to lay our hats, and therefore no place to go to a long term training class, LOL. At the worst case, if I am still not able to correct this ONE issue, I would probably break down and maybe hire a private trainer. We shall see how it goes!
I definitely understand that the collar is not a magic wand. Annie and I have worked together since she was a tiny pup, and she is perfect in every way EXCEPT her greetings with new people. Even with the leash pulling, I'm making progress with that here over the past few weeks - but the greetings - it might as well be like I'm not even there.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

But they don't cause themselves to get a pinch. 

Again, they don't do it themselves. You, give the correction with the command which could be verbal, hand signal, or direction. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There is definitely a difference of opinion among trainers as to whether jumping up is a dominance behavior or not. I tend to go along with that the thought that it is, because truly shy, timid, or fearful dogs never jump on people. To this day, JD has never jumped on anyone, or even put his front paws on anyone, and he was a completely untrained 14 month old when I adopted him.

 I'm not at all saying that a dog who jumps up is a dominant dog, but just that I believe that that particular behavior is a dominant one.

I think your plan is a good one. :)  

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Here is the thing one trainer told me when she saw me with a head control on Spud (  Gentle Leader ), " Those tools are Containers~ NOT trainers"   Once that collar is off, your dog does the same behavior.

So, if you are having these problems, you can use all kinds of tools, however the dog needs trained.  There really is no substitution.

Nothing like going to a good trainer and spending a few weeks with them. You can watch videos, read books, but there  is no substitution.  For example, I used to golf.  I could read magazines, buy expensive clubs, watch videos.  It doesn't really work that way. You have to go out and play the game and get the lessons. Same with dogs. 

A trainer troubleshoots with you on a personal basis.  You learn life-long lessons.  Many try to take this task on themselves and I think it is a mistake.  We can help you here, but you really need to go to the pros in person.

Spud is four, and this Summer, he and I are taking yet another class  :)

If you are going to use a prong, please get some one on one training.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

A trainer I know calls the harnesses, head collars, etc. "crutches", and training is like the physical therapy that helps you learn to walk without the crutches. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

She said it nicer than the second trainer I had.  That woman ripped my head off for using one. I still have them and use them on occasion just to throw off Spud.  Always good for concentration.  Works. 

[a.k.a. Rodney]

Having read everything on this post so far...I realized we do NEED a LIKE button!!
So, while I am going to read further, I do want to mark Karen's comments with a LIKE

[Diana Erhart]

When Charlie was a puppy I had a great trainer working with him in a class setting.  After a few weeks she recommended a prong collar for him because of his behavior at times.  He only wore it while training.  It worked wonders for us.  I would just advise that you use it with a good trainer or having been trained in the proper way to use it.  I was hesitant at first, but it really does work when needed and used properly.  Good luck.  My crazy Charlie puppy is now one of the calmest, well-behaved dogs you would ever meet.