Back in the day, before the rise in popularity of electric collars, I heard a .410 w/ bird shot was commonly utilized to "reach out and touch" a dog that wasn't paying attention.

Some guys use the right hook at the drop of a hat, others more selective. General rule of thumb, don't use it around birds, for fear of turning them off to the birds, and don't use it when they come back after running off, for fear that next time they don't come back. You gotta chase them down, and get them in the act of doing something to utilize it properly.

I knew plenty of trainers, again NOT retriever guys, where the right hook was their go to move. One guy used a left. All of them long successful careers.