Dogs can be harmed by putting them into impossible situations as follows: the motivation is very high, the dog can't escape from the situation, and there is no ability for the dog to adapt to the situation.
An example: having a dog chase a laser pointer dot of light. The artificial stimulus of the laser partially activates the prey drive mechanisms in the brain to a very high degree. While stimulated, the dog can't stop chasing the moving spot of light. And the dog can never reach the natural goal of prey drive, which is the capturing and "killing" of the prey... since it is just a light beam. So, you are turning on an innate drive in an unnatural way with an artificial stimulus, causing the dog to strive to obtain something that can't be obtained, and the drive isn't then turned off naturally. Thus, you can end up with a dog that chases shadows endlessly, with a side effect of anxiety and stress, and the dog can't shut it down. It isn't a pretty picture.
I can give other examples, but it is best to not give bad people any ideas. The point is that normal dog training is good for dogs. New fads, which employ strange and artificial methods might make a dog exhibit a visual appearance of doing something useful, but inside the dog, it is damaging. These types of methods are used in sports where what you see in the field doesn't also show what the dog is like when home.
If it sounds far out, it probably is. The more artificial the tool or method, the more questions you should ask and the more you should investigate the side effects.
Plan accordingly.
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