Clicker or Remote training?

Question

for a 1 year old Yorkie - 6 pounds.

What are the advantages/disadvantages to both techniques?

Answer 1

I'm in an obedience competition training class with my Border Collie puppy and we train using the clicker method. I've only begun to use this just this past summer, but I find it very useful in conveying to your dog what you want. The clicker method is a positive reinforcement way of training and I get much faster results when I use the clicker. I would highly recommend it to anyone. It's not the sole source of training, but it is a very helpful tool.

There's a really good beginner book on it called "Clicking with your Dog" by Peggy (might be Pam) Tillman. It's a very informative book with lots of good details.

Sorry I can't help with the remote method, I've not personally used it.

Answer 2

depends on your dog. Some dogs, as opposed to many people's opinions, will not respond to clicker training. For many dogs it is not attracting. Remote training is another way to go but it is, in my opinion, should be used for advanced training and not for basics.

Clicker training, along with food training, is the easiest way to train some dogs. The clicker is actually a "marker" which they associate with food or reward. The problem with this training is that sometimes, when overly trained with the clicker method, a dog will not accept anything else or method as a reward. I know... sounds weird.. but it happens.

Remote training is a controversial training method but I have used it. I have used practically every method of training ranging from the old leather leash/collar to the choke collars/prongs to "belgium punishers" to remote and clicker. Remote has many advantages such as usually, the dog responds withing the first few tries and will remember the commands withing fewer tries. Disadvantages, well, it can be over used and abused.

I'm a big believer that remote or e-collar training should only be used AFTER the dog knows the basics. It take approximately 20-30 repetitions before a dog "learns" a command. Meaning, you would need to do the "sit" command and its movements 20-30 times BEFORE the dog knows and understand what you want from them. The basics, sit/down/stay/come/here, should be known and somewhat understood BEFORE using a remote/e-collar. I have found that training from teh start with e-collars will actually damage dogs, mentally, if used from too early an age and too early on in training.

For a yorkie, i will suggest either food or clicker. Preferably food. Clicker training is my last resort for any training and food is my first. Again, some dogs respond to each method differently. Remember, 20-30 times before it is learned. 50-100 before it is perfected. 100+ to be done at anytime.

Answer 3

Remote training is good for teaching a dog what it is not allowed to do. It uses pain. It is generally not a good idea for small dogs, I would do some research behind me, but from what I found, dogs need to weight more than 8 pounds to get the zap in remote training.
Clicker training is what I use. It is great to teach a dog what you want it to do, like tricks. Clicker training uses treats and positive rewards to train and the removal of a reward to train a dog not to do something. I put a link to a wonderful clicker training site if your would take a look.

Answer 4

I'm a clicker trainer and have used those techniques with great results on many dogs. I believe that if science (and thousands of clicker trainers) have proven that there's no reason to use pain to try to control a dog's behavior, then why do it?

Answer 5

My dog just graduated today(lol) from Obedience School. A clicker was used to get their attention and it did work. Clicker for any size dog is good. My dog was in witha Doberman and Mastiff. It is not to cause pain,but get their attention by positive reinforcement. Who wants to feel pain,not even animal.
A clicker at Petsmart is only $3.99

Answer 6

Definitely clicker training for a small dog.

Answer 7

clicker training...
there is a yahoo group that teaches it...

dogs respond really well to it...just be sure to follow the outline precisely...