Turning towards the handler is a dog’s natural inclination. Indeed the savvy handler will endeavor to be on the turning side of the course as much as possible to take advantage of this fact. However those clever and evil judges will intentionally trap the handler on the side away from the turn. So the dog’s trainer must teach the dog to turn away on command.

I say that it is a command that the handler is teaching to the dog. In truth the turn away from the handler’s position will be conditioned to be a response to following the handler’s natural movement. While I do assign a verbal command – “Turn,” the truer command is given by my movement, essentially a rotation and step in the new direction.

By the same token I want to dismiss the notion that the turn away from the handler’s position is an arm signal. While I do tend to cue the turn with an arm signal and the training method suggests an arm signal cue, in fact the truer command is given by my movement, simply turning the corner and moving in a natural manner.

Introducing the Turn

Note that the handler sets himself up perpendicular to the dog’s path. The intention is to draw the dog right in front of his body. This could be conditioned using a lure in hand, a food treat or even a ball or toy.

The handler will draw the dog across his body to the opposite knee. This is a simple timing consideration. It is the handler’s intention to cross behind the dog. And the handler cannot cross behind the dog until the dog is past the handler’s position.

The handler will then push his hand out to entice the dog to bend around in the opposite direction. This really isn’t quite as easy as it looks. Many dogs will fight against turning away and will flip back in the direction of the handler. Keep focus on the desired performance; we’re in dog training mode. The dog should be rewarded only for turning away from the handler’s position.

As I sweep my arm around the dog’s head I assign the verbal cue: “Turn”. While I have said that the turn is not a verbal command I’m fully aware that there will come a day when I have only the word to give.

The handler’s body should make the turn with the dog. It is a mistake to make this teaching all about the hand and arm.

This training method has suggested that the cue is given with the inside arm… which is the arm nearer to the dog and usually the lead hand. Note that after the turn the handler needs to bring up the new lead for the dog.

Notes on Attitude of the Arm

I suppose where the primitive graphics fail me here is a language that I carefully cultivate in training my dogs for agility. When I want the dog in handler focus I draw my arm and hand down close to my body. But when I want the dog in obstacle focus I lift my arm and point away from my body.

Implicitly in training the dog will be drawn tightly into handler focus as the arm swoops down below the belt then it comes up and dashes out away from the handler’s body releasing the dog to look away.

Because so many handlers believe that the signal to turn is an arm signal mechanical convolutions are introduced which might look fanciful and important, but in truth, have no benefit to performance.

When watching a handler make a turn I consider the most important question “What does it look like when a person turns a corner?” We run to the corner… stop… flap our arms around in convulsive turmoil… and then go. Right? Well no. That’s not right. The handler should simply make the turn, trusting the dog to follow his natural movement and allowing that movement to be the true cue.