The about-turn is one of the harder maneuvers to train and requires that the dog have a good foundation in heeling before it is attempted. There are two about turns in every heeling pattern and they tend to be a major source of points lost in competition. About-turns are always clockwise (to the right). Since the dog is on the outside of the turn, he must accelerate his pace to make it around the turn by the time the handler does. Centrifugal force will likely pull him out into a wide arc (points off) if his head is up as you have trained it to be. I train my dogs to drop their heads on the about-turn. This allows them to dig in and stay close to me as they accelerate around the turn.

Before discussing the training of the about-turn, let's discuss footwork. You must be consistent with the placement of your feet on about-turns. I have found the following footwork to be the easiest for me and it gives my dogs the best chance to stay in the correct position:

Notice that the second step is a ninety-degree turn of your left foot to the right. Your Pembroke will see this foot position only when an about-turn is about to happen. It will be his clue to drop his head and dig in. The third step gets you going in the opposite direction. Make sure to keep your right foot as close to the left heel as possible. This gives your dog the time it needs to catch up before you take off at your normal pace. Your fourth step should be as long or as short as necessary to stay with your dog. Remember to keep your pace unchanged as you execute this about-turn. Count "1, 2, 1, 2" to yourself as you heel and as you turn. Don't slow down. Practice this without your dog until you feel comfortable with the footwork. Keep your feet under your hips and your head upright. I find that my balance is better if I lean backward slightly as I start the about turn. All of these things help to keep me from falling down!

Remember that we want your Corgi to drop its head as it does the about-turn. To train this response, hold a treat in your right hand, bend at the waist and place it on your left shin at the same time that you execute the second step of the turn. Make sure the food is well below your knee so the dog has to drop its head to get it. As training progresses, get the dog further and further around the turn before reinforcing. Stop and release the dog as soon as you feed him. If you get dizzy doing this maneuver, you are doing it correctly. The dog's association between the ninety-degree turn of your left foot and diving for the food must become automatic. Some handlers find it simpler to initially train this maneuver from a stationary position rather than attempting it while moving. That's fine. Just be sure that the food is held on your shin (Photo 3), not away from your body (Photo 4) so that the dog learns to stay close to you on the about turn.