Left About Turns, Left U Turns And Pivot Turns

[stan the man]

Hi all, wonder if you can put me right and for me to cement in my mind what are the differences between left U turns, left about turn and pivot turns.

[dogdude]

Hard to explain without footage, but in trials, some people do left abouts while turning into their dogs, and then dog files around them clockwise. Others get the dog to do a sharp u turn with them, but the dogs hind quarters should stay behind the left leg all the way, which means that the hind quarters are moving almost backards, following your left leg. If the dog waits for your legs to catch up, then it is not a proper left about turn.

[stan the man]

Hard to explain without footage, but in trials, some people do left abouts while turning into their dogs, and then dog files around them clockwise. Others get the dog to do a sharp u turn with them, but the dogs hind quarters should stay behind the left leg all the way, which means that the hind quarters are moving almost backards, following your left leg. If the dog waits for your legs to catch up, then it is not a proper left about turn.

Thanks for the reply

So the turn where handler does left u turn and dog goes behind is that a left about turn, pivot turn or left u turn...... this is where I am having problems in my head.

[wuffles]

My understanding is... 'left about turn' is the generic term that you are asked to do in a trial, you can choose to do either a 'pivot turn' or a 'u turn'. A 'pivot turn' is where you turn towards your dog and they go around behind you. A 'u turn' is where you walk in a tight u and the dog comes around with you on your left.

[murve]

I agree with you Dogdude it is hard to explain, it is better being demo straighted

I do my left about turns that is known as military style eg:: human left about turn slight march on the spot while the lead is being passed around your back with dog stays on the outside

the other left about Dogdude did a pretty good explanation the dog stays on the inside :D

I hope this helps. Other than that I suggest going to a dog Obedience club & watch,

[stan the man]

My understanding is... 'left about turn' is the generic term that you are asked to do in a trial, you can choose to do either a 'pivot turn' or a 'u turn'. A 'pivot turn' is where you turn towards your dog and they go around behind you. A 'u turn' is where you walk in a tight u and the dog comes around with you on your left.

Thanks, I think that`s it, in my head I was thinking there were three types of left abouts etc now if I just forget left about turn and only think "left u turn and Pivot" hopefully my old grey cells will remember which is which.

Thanks again all.

[murve]

My understanding is... 'left about turn' is the generic term that you are asked to do in a trial, you can choose to do either a 'pivot turn' or a 'u turn'. A 'pivot turn' is where you turn towards your dog and they go around behind you. A 'u turn' is where you walk in a tight u and the dog comes around with you on your left.

Thanks, I think that`s it, in my head I was thinking there were three types of left abouts etc now if I just forget left about turn and only think "left u turn and Pivot" hopefully my old grey cells will remember which is which.

Thanks again all.

You got it right ooppp should I say Left about :laugh:

Yes there is only 2 types "left U turns" & "Pivot" is the new word for the old military word.

The judges do say "left about turns when you are in a trial :D

[dogdude]

Yep, a judge will never ask you to do a pivot turn. Obedience instructors sometimes use the term pivot, but really IMO you should never really pivot into a turn. You should break the turn down into small steps to give clear signals to your dog as to which direction you intend to move towards.

A traditional left about turn requires you to pass the lead around your back. I think the other method looks far smarter if you have taught your dog to heel properly. (u turn)

[murve]

Yep, a judge will never ask you to do a pivot turn. Obedience instructors sometimes use the term pivot, but really IMO you should never really pivot into a turn. You should break the turn down into small steps to give clear signals to your dog as to which direction you intend to move towards.

A traditional left about turn requires you to pass the lead around your back. I think the other method looks far smarter if you have taught your dog to heel properly. (u turn)

That is right Dogdude :D that is why in the old days they called it military turn, cause you are basically walking on the spot & at the same time you are turning :D The judges commands have changed over the years but they still mean the same

Sorry guys starting to babble army talk, my partner/trainer is ex army drill Sargent & dog trainer

Edited July 14, 2011 by murve

[Tassie]

In obedience competition it's the handler's choice each time a left about turn is called. To do what is generally called the U turn properly, the dog needs to remain in heel position, so needs really good rear end awareness. To do the round the back or pivot, the dog actually moves out of heel position (as it does in a rouind the back finish) and then resumes position as the handler moves in the new direction..

Just to confuse the issue ( ;) ), in Rally O, dog and handler may be required to do one or the other - i.e. there is a sign for the U left about, and one for the round the back left about. That's at the Novice Rally O level - later on, you could be required to do a true pivot turn - one foot stays on the ground :D .

[DobieMum]

There's a great picture, I found on this page of the left about turn

http://schutzhundphotography.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/left-about-turn.jpg

I couldn't find one on left U turn

Hope this helps as dogdude said, it's always better demonstrated.

[murve]

There's a great picture, I found on this page of the left about turn

http://schutzhundpho...-about-turn.jpg

I couldn't find one on left U turn

Hope this helps as dogdude said, it's always better demonstrated.

Love the pic, Pauchel it is perfect demo

this is the one I do when I do a Left about turn

[TerraNik]

I was videoing some training with the dogs (in my Ugg boots LOL) and so I thought I would do a quick video of the two different turns. Hopefully it helps -

. I had to remind Jed with a bit of a hand signal to go around - I never do anything other than a U-turn with him usually, but you get the idea.

[PAX]

I think there are three types of left about turns.

The pivot turrn, like in the link above.

The U turn, where the handler walks a tight u-turn and the dog continues to heel, taking a slightly different line

And a left about turn where the dog has to almost turn on the forehand to maintian the possiton, the handler turns on thee spot and remains on the same line.

[TerraNik]

The U turn, where the handler walks a tight u-turn and the dog continues to heel, taking a slightly different line

And a left about turn where the dog has to almost turn on the forehand to maintian the possiton, the handler turns on thee spot and remains on the same line.

I consider both of these the one and the same... Just one sloppy (U-turn), one neat (LAT).

[Kavik]

Nice Video TerraNik!

[PAX]

According to the rules of Dogs NSW;

All turns other than about turns will be of 90 degrees and be sharpley executed. Both left and right about-turns will be 180 degrees and may be either U-turns or handler pivot turns. The Handler must not become stationary during a turn.

Edited July 15, 2011 by PAX

[PAX]

About turns!

Handlers are to execute about turns, i.e. pivot and or u turns, as they see fit during the heeling routine without penality.

[stan the man]

Thanks everyone for your input and help, now just got to cement them to the grey matter.

[Staranais]

I've got to admit that I don't really "get" the around the back LAT. To me it seems that since the dog does not stick to your left hand side during the turn, it has left heel position during the turn, and this should be penalised, not accepted? Perhaps I am partly just biased against it because it is never seen in competition over here.

Does anyone know the history of the different types of turns - i.e. were they all developed at the same time during early competition obedience, or did one type come first?

ETA, that is a nice video, TerraNik.

Edited July 16, 2011 by Staranais