OK, I'm confused! 2 weeks ago we did a companion obedience show, and I did my halt about turn going to the right like I usually do. I got docked a bunch of marks for her coming in to me crooked. My friend (who doesn't do obedience) said 'surely if you leave the dog on the left you should turn left, to bring yourself back in line?' This made sense to me, so on Saturday at another companion show when we did the recall I turned left. The judge then told me that unless it was specified as a 'left about turn', I should always turn right. The people at training tonight didn't seem to know about this, though the real obedience expert is on holiday. So what do the Champdogs experts say? Is it true that you would be marked down for turning left? And if you do have to turn right, how do you get back in line with the dog? Shuffle as you turn? Or leave them walking slightly diagonal?

I don't know about the getting in line bit, but yes, you do have to turn right unless specified left about -I lost marks my very first time for turning left as nobody had ever told me it mattered what way I turned. :D

Yes you have to turn right unless asked for a left about turn. Some judges won't mark you for a left-about but many will so it is best to do a right turn.

You should turn on the spot, not wheel round so you should be almost in line. But don't shuffle about or walk in a diagonal, you could get marked for that too. Practice turning tightly on the spot and also train your dog to come in and sit straight even if you are off centre.

If you are planning on taking this all seriously why not join the email lists on www.obedienceuk.com, you'll pick up lots of useful information, can ask questions. But be warned, some of them can be a bit off-putting, don't let it put you off though.

Lucy As an obedience judge I tell my ring steward to instruct handlers to halt & turn & face your dog in the lower classes.This means which ever way you turn be it left or right it isn't markable. What you do have to do is listen to the ring steward's/judge's  instructions

If you are are told Halt & About turn that means you turn to the right. If you are told as my ring stewards are instructed to do Halt, turn & face your dog then you can do either left or rght

You can ask the judge before you start what they expect you to do & TBH I would expect them in Pre B & Beginners to allow both turns as being ok

Like I have said before when you are starting out in obedience it's hard enough to walk straight & do the turns in the heelwork let alone always remember to turn rught in recall ;)

OK thanks - another thing to try and remember!! :-D

LOLOLOLOL ;)

never do a "left about" if they say about, youll ALWAYS get someone who will mark you! (though i wouldnt!   as i think its petty!)
the reason "why" they will mark you is because you havent followed the stewards instructions!
in a recall as i stepped off i would veer fractionally left as to line up. if you about turn & halt & you are off centre DONT move then,you just have to stay put!

TBH,how much did they mark you for her sitting crooked,only 1/4 or half at the most i hope?????

The one two weeks ago? They took off about 2 or 3 marks in both heelwork exercises and 3 marks in the recall for sitting on her hip. I know they would have marked all the dogs the same, but it seemed pretty harsh for a companion show! :-(

In the one last Saturday where I turned the wrong way, I doubt she took much off as she was so nice in explaining, but unfortunately they didn't have the marks written on the big scoreboard like they usually have, and I was so astounded by winning the lower class I never got round to asking! :-D

The marks you lose are usually relevent to the judge.  As long as the judge is consistant in marking it doesn't matter if you lose high or low overall marks. 

I won a class once losing very high marks, I came out thinking how did I clock up such a score, but going back to the scoreboard later I found the judge was marking everyone high.  Some judges mark in quarters, some in halves, obviously this can double your score depending on how the judge marks.

nobody should mark in 3s though!!!!!