Usually pointing and then tapping my toe where the item is is enough for them to catch on.
That’s interesting about the herding instinct maybe affecting that ability. My collie also had to think really hard to back up. He would get between the couch and coffee table and if something was in the way, he would have to back up. He could do it but you could tell it was a real mental effort. On the other hand my lab is Mr. Speedy and he can weave in and out and backwards and forwards and over and under with no hesitation at all.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Corgi
Corgis are herding dogs, and perform their duties by nipping at the heels; the dog’s low height allows it to avoid being kicked in the process. As herding dogs, corgis work livestock differently than other breeds. Instead of gathering the cattle the way a collie would, by running around the livestock, corgis drive the herd forward by nipping at their heels and working them from behind in semicircles. Seldom giving ground, if an animal should turn and charge, the corgi will bite its nose, causing it to turn and rejoin the herd. Although they specialize in herding cattle, corgis are also used to herd sheep and Welsh ponies.