Meet Ronnie, our new puppy.

This Christmas we got a puppy. He is called Ronnie, named after my grandfather Ron, who was also a teacher. He is 10 weeks old and is a Cockapoo, a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle. Ronnie has a lot to learn.

Dog training books and AI tell owners to teach puppies three commands: 'sit', 'stay', and 'come'. If he can sit, he will be ready to cross a road and not jump up at people. If he can stay when asked, he will stay away from places he shouldn’t be. And if he can come you can let him off the lead in a suitable place so he can explore and run and play. These three commands ensure he is ready for the next activity, kind to those around him, and safe. 

The classical way to train dogs is with words, linked to actions, rewarded with treats, praise, and play. For example, to teach Ronnie how to sit, you start by taking a treat over his head, which forces his bottom down. In repeating this, he soon sits and starts to link the word ‘sit’ with the feeling of sitting. Once he learns to sit when he hears ‘sit’, we ask him to wait, say ‘good boy’, reveal the treat in our hand, and give him a stroke.

After 6 days, Ronnie now knows when to sit. We are teaching him how to 'stay' and 'come' as well. We also link the words to hand gestures. For 'sit', we use a closed fist with one finger out, then raise it to the shoulder. For ‘stay’, an open palm facing Ronnie, and for 'come', an arm out to the side and brought back to the chest.

At SKOLA, we use positive reinforcement, clear rules, and helpful gestures to teach students how to behave in school. We recognise and point out to the class examples of students being ready for class. We highlight times when students are kind to each other when we see it, at the end of the day, or during Friday awards. And we thank our students when they walk over roads in a safe way.

Ronnie is currently lying next to me having one of his naps. He’s processing his recent learning by dreaming. When he wakes he'll play treat-burrito: treats wrapped in a towel, tied into a loose knot. Ronnie loves treat-burrito. 

I hope to see you at our skola.co.uk/summer school this year as part of a peaceful, healthy, and prosperous 2025 for you. If you can come, you’ll see Ronnie making a weekly visit to the schools for anyone who wants to give him a treat.

Ben Alexander Toettcher

Director