Follow With Teaching the Active "Stay"
The next challenge is to teach an active "stay," meaning for the dog to actively move into a position and then begin to stay on command. The simplest "stay" is taught from the sit position and therefore it is necessary for the dog to reliably sit when requested before teaching the active "stay." After giving the "sit" command and while still in the sitting position, begin by putting your palm out so it is vertical (emulating a stop sign) a few inches from the dog's nose and say, "Stay." Pull the hand away and if the dog stays for even one second, immediately come forward quickly with the left hand and give praise and food to reward the dog for staying. Follow this with a releaser like "OK, Good girl (boy)!"

If the dog gets up and moves before one second, withhold the treat and gently put him or her back into the sit position, without scolding. Repeat the "Stay" command. Always use the "stop" hand signal in addition to the verbal cue as the command for "Stay." Start with a 1-second "stay." When the dog complies, praise him or her calmly and abundantly. Then work up to 2 or 3 seconds, then 5 seconds, and so forth. Take breaks while doing this. Puppies especially have short attention spans and may have some difficulty doing this for extended periods of time.

Lengthening the Attention Span
"Stay" requires lengthening the attention span through increasing his or her ability to focus and concentrate. A common mistake made by humans is to ask the dog to "Stay," and then forget about the command. The human goes about his or her business, forgetting about the dog, and then is surprised the dog didn't have the attention span longer than a human. When learning the time of the "stay," the rule is the dog is not required to stay in one position any longer than a human can keep his or her focus on making sure the dog stays in that position.

Use of Close Tethering
If the dog has trouble learning to "down-stay" for an extended period, you can use "Close Tethering" (refer to the topic "Close Tether Training"). Close tethering is tying the dog from his or her collar to a solid object and coupling this with a "Stay" command, usually the "Down-stay." Using this technique, the dog is not able to go or move away but you are able to reward the fact that the dog is staying. With this technique, you can gradually remove the lead and continue to praise the dog in the "down-stay" position. If the dog breaks the "down-stay," take him or her back to the original spot (without scolding), and repeat the "Down-stay" command (using the tether again, if necessary).

Once the dog really learns this, he or she can be asked to "stay" for longer and longer periods of time. For example, in the dog's bed, which is located across the room from where the family is eating. This has the added advantage of preventing begging behavior, which can develop into an annoying behavior.

Gradually Increase the Distance of the "Stay"
As the dog becomes more experienced and masters staying at a short distance, gradually increase the distance between you and the dog. Do not go from getting the dog to stay within 2 feet of you to walking across the room. The temptation will be great and you will have only provoked conflict and anxiety in the dog, which defeats your goal.

Reminder About Teaching Commands
It is especially important with the "stay" command to remember to use one or two words consistently as a releaser. Please refer back to the section 'Notes on Teaching Commands' from the topic entitled "IdealDog™ Vocabulary and Definitions."