What does stay mean? Stay means DO NOT MOVE. Your dog will not move when he understand what stay means.

So first, you will teach your dog to 'stay' from the sitting position. Your dog will sit and not move until you tell him it's OK to move.

• Have your dog sit; make sure he is sitting comfortably.

• Stand or sit in front of him, put the palm of your hand in front of his face and say "Stay".

• Step away using your right foot. You should always leave your dog using your right foot.

• Take only one or two steps, turn and stand right in front of your dog.

• You may repeat the word 'stay' a couple of times. Wait only a few seconds and then return to your dog's side.

• When you finish, say "okay!". Get your dog to move and tell him he is a good boy.

• Do this several times over the next few days. When your dog seems steady, you can increase the time that you stand in front of him.

• Then you can increase the distance, but only a little at a time.

• If you want to give your dog a treat, give him a small piece while he's in the 'stay' position. Don't feed him after he moves, or he will think that he got the treat for moving. You can also tell him, "good stay" while he is staying.

You may practice your 'stays' from a down or standing position by following the same steps.

Rusty's Ridiculous Riddles

After your dog understands how to sit and stay, you can try lie down.This might be days or weeks later. Follow the same instructions as above, but first have your dog lie down. Your dog probably won't understand right away. Go slowly, like he has never heard the word 'stay' before.

Your Puppy, Your Dog, by Pat Storer, Storey Publishing; 1997
From the Back Cover
What a dog needs most is love -- and loving a dog means providing everything it needs to be happy and healthy. With easy-to-follow instructions and plenty of illustrations, this book tells you just how to care for and understand your dog.
Includes: How to select the puppy or dog that is best for you, What and how to feed your dog, How to train and exercise your dog, How to play with your dog or puppy, How to keep your dog in the best of health, Where and how to show your dog, ... Ages 9 and up

Kids Training Puppies in Five Minutes with DVD, by JoAnn Dahan, Cork Hill Press; (February 5, 2004)
From an Amazon.com reader: My name is Christi, I am 7 years old. I just got a new lab puppy from my Mom and Dad her name is Ginny. Before I could have Ginny I had to promised I would care for her and train her. This book is so great, it is very easy to read and the pictures of the lab puppies and kids are so cute. I taught Ginny to sit and lie down really fast. I think every kid with a puppy should have this book. Ages 5-8

Dog Training for Children with Ian Dunbar,
1997 VHS
This video is written and hosted by veterinarian, animal behaviorist, and author Dr. Ian Dunbar — the world's leading authority on dog behavior and training. Dr. Dunbar is the original creator and popularizer of off-leash puppy classes, which sparked the revolution for positive, reward-based, dog-friendly dog training. I have previewed this video and recommend it as an excellent training tool for kids. Jan Wall, author How to Love Your Dog

This video is a little older, but excellent, nonetheless. Ian Dunbar has a wonderful way with the children - clear, gentle, and kind. Easy to watch and understand, kids can be completely successful with this positive method of training. Adapted from the British television program, Dogs With Dunbar. Topics include: Taking on a new puppy. Housetraining. Early leash training. Teaching Sit and Down. Developing a rapport. Focusing attention. Improving off-leash control. Training a fast recall. Training as a family. Family competitions. Improving the Sit Stay. Teaching with toys. Playing training games.