You can teach the stay at any age. All the pup has to learn is that one word means to do nothing and that he must do nothing regardless of distractions.
Put the dog's collar on him and attach a 6 foot leash. Get a 15 and a 30 foot leash within the next couple of weeks. This is the only command you can use both hand and verbal signals at the same time in the Novice and Open rings. The hand signal consists of (usually) swinging the right hand, palm open and toward the dog, up to but not touching his nose for the length of time it takes you to say 'STAY'. Sit your dog in heel position. Give the command and signal to stay and step directly in front of the dog, pivoting to face him. Do not give full leash slack. Only enough to provide a loose collar. Pivot right back to heel position after a second or two. Praise. If he moves, put him back in place silently and do it again until he does it right. Be silent on errors but give commands as needed. Do not repeat them. Just say them when you have to start over. Do not let him move from the sit position until you give a release word. Remember what that was? Most people use "OK". If he gets so excited that he moves when you praise him, tone down the praise. But it is all right for him to move after the release command is given.
Go no further distance for three days. On the fourth day, return around behind the dog and up to heel position. Continue this return from now on. Now begin to lengthen the time spent in front of the dog to a minute in length. Do this slowly. If the dog does not hold position, he is not steady enough and time must be shortened. Never increase distance before time. The point of the exercise is to have a reliable dog. Do not rush him, as all dogs are different. Never work without a leash for if he breaks a stay and runs, you have to begin ALL OVER AGAIN. By the end of two weeks, he should know the meaning of the stay command. Now you can be a bit more forceful. If he moves, take hold of the leash with both hands close to the collar and jerk quickly straight up and release just as fast, saying, "No, you stay!" If he left the area, jerk him back to where he was originally and then upwards to make him sit. He will soon realize you will no longer place him with hands and you will enforce your commands with corrections. Use the hands on him for praise ONLY. Use the leash for corrections. Now begin extending your distances. When you feel the dog is steady at 30 feet, begin going out of sight briefly. Slowly extend the time to 3 minutes. Start working in some distractions. Train for them because something always happens when you least expect it. Something will entice your dog to leave his place and you had better make sure that he won't.
