An obedience school is an institution that trains pets (particularly dogs) how to behave properly. When puppies are young and in the first stages of training, they are often taken by their owners to obedience schools. Training usually takes place in small groups. In addition to training pets themselves, obedience schools also teach pet owners how to train, praise, and scold their pets themselves. Schools can teach at a various set of levels, ranging from the very basics for puppies to more advanced for competition level dogs. Most training in schools however, focuses on making dogs listen through basic commands such as sit, stay, lie down, etc.[citation needed]