Who are we?

The Animal Behaviour Academy is an initiative of Amanda Tong. Simply put we take care of the bond between you and your pet.

This means we teach you everything you need to know about your pet.

We also teach the pet all about human beings and their crazy ways.

Allow me to share an anecdote – I get a call from a pet parent, he said, “I’ve got a 10 year old pug called ‘Doughnut’. I used to lift him into my car but all of a sudden he growls when I go to pick him up. What happened to my dog?”

Just then, his wife set up the baby step-stool for their child to get into the car (their child was going through an “I can do this myself” phase) and the dog climbed up those stairs and got into the car.

“Oh, hold on”, he said “nevermind, the dog is in the car” Their dog was almost 70 years old in human years and just needed some old dog equipment to make life easier. I smiled and wished them a safe journey.

Cats are no different from dogs, Let me elaborate with a story. I get a call from an owner who is trying to teach their cat to spin on command as the cat seems bored at home. She said, “Hello, I’m trying to train my cat to do a little trick but he just doesn’t seem to understand. He stops following my treat after 2 or 3 goes. Did I break my cat?”

I said, hold on I’m getting another call. It was a very giddy cat on the phone asking me to please translate and train his owner.

This almost sums up my job description. I am a translator of sorts. So I get back on the phone with the owner and offer a simple solution of adding a few more breaks and this cat has moved on to learn so many more tricks and games. Another happy family.

It’s can be tough when we don’t speak the same language. A little translation can go a long way.

Meet the Behaviourist.

Amanda found her love for animals at a young age as she cared for cats, mice, fish, birds and turtles as pets. Her passion continued as she grew up and completed her “Canines Teaching and Training Course” from “Canines Can Care” India, which was the pioneering company in India since 1998. She practised part-time in Mumbai while she studied for her graduate degree in Psychology. he went on to do her Masters in Clinical Animal Behaviour from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom. She is now qualified to work with dogs, cats, mice, rabbits and tortoises/ turtles.

She founded “The Animal Behaviour Academy”. This organization is the first in India to provide training opportunities for other animals apart from dogs.
She is the only practising behaviourist in Mumbai with this degree. The specific training she underwent encourages a scientific and empirical approach to treatment and action plans for the pets and owners she works with.
She is particularly interested in the Human-Animal bond which is why she switched paths from a career in psychology where she could only help people, to a career in Animal Behaviour where she helps animals and people.
She is a certified “Fear Free®” professional and strives to make people in the community more aware about stressed out animals in the home, veterinary practices and animal shelters.(https://fearfreepets.com/)

With her spare time, she trains in dance. She has a history of professional training in Ballet, Contemporary and social dances in Salsa, Bachata and Kizomba.
She has volunteered at animal shelters in India as well as the United Kingdom. She was part of the student-led project for the University of Lincoln which raised funds for “Guide Dogs UK” (A non-profit organization that trains assistance dogs for the blind)
Her first dog had a lot of issues like fearful behaviour, possessive aggression, anxiety around loud noises and reactivity which is what drew her to this profession even more. She can identify with owners going through difficult patches with their dog and can guide them with empathy. With a passion for compassion, she only uses positive methods of training that meet international ethical standards.