About Our Trainer, Amanda FrAy

Amanda has been a professional dog trainer in NYC for 15 years. As a child, she participated in dog agility and showmanship through 4-H and won several local and state competitions. This sparked her interest in dog training and psychology. She began her path to become a trainer by receiving a certification from the vocational school, Animal Behavioral College. After concluding their program she continued to intern, attend lectures and workshops, and self-educate with all the latest techniques and theories in animal behavior psychology. When Amanda began to hit a wall in her self-education four years ago, she made the decision to enroll at Queensborough Community College in Psychology. After making the Dean's list, she was accepted into Hunter College's animal behavior psychology and conservation program. She took a year off to spend time with her daughter, but will be graduating spring of 2025 with an interdisciplinary BA in animal psychology and creative writing. Amanda plans to continue onto the Animal Behavior & Conservation masters program with the goal of eventually earning her PhD in Anthrozoology. She is currently volunteering as a Research Assistant for the Center for Canine Behavioral Studies, as well as assisting in a lab at Hunter studying Pandas. She is also certified as a trainer and behaviorist through the Pet Professional Guild.

Force-free, positive reinforcement based pet training.

Amanda uses proven scientific methods to help modify behaviors, or train new cues for animals that range from troubled rescues, to new puppies. It's never too early to start learning good habits and behaviors with your furry companions! She specializes in American pit bull terriers, but has a lot of experience with many breeds of dogs!

Amanda will come to you, the client, and work with you and your pet in the environment they are having trouble in. Dogs do not generalize behavior, so working with them in the environment that you expect the behavior or cues to work in helps eliminate any struggle with understanding what you expect from your pet.

Amanda recently started working on cross-species training with cats and rabbits as well. Learning theory is easily transferable once you know the motivations of your pets.

Links to Amanda’s Work and Studies:
https://www.centerforcaninebehaviorstudies.org/our-studies