Autism vs Dachshund

Hey besties! Your neurodivergent home away from home awaits.  

If you have stumbled across this little side of the internet then I truly believe it found its way to you for a reason. So, kick off your shoes, grab your comfiest blanket, and stay: or every week. 

Welcome to our shared space, a part diary, part book nook, part neurodivergent safe haven not just for me but for you.  

Every week I’ll be here chatting about what it is really like to be living as an autistic adult with an anxiety and panic disorder (and all the beautiful chaos and tenderness that comes with it), not just the polished social media version or even better the NHS educational version. The real stuff, the tears, bad days and break downs. And also the good days, the laughs and the smiles. We’ll dive into the messy mornings, sensory overloads, the tiny victories and the moments that make us feel seen and sometimes a little alone.  

If you’ve ever sat and wanted someone to just understand, wanted to find somewhere you can see someone else living how you are or feel heard or simply wished someone would talk about the real side of being neurodivergent. Without masking it behind buzzwords or making it an “aesthetic” then I am your girl.  

But we are not stopping there because there is more to all of us than just our neurospiciness! I am also a certified book girlie.  

Every week my blogs will end with a book of the week which is the book I’m currently reading and every third blog we’ll take a break from life and dive into the world of books, what book is breaking my heart and which is healing it. And at the end of the blog, I will write my top two books of the month and update you on my TBR list for the next month. 

So whether you’re here for the book stuff, the neurodivergent stuff, or just want a place you feel heard? Then welcome. 

Want to know me? I am an autistic, anxiety and panic disorder baddie. Currently studying my BA in Creative Writing and English Literature. A through and through book lover. Just trying to live life despite my own battles and depression lightly tapping on the door to my mind. Each week hopefully you and I will sit down together and open the door to life in its truest and realest form no matter how scary and we will sprinkle a bit of book magic on top of it.  

Does this sound like a bit of you? Then stay, grab your favourite drink, a snack you do not have to share and let us be besties? 

Today’s talk: 

Diary of an autistic adult and an extraordinary long dog:  

Today we are going to talk about dogs, not just any dogs, specifically dachshunds. I am a first-time dog mum, to an extraordinarily long, small, very handsome dachshund called Frankfurter (I know cute right?) but no one warned me that being an autistic adult how overwhelming and extremely difficult it would be. I am not saying for neurotypical people it is not overwhelming or tiring, but for someone with a beautifully special brain? Yes, it is a lot. Let us dive in headfirst.  

I do not think anything will truly prepare you for being a dachshund mum for the first time, yes people try to warn you, the internet is full of  “they are so stubborn”, “they bark at everything and anything” “they are like Velcro” “they are clingy” but even with all the information online it feels like everyone collectively left out the part of forgot to mention that owning a dachshund is basically signing up to live with a small, emotionally dramatic sausage with legs.

Don’t get me wrong it is a journey but it is magical. Just very extremely overwhelming. 

Every morning, I wake up to the patter of tiny paws and he usually is not coming to wake me, just coming to check I am alive and have not forgotten about him. This morning, he came waddling into the room, jumped onto the bed after many tries, buried himself into the cover with an over exaggerated sign and my brain instantly thought of how much I love him. But also, how this is a lot for half six in the morning. 

You see, as many of you will know and understand being autistic routines are my safe place. I like predictability and knowing what is going to happen. It is like a safety blanket to life. My schedule is planned out in advance for each day. One small wobble and everything inside of me feels off.  

Now enters my dachshund.   

He has no respect whatsoever for the schedule and let me tell you that for free.  

He wants breakfast when he wants it but not in the blue bowl like yesterday no, today, we will play guess the colour and of course it will be the last bowl I pick up. He wants to go for a walk but not on the scheduled time. Of course he wants to go an hour late, in the direction of the house with the cat he has screaming matches with. He wants cuddles, stop everything you are doing cuddles (I love them but schedule Frank?!?)  

And honestly? Sometimes that is all overwhelming, the type that sends you into a frantic panic, and sometimes it overstimulates me, the sounds, the sudden movements, the fur touching me, the unexpected demands. Sometimes I just want to sit in silence and breathe, and he…. he does not.  

But here’s the magic part, even at thirteen weeks old he sees me… in a way you wouldn’t think a dog can.  

When I’m shutting down he curls up beside me and stays still letting me just listen to his soft breaths. When I’m overwhelmed he gives me little kisses before cuddling his chin into my neck in a “I’ve got you it’s okay you’re okay” type of way. When I get lost in my head and become dissociative, he brings me a toy like “Hello my human wake up, touch grass or my squeaky duck”. 

It’s grounding honestly, reminds you there’s more to life than your schedules, more to life than your autism. And sometimes? Sometimes you can not control everything around you. 

I did not expect to fall so deeply in love with a long sausage thing. I did not expect him to overwhelm me but also help me regulate and laugh more. I did not expect him to make me feel braver in the world, simply by walking beside me like the short king he is.  

But here we are besties, I am an autistic adult with the most overwhelming clingy dog in the world, a dachshund. And it is messy, hilarious, overwhelming, comforting and everything in between.  

But honestly? I would not change it for anything.  

Love, 

Your autistic bestie  

Book of the week: A Court Of Frost And Starlight (book 4 of A Court Of Thorns And Roses series by Sarah. J Mass)