The Neurodivergent Dog Coach

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The Neurodivergent Dog Coach

Because success starts with feeling seen, safe, and supported. Bridging the gap between neurodivergence and the dog world!
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Join the FREE group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/neurodoghub

✨️Dogs and Divergent Minds Day- 1st June✨️

14/09/2026

🎙️ NEW PODCAST CONVERSATION

What happens when dog sport stops feeling like fun and starts feeling like pressure?

I was recently invited back onto Nathan Dunleavy The Pet Business Wellbeing Mentor Podcast for a second conversation, this time to talk about my new book:

📖 The Dark Side of Dog Agility: Navigating Neurodivergence in a Sport Rooted in Success

Although agility is at the heart of the book, our conversation went much wider.

We talked about neurodivergence, pressure and perfectionism, masking in training environments, emotional safety, competition and success, and the importance of considering both ends of the lead.

We also explored what happens when we focus so heavily on the dog’s performance that we forget about the human alongside them, and why creating more understanding, accessible education and genuinely inclusive spaces matters.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t quite fit the environment you’re training in, or wondered why something that should be enjoyable has started to feel overwhelming, this conversation may give you some things to think about.

You can find this episode, my previous conversation with Nathan, and my other podcast and media appearances on my https://dogsanddivergentminds.com/speaking-media/

🎧 Listen to the conversation:
Search for The Pet Business Wellbeing Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

📚 Intrigued by the book? You can find The Dark Side of Dog Agility: Navigating Neurodivergence in a Sport Rooted in Success on Amazon — simply search for the title.

📖 Prefer to read? Nathan has also created a written version of our conversation.

🔗 Want clickable links? Head over to my personal Facebook profile, where I’ve put all the episode links, the written version and the book link together in one place. (Facebook doesn't seem to like links in comments on my business page anymore!)

Thank you, Nathan, for inviting me back, it was a great conversation. 😊

31/08/2026

A little heads-up if you're following this page 👀

I’ll be honest... I don't post here very often. 🙈

So if you want to make sure you don't miss what's going on, there are two places you need to be...

✨The Neuro-Inclusive Dog Hub — my free Facebook group.

📩 Friday Thoughts — where I share my weekly thoughts, ideas and observations that don't get posted anywhere else.

I'll pop the link to Friday Thoughts in the comments if you want to join me. 👇

And tomorrow, over in the Neuro-Inclusive Dog Hub UK – Inclusive Dog Training Community, I'll be sharing a little more about exactly what's coming up for the NIDPN in September... 👀

You're not going to want to miss what's coming over the next few months.

We have some big things planned for the rest of this year!

And if we want to change this industry and build a dog world where neurodivergent people can actually thrive...

This is how we start. 💙

20/08/2026

It’s here. 🧩📖...

The Dark Side of Dog Agility is officially available to buy!

And although agility is the backdrop for the story, this book is about something much bigger...

It’s about partnership.

It’s about understanding what happens at both ends of the lead.

It’s about the things we can miss when we only look at the dog.

And it’s about what happens when we start looking at dogs, people and their environments through a different lens 🔍.

I've been talking about this journey for months, so seeing the book finally out in the world feels pretty surreal.

It's already reached readers in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and Spain, and has climbed the Amazon best sellers charts organically, reaching #2 and #3 in different categories 😳.

And this is only the beginning!...

The Dark Side of Dog Agility is the story of what came before, and it's also the bridge to the work I'm doing now.

📖 Available now in paperback and Kindle 👇

https://amzn.eu/d/0eHkcdbN

03/08/2026

I've been a little quieter over here recently...

That's because I've been pouring my heart into something very special...

🧩📓 My new book!

✨️The Dark Side of Dog Agility: Navigating Neurodivergence in a Sport Rooted in Success is almost here.✨️

Although it's set in the world of dog agility, this isn't just a book about agility.

It's about partnership.

Like many of us, I spent years trying to better understand my dog. What I didn't expect was that, through Quest, I'd begin to understand myself.

Living and working alongside him helped me recognise my own neurodivergent needs, and showed me just how much our dog picks up on us when those needs aren't supported.

We spend so much time learning about our dogs, but rarely stop to ask how our own brain, emotions and experiences shape the partnership too.

If you're neurodivergent, understanding yourself isn't separate from understanding your dog. It's part of it, and the environments we step foot in make such a difference to whether our partnership will succeed or not.

Whether you've competed in agility for years or have never stepped into an agility ring, I hope this book encourages you to see partnership through a different lens.

👀 Coming VERY Soon...

01/06/2026

💙 Dogs & Divergent Minds Day is here 💙

Today is all about raising awareness of neurodivergence within the dog world and encouraging more understanding, inclusivity and emotional safety for neurodivergent dog handlers, trainers and professionals.

The dog world is full of passionate, dedicated people.

But for many neurodivergent people, dog training classes, agility environments, workshops, competitions and social dog spaces can also feel overwhelming, emotionally exhausting or difficult to navigate.

So many people are masking, overthinking, struggling with sensory overwhelm, navigating rejection sensitivity or carrying anxiety while still trying to do the very best for their dogs.

And often, those experiences remain invisible.

Dogs & Divergent Minds Day exists to start conversations, encourage understanding and help more people feel seen, safe and supported.

✨️Because all dogs and all minds are different.✨️

💙 Want to get involved?
• Share your story or experience
• Download the free guide
• Use the Dogs & Divergent Minds photo frame
• Share this post to help spread awareness

If you post today, please tag me, tag The Neurodivergent Dog Coach and use so I can reshare your posts throughout the day.

✨️✨️Together, let's help bridge the gap between neurodiversity and the dog world ✨️✨️

13/05/2026

Dogs & Divergent Minds Day is returning on 1st June 💙

I’ve been quietly rebuilding this awareness campaign over the past few weeks because it’s something that sits very close to my heart.

The dog world is full of passionate, committed and deeply caring people.

But for many neurodivergent dog handlers, trainers and professionals, those same spaces can also feel overwhelming, emotionally intense or difficult to navigate at times.

So many people are masking, overthinking, dealing with sensory overwhelm, navigating rejection sensitivity, or carrying anxiety while still trying to show up and do their very best with their dogs.

And often, those experiences stay invisible.

✨️Dogs & Divergent Minds Day exists to start a different kind of conversation.✨️

One that brings more understanding into the dog world.

One that makes space for different ways of experiencing training, competition, learning and connection with dogs.

Because all dogs and all minds are different!

This isn’t about changing the dog world overnight.

It’s about making it a little easier for people to feel seen within it.

💙 If this resonates with you, feel free to share it or simply help spread awareness in your own space

💙 And if you’ve ever felt this way yourself, you’re not alone

06/05/2026

🫂 If the dog world has been feeling heavy lately, you are not the only one.

Inside the NIDPN membership this month we’re focusing on the things that often sit underneath dog training, handling and professional life but rarely get talked about openly.

Things like communication, perfectionism, overwhelm, burnout, pressure and what it actually takes to stay grounded in all of it.

This month inside the membership:

📅 Community Zoom
Communication in the dog world: what are we getting right and what are we getting wrong?

💻 Rise Up Webinar
The Pressure to Get It Right: Perfectionism in the Dog World

🤝 NEW Accountability & Body Doubling Sessions
Relaxed co-working sessions to help you start tasks, stay focused and get things done alongside others.

📚 A growing library of webinars, PDFs and resources to aid you, your business and yohr clients!

NIDPN is a neuro-inclusive membership for:
🐾 Neurodivergent dog people
🐾 Agility handlers
🐾 Dog professionals
🐾 Dog business owners
🐾 And those who want to create more inclusive spaces for neurodivergent clients!

Because dog training is NEVER just about dogs.

It’s about people, nervous systems, communication, expectations and everything happening underneath the surface.

If that resonates, you can find the membership link in my bio ✨

09/04/2026

🩷

07/04/2026

I really enjoyed chatting to Rachel Spencer. Have a listen to the full episode and let me know what you think 🩷✨️

Address

Derbyshire

Website

http://www.dogsanddivergentminds.com/

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