UNRULY BY NATURE: Exploring the Wisdom of Animals, Plants, and Our Connection to Nature

Kim, Rachel, Sue

Unruly By Nature is a soulful, unscripted podcast about dogs, nature, and the wild wisdom that weaves us together. Through honest conversations and playful stories, we explore our connection to nature, animal communication, holistic dog care, intuition, and freedom. Together, we discover what happens when we stop fixing and start truly listening.

  1. 5d ago

    Episode 027: Are You Doing It Wrong? Trusting Yourself With Your Dog

    We'd LOVE to hear from you! Have you ever walked away from a conversation about your dog suddenly wondering if you're doing everything wrong? Episode 027 begins with exactly that experience. A dog guardian asks for advice about food, mentions her puppy's behavior along the way, and leaves the conversation feeling like the worst dog mom in the world. That sends Kim, Rachel, and Sue into a conversation about unsolicited advice, experts, confidence, intuition, criticism, and the pressure to raise our dogs according to someone else's rules. How do we know which advice to listen to? What happens when someone else's certainty makes us question ourselves? And are we really "too soft" for our dogs?  ... Or have we simply been taught that relationship should look like leadership, authority, and control? Along the way, Kim shares the experience with Jango that changed the course of her relationship with dogs,  Rachel explores why softness and confidence aren't opposites, and Sue asks what our dogs might be here to teach us about living alongside differences instead of forcing change. Because our dogs aren't generic dogs off-the-shelf models. And we're not generic off-the-shelf humans. Maybe one relationship doesn't need to look like anyone else's. Plus: rebellious night walks, flopsy tennis, hard bendy rubber, long-line adventures, questionable trough water, essential oils, and several reasons you should never casually dump peppermint into your bath. Stay curious. Stay connected. Stay unruly. Thanks for wandering the wild edges with us on Unruly By Nature.  If you loved this conversation, share it with someone who’s ready to explore the deeper side of life with dogs. Rachel Knott - Animal Communicator Website: rachelknott.com Instagram: @rachelknott1 Kim Howatt - Author and Imaginal Adventurer Website: kimberlyhowatt.com Substack: https://kimberlyhowatt.substack.com/ Sue Mimm - Life Explorer Substack: https://suemimm.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pawsreflectconnect Until next time — stay curious, stay connected, stay unruly. xoxo  Kim, Sue, and Rachel

  2. Sep 30

    Episode 026: When Life Doesn’t Go to Plan: Dogs, Change, Control & Trust

    We'd LOVE to hear from you! Welcome in to Unruly By Nature! Dogs change. Bodies change. Circumstances change. And sometimes, despite everything we do to prepare, life refuses to follow our carefully designed plan. Life changes.  In this 26th episode, Kim, Rachel, and Sue explore what happens when life with our dogs becomes uncertain. From health and behavior challenges to aging, unexpected circumstances and difficult decisions build up pressure, and we expect ourselves to somehow get everything “right.” What begins as a conversation about navigating change with our dogs becomes an experience akin to window shopping: wandering into community, peeking into vulnerability, and trying on labels.  We discuss experimentation, control, intuition, and the fear of something going wrong. How much do we limit our dogs because we're afraid of what might happen?  How much do we limit ourselves through belief systems and limited perspective?  What changes when we stop treating every uncomfortable experience as evidence that something has gone wrong? And perhaps trust isn't an attachment to an outcome that everything will work out the way we want.  Perhaps trust is knowing that whatever happens, we can meet it, with our experience, resilience, intuition, relationships, and community. Along the way, we question the role of professionals, the pressure to have answers, and the idea that relationship is something happening in only one direction.  Because whether we're working with a dog, a client, a friend, or ourselves, everyone involved brings something valuable to the conversation. Plus: menopause, four-eyed rabbits, stained shirts, essential oils, moon water, and further evidence that no Unruly By Nature conversation travels in a straight line. Thanks for wandering the wild edges with us on Unruly By Nature.  If you loved this conversation, share it with someone who’s ready to explore the deeper side of life with dogs. Rachel Knott - Animal Communicator Website: rachelknott.com Instagram: @rachelknott1 Kim Howatt - Author and Imaginal Adventurer Website: kimberlyhowatt.com Substack: https://kimberlyhowatt.substack.com/ Sue Mimm - Life Explorer Substack: https://suemimm.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pawsreflectconnect Until next time — stay curious, stay connected, stay unruly. xoxo  Kim, Sue, and Rachel

    Episode 026: When Life Doesn’t Go to Plan: Dogs, Change, Control & Trust

  3. Sep 2

    Episode 025: What If Your Dog Isn’t Misbehaving?

    We'd LOVE to hear from you! What we call difficult behavior may simply be the moment our dog's experience stops agreeing with our agenda. Episode 025 begins with a wonderfully strange question: What would dogs do if they had access to AI? From unlimited marrow bones and simulated squirrel chases to helping humans finally understand what dogs are trying to tell us, the question opens into something much bigger: how differently might we relate to dogs if we truly considered their perspective? We explore control and resistance, play as communication, adolescent dogs pushing boundaries, the discomfort of confrontation, and the assumptions we make when a dog refuses to cooperate. Sometimes a dog isn't stubborn. They simply want to keep playing.  Sometimes the world really is overwhelming from a few inches off the ground. Sometimes our dogs have a strong opinion.  And they don't hesitate to experience the full spectrum of being alive, every day, as nature intended. This episode is an invitation to step outside the human story about behavior and get curious about the life unfolding on the other end of the leash... and everywhere in between. Thanks for wandering the wild edges with us on Unruly By Nature.  If you loved this conversation, share it with someone who’s ready to explore the deeper side of life with dogs. Rachel Knott - Animal Communicator Website: rachelknott.com Instagram: @rachelknott1 Kim Howatt - Author and Imaginal Adventurer Website: kimberlyhowatt.com Substack: https://kimberlyhowatt.substack.com/ Sue Mimm - Life Explorer Substack: https://suemimm.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pawsreflectconnect Until next time — stay curious, stay connected, stay unruly. xoxo  Kim, Sue, and Rachel

    Episode 025: What If Your Dog Isn’t Misbehaving?

  4. Aug 19

    Episode 024: Do Dogs Have Egos? Letting Go of the Pressure to Get It Right

    We'd LOVE to hear from you! What if living well—with ourselves and with our animals—isn’t about getting it right? In Episode 024 of Unruly By Nature, Kim, Sue, and Rachel follow a wonderfully unpredictable trail through identity, authenticity, destiny, ego, and life with animals. Who are we when the roles, titles, cameras, and expectations disappear? Are some of our gifts already waiting inside us to be discovered? Do dogs have egos? And what do we wish people understood before choosing to share their lives with an animal? “This is your relationship with your dog.” - “You can’t get it wrong.” - “You can’t prevent what’s gonna happen.” Along the way, we explore:  Who we are beyond our roles and accomplishments  The extraordinary hiding inside seemingly ordinary lives  Whether our gifts are chosen, discovered, or somehow already written into us  Why ego may not be the enemy we’ve been taught it is  Whether dogs (and perhaps all living beings) have an ego  What animals teach us about honesty and authenticity  Why there is no perfect way to raise or live with a dog  How relationship asks for flexibility rather than control  Why our animals’ feedback may matter more than someone else’s rulebook There are also hover-flies, astrology, a short-armed EGO rowing a dinghy, puppy runs, an illicit sausage sandwich, and the magic of a disappearing podcast host. Because apparently this is what happens when you ask three curious women questions without answers. Unruly By Nature is an unscripted conversation about animals, nature, intuition, relationship, and what becomes possible when we stay curious enough to question what we think we know. Thanks for wandering the wild edges with us on Unruly By Nature.  If you loved this conversation, share it with someone who’s ready to explore the deeper side of life with dogs. Rachel Knott - Animal Communicator Website: rachelknott.com Instagram: @rachelknott1 Kim Howatt - Author and Imaginal Adventurer Website: kimberlyhowatt.com Substack: https://kimberlyhowatt.substack.com/ Sue Mimm - Life Explorer Substack: https://suemimm.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pawsreflectconnect Until next time — stay curious, stay connected, stay unruly. xoxo  Kim, Sue, and Rachel

    Episode 024: Do Dogs Have Egos? Letting Go of the Pressure to Get It Right

  5. Aug 5

    Episode 023: Fear, Control & Connection: What Animals Teach Us About Relationship

    We'd LOVE to hear from you! Sometimes the smallest encounters leave the deepest impressions. In this episode of Unruly By Nature, we begin with stories of a praying mantis, a curious hummingbird, and an unexpected frog before wandering into one of our most heartfelt conversations yet. Together we explore why we often rush to find meaning instead of staying in relationship, how fear and control shape both human and canine behavior, and what our dogs may be reflecting back to us when they react to the world around them. The conversation naturally unfolds into one of the most compassionate discussions we've shared about pet loss, euthanasia, guilt, and learning to trust the quiet communication that exists between us and the animals we love. Rather than searching for answers, we invite you to stay curious, notice what's alive around you, and discover what becomes possible when relationship comes before interpretation. Thanks for wandering the wild edges with us on Unruly By Nature.  If you loved this conversation, share it with someone who’s ready to explore the deeper side of life with dogs. Rachel Knott - Animal Communicator Website: rachelknott.com Instagram: @rachelknott1 Kim Howatt - Author and Imaginal Adventurer Website: kimberlyhowatt.com Substack: https://kimberlyhowatt.substack.com/ Sue Mimm - Life Explorer Substack: https://suemimm.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pawsreflectconnect Until next time — stay curious, stay connected, stay unruly. xoxo  Kim, Sue, and Rachel

    Episode 023: Fear, Control & Connection: What Animals Teach Us About Relationship

  6. Jul 22

    Episode 022: What Else Is Possible? Dogs, Nature & Letting Go

    We'd LOVE to hear from you! What happens when we stop expecting life to repeat itself? In Episode 22 of Unruly By Nature, Sue, Rachel, and Kim explore how curiosity can transform the way we experience challenges with our animals, ourselves, and the natural world. Beginning with Charlie's injured dew claw and the conscious decision not to repeat an old story, the conversation unfolds into something much bigger. How our expectations shape our reality  How dogs mirror our own patterns How nature constantly reminds us that life is always evolving Together the trio explore intuitive decision-making, co-creating with our animals instead of controlling them, the remarkable intelligence of plants, seasonal wisdom, healing, trust, and what becomes possible when we let go of certainty. This is an invitation to slow down, wander with curiosity, and discover that every moment offers a new way of seeing ourselves through relationship with the living world. Thanks for wandering the wild edges with us on Unruly By Nature.  If you loved this conversation, share it with someone who’s ready to explore the deeper side of life with dogs. Rachel Knott - Animal Communicator Website: rachelknott.com Instagram: @rachelknott1 Kim Howatt - Author and Imaginal Adventurer Website: kimberlyhowatt.com Substack: https://kimberlyhowatt.substack.com/ Sue Mimm - Life Explorer Substack: https://suemimm.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pawsreflectconnect Until next time — stay curious, stay connected, stay unruly. xoxo  Kim, Sue, and Rachel

    Episode 022: What Else Is Possible? Dogs, Nature & Letting Go

  7. Jul 8

    Episode 021: Why We Love Our Dogs So Deeply

    We'd LOVE to hear from you! Welcome to season 2 of unruly By Nature! In this first episode of our new season, we explore the connection that bonds us so deeply with our dogs. Some relationships change the course of our lives. Few are as profound as the bond we share with our dogs. In this episode, we welcome our very first guests to the show! Actor, writer, podcast host, and devoted dog mum Jennifer Apple joins us with her handsome and unforgettable companion, Walter.  What begins as a conversation about one remarkable little dog soon becomes an exploration of presence, intuition, adventure, grief, unconditional love, and the extraordinary ways animals help us discover who we truly are. Together, we explore why the human-dog bond feels so different from every other relationship, how our animals become mirrors for our own lives, and why curiosity, not certainty, opens the door to deeper, heart-centered connection. Whether you've loved a dog, lost a dog, or simply wondered why animals touch our hearts so profoundly, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, listen more deeply, and rediscover yourself through the relationships that matter most. Join Rachel, Sue, Kim, Jennifer, and Walter for an honest, humorous, and heartfelt conversation about the life-changing wisdom our dogs quietly share every day. Thanks for wandering the wild edges with us on Unruly By Nature.  If you loved this conversation, share it with someone who’s ready to explore the deeper side of life with dogs. Rachel Knott - Animal Communicator Website: rachelknott.com Instagram: @rachelknott1 Kim Howatt - Author and Imaginal Adventurer Website: kimberlyhowatt.com Substack: https://kimberlyhowatt.substack.com/ Sue Mimm - Life Explorer Substack: https://suemimm.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pawsreflectconnect Until next time — stay curious, stay connected, stay unruly. xoxo  Kim, Sue, and Rachel

    Episode 021: Why We Love Our Dogs So Deeply

  8. Jun 10

    Episode 020: The Miracle of Sharing Life With Dogs: Letting Go of Pressure & Trusting Connection

    We'd LOVE to hear from you! What if the greatest miracles aren't the dramatic ones? What if they're happening around us every single day? In the small nuance of everyday routine? The first flight of a bird, the first opening of a flower, or the quiet connection we share with our dogs? In this season one finale of Unruly By Nature, Kim, Sue, and Rachel explore the everyday miracles hiding in plain sight. From peonies and ants to birds raising their young, from full moon reflections to unforgettable stories of beloved dogs, this conversation weaves together nature, intuition, animal wisdom, and the beauty of letting life unfold. The trio explores how much pressure humans place on themselves, and unconsciously, on their relationships with their animals. The miracle of how dogs continually invite us back to something simpler: presence, partnership, curiosity, and trust. Rather than striving for perfection, control, or performance, what if we allowed ourselves to experience the miracle of being alive alongside another species? In This Episode • Why everyday moments may be the most miraculous of all • What nature teaches us about flow, trust, and timing • The surprising connection between full moons, emotions, and life cycles • Why many dog guardians carry unnecessary pressure and responsibility • Moving from control and performance into partnership and connection • The intelligence and wisdom animals bring to our lives • A touching story about listening to a dog at the end of life • How curiosity, play, and simplicity can deepen relationships with dogs The miracle isn't somewhere else. It's already here, every single day, in the birds outside the window, the dog beside your feet, the emotions moving through your heart, and the connection waiting to be noticed. The richness of life and the experience of miracles arrive when we fully participate every single day instead of standing on the sidelines waiting for the time to be right. Thanks for wandering the wild edges with us on Unruly By Nature.  If you loved this conversation, share it with someone who’s ready to explore the deeper side of life with dogs. Rachel Knott - Animal Communicator Website: rachelknott.com Instagram: @rachelknott1 Kim Howatt - Author and Imaginal Adventurer Website: kimberlyhowatt.com Substack: https://kimberlyhowatt.substack.com/ Sue Mimm - Life Explorer Substack: https://suemimm.substack.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pawsreflectconnect Until next time — stay curious, stay connected, stay unruly. xoxo  Kim, Sue, and Rachel

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Unruly By Nature is a soulful, unscripted podcast about dogs, nature, and the wild wisdom that weaves us together. Through honest conversations and playful stories, we explore our connection to nature, animal communication, holistic dog care, intuition, and freedom. Together, we discover what happens when we stop fixing and start truly listening.

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