{"podcast":{"title":"Soul Touched by Dogs","slug":"soul-touched-by-dogs-6619614","podcast_index_feed_id":6619614,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/soul-touched-by-dogs","website_url":"https://soultouchedbydogs.com","image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/FdhzIRkj_rft2MCANJ-0ZQW88lT1ipgXJxAbKs5GCwk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wOGZh/MzRiNTI3NWRlYzQ0/MDliYmYzNGY2NDA3/YmZjZC5qcGc.jpg","author":"Anke Herrmann","episode_count":130,"summary":"Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs Podcast, the show for dog lovers who see dogs not as toys or tools, but as wise souls worth our respect and care. The 30-minute interviews with \"Pawsome Humans\", people who do great work for dogs and their people, you're listening to here on the podcast are one of the ways we celebrate the human-canine connection and advocate for holistic approaches to canine health and well-being.","last_synced_at":"2026-08-02T12:17:44.892380+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/soul-touched-by-dogs-6619614"},"episode":{"title":"Toni Shelaske - What Happens When One Dog Mom Decides the Pet Industry Can Do Better","slug":"toni-shelaske-what-happens-when-one-dog-mom-decides-the-pet-industry-can-do-better","published_at":"2025-09-17T14:54:08+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/soul-touched-by-dogs-6619614/toni-shelaske-what-happens-when-one-dog-mom-decides-the-pet-industry-can-do-better","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/soul-touched-by-dogs-6619614","url":"https://soultouchedbydogs.transistor.fm/episodes/toni-shelaske-what-happens-when-one-dog-mom-decides-the-pet-industry-can-do-better","audio_url":"https://p.podderapp.com/1495290720/media.transistor.fm/334aa427/a69d5a83.mp3","summary":"When one chance encounter with a groomer feeding raw chicken legs made Toni Shelaske stop in her tracks, she had no idea it would set her on a path to becoming one of Pittsburgh’s most influential voices in pet wellness. From running her own pet sitting business to building four thriving natural pet supply stores, and now hosting the Toni Unleashed podcast, Toni has always been driven by curiosity, courage, and the belief that pets - and their people - deserve better. In this conversation, Toni shares how she turned a lightbulb moment into a movement, what she learned as a female founder in the pet industry, and why she’s passionate about helping both pet parents and indie retailers stand tall in a big-box world. Key Takeaways The spark that changed everything – how a single conversation in a grooming shop led Toni to rethink everything she knew about pet food. From burnout to business owner – why she left pet sitting and took the leap into retail. The truth behind “cheap” pet food – and why Toni believes investing in quality food pays off at the vet. Entrepreneurship unleashed – how Toni grew from one small shop to four thriving locations. Why indie voices matter – Toni’s mission to support independent pet retailers in a world dominated by big-box chains. Favorite Quote “The moment you start feeding real food, your dog becomes a different animal — brighter eyes, cleaner teeth, softer coat, more energy. It just creates a different being.” – Toni Shelaske Grab a cuppa and enjoy! 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:24 Meet Tony: A Journey with Dogs 01:45 Discovering Raw Food for Dogs 05:15 Building a Raw Food Business 07:07 The Benefits of Raw Feeding 08:22 Challenges and Misconceptions 14:51 Recommended Raw Food Brands 17:38 Freeze-Dried Food: A Convenient Alternative…","meta_description":"When one chance encounter with a groomer feeding raw chicken legs made Toni Shelaske stop in her tracks, she had no idea it would set her on a path to bec…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1301,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/soul-touched-by-dogs-6619614/episodes/toni-shelaske-what-happens-when-one-dog-mom-decides-the-pet-industry-can-do-better/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/soul-touched-by-dogs-6619614/toni-shelaske-what-happens-when-one-dog-mom-decides-the-pet-industry-can-do-better.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}