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
19:54 Where to Find More Information
20:58 Conclusion and Farewell

About Toni Shelaske

Toni Shelaske is a podcast host, seasoned entrepreneur, and holistic pet wellness expert. She’s the dynamic female founder and former owner of Healthy Pet Products, Pittsburgh’s premier natural pet supply retailer. Today, Toni shares her expertise on her popular podcast Toni Unleashed, serves on the board of IndiePet to support independent retailers, and has even launched a line of Pittsburgh-themed dog toys that blend her Love of pets with hometown pride.

She’s passionate about helping pet owners make healthier choices for their dogs and guiding fellow entrepreneurs on how to stand out authentically in a big-box world.

Connect with Toni:

Website: https://www.toniunleashed.com/

Toni Unleashed Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/toni-unleashed/id1621733676

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toni.unleashed/.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToniUnleashed/

As always, to find out all about Soul Touched by Dogs, go to https://soultouchedbydogs.com

Most Recent Episodes

May 26, 2026

Assistant Dogs Transform Wheelchair Life: Daily Tasks and Freedom | with Claudia Hendrix

Assistance dogs do far more than most people realise — not just guiding, but helping their humans shower, get dressed, and move through the world with dignity and independence. This conversation...

Listen · 38:47

May 12, 2026

Holistic Dog Health Beyond Symptoms and Pills with Dr. Jeff Feinman

Holistic veterinary medicine isn't about rejecting science—it's about expanding it to include what we already know works: energy, joy, and the body's innate ability to heal. In this episode, Dr....

Listen · 32:55

May 11, 2026

Herding Dogs & Rotational Grazing: Building Connection Over Control | with Seth Thompson

Herding goats with a working dog isn't about force or control—it's about partnership, patience, and understanding what your dog was bred to do. In this episode, we meet a farmer who traded in his...

Listen · 30:07

Load More Episodes

Anke Herrmann Soul Touched by Dogs

Anke Herrmann is the creator of Soul Touched by Dogs, a podcast, virtual event &
community platform to celebrate the human-canine connection and advocate for holistic
approaches to canine health and education.

She is on a mission to educate people to see dogs not just as pets, certainly not as fashion accessories, toys for the kids, or tools, but as soulful beings, finely tuned into your emotions, wise teachers worth our respect and care. In her ideal world, every dog has the loving home it deserves.

Originally from Germany, she lives in the south of Spain. When she's not talking about dogs,
she is a multi-passionate coach and online tech expert helping coaches and educators build
Boutique Businesses offering freedom and ease without scaling the soul out of it. She's the
author of Taming the Tech Monster.

Find her at soultouchedbydogs.com or ankeherrmann.com