Soul Touched by Dogs

Anke Herrmann

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.

  1. 4d ago

    Dog Coaching for Leadership and Personal Growth with Frank van Nimwegen

    Dog-assisted coaching brings leadership development out of the boardroom and into a space where authenticity can't be faked. Frank van Nimwegen, Dutch agility handler turned coach, uses dogs to help corporate teams and individuals develop confidence, clear communication, and grounded leadership. Because dogs respond to who you really are, not who your business card says you should be. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How dogs reveal the gap between who we pretend to be and who we actually are, and why that matters for leadership and personal growthWhy people-pleasing patterns show up instantly when working with dogs, and what a simple bowl of treats can teach you about setting boundariesHow mental state affects performance in dog sports, and what that means for managing your own reactions under pressureThe difference between demonstrating dominance and offering genuine leadership, as dogs will always choose the highway over an inflexible handlerWhy starting with the basics matters, whether you're learning agility for fun or aiming for competition levelWhat happens when corporate teams work through exercises with dogs instead of staring at PowerPoint slidesHow fear and discomfort can shift when someone gets to approach dogs at their own pace, without pressure or pretenceA FAVOURITE MOMENT "There's only one nervous creature allowed in the ring, and the dog has already chosen." — Frank ABOUT FRANK VAN NIMWEGEN Frank van Nimwegen is a Dutch agility handler, instructor, and coach who has competed internationally with Belgian Shepherds and served as team manager of the Dutch agility team. After decades in dog sports, he became increasingly interested in how dogs can help people develop confidence, communication, and leadership. Today, he combines his competition experience with coaching methodologies like NLP and mBIT to offer dog-assisted coaching for agility handlers, corporate teams, and professionals seeking greater performance and personal growth. CONNECT WITH FRANK VAN NIMWEGEN Website: www.qynnect.nl LinkedIn: Frank van Nimwegen Additional: www.caniquest.com CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit https://soultouchedbydogs.com And if you're a dog lover who's also building a business - or just want a calmer, happier dog - come find us at Happy Pupcakes. Happy dogs, thriving businesses, and a community that gets both.

    Dog Coaching for Leadership and Personal Growth with Frank van Nimwegen
  2. Jul 11

    Dog Diet Changes Everything: Medical Rescue and Whole Foods | with Wendy Brown

    Dog food and canine nutrition can feel like a minefield when your vet tells you one thing, but your dog's body is telling you something completely different. If you've ever stood in the pet food aisle overwhelmed, or watched your dog struggle with skin issues, digestive problems, or low energy despite "doing everything right," this conversation will give you clarity, confidence, and a path forward that makes sense. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why kibble alone might be contributing to your dog's skin issues, digestive upset, and low energy, even if it's the expensive "vet-approved" brand How to transition your dog from kibble to whole foods without shocking their system or second-guessing every meal What "gently cooked" actually means and why it might be easier than you think to feed your dog real, nutrient-dense food The role histamine levels play in your dog's inflammatory response and why the way food is cooked matters more than you realised How to know if you're feeding too much or too little when you switch from kibble to whole foods Why rotating proteins matters and how to keep meals simple, affordable, and genuinely nourishing Where to find support and trustworthy guidance when you're ready to go against the grain and trust what your dog's body is telling you A FAVOURITE MOMENT "Your dog's probably not allergic to chicken. It's highly unlikely." — Wendy ABOUT WENDY BROWN Wendy Brown has spent over 25 years in medical and behavioural dog rescue, including a decade as Vice President of a rescue organisation. Her work with dogs facing serious medical challenges sparked a deep interest in canine nutrition, and she now shares what she's learned through her dog food cookbook and her children's book series, Inspired by Lily. Wendy believes that simple, whole foods can transform a dog's health and that every dog deserves meals as nourishing as the love we have for them. CONNECT WITH WENDY BROWN Website: wendychowbrown.com YouTube: youtube.com/@wendychowbrown Instagram: @chowdownwithwendybrown Facebook: facebook.com/wendychowbrown TikTok: @kitten.atomic CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit soultouchedbydogs.com

    Dog Diet Changes Everything: Medical Rescue and Whole Foods | with Wendy Brown
  3. Jul 4

    Dog Sleep Health: Why Your Pup Needs Rest as Much as You Do | with Lauren Davis

    Sleep quality for dogs isn't something most of us think about — until now. We obsess over their food, their exercise, their training. But what about the 14 hours a day they spend resting? Dr Lauren Davis, a vet turned pet sleep expert, reveals why the bed your dog sleeps on could be just as important as the one you sleep on — and how we're missing some of the earliest signs that something's wrong. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why your dog needs around 14 hours of sleep a day, and what happens when they don't get it The earliest warning signs of osteoarthritis — long before limping starts — including those small hesitations we tend to write off as quirks What makes a good dog bed actually good: firmness, height, materials, and why those fluffy beds often backfire Why a dog bed should last as long as a human mattress, and how to tell if yours is doing its job How sleep and chronic pain are linked — and why good rest can slow the progression of arthritis Simple, low-cost changes you can make at home to support your dog's joints and sleep, from rugs on slippery floors to where you place their bed Whether dogs should sleep in your bed (spoiler: it depends — and Lauren's answer is refreshingly practical) A FAVOURITE MOMENT "By the time they're limping, they're really struggling." — Lauren ABOUT DR LAUREN DAVIS Dr Lauren Davis is a vet and pet sleep expert, as well as the founder of VetRelieve, a company specialising in orthopaedic pet beds and sleep hygiene for dogs at home, on the move, and in clinics. After spending five years as commercial director of a human medical mattress company, Lauren returned to her roots in veterinary medicine and combined her two worlds. Now she lectures, advocates, and designs products that support healthy sleep — a keystone of wellness, performance, and part of the toolbox against chronic pain conditions like osteoarthritis. CONNECT WITH DR LAUREN DAVIS Website: https://www.vetrelieve.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesleepvet/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/vetrelieveuk Facebook: www.facebook.com/vetrelieveuk Special offer for listeners: Use code STBD20 for £20 off any purchase at www.vetrelieve.co.uk CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit https://soultouchedbydogs.com

    Dog Sleep Health: Why Your Pup Needs Rest as Much as You Do | with Lauren Davis
  4. Jun 27

    Service Dog Training from Day One: Building Confidence and Independence | with Christina Reiser

    Service dog training begins long before you might imagine—and the journey from newborn puppy to life-changing companion involves far more than teaching basic commands. For people with disabilities, the right service dog can mean the difference between needing round-the-clock care and living independently, but the process of matching dog to human requires insight, patience, and a deep understanding of what both species need to thrive. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why service dog training actually starts on day one of a puppy's life, and what those earliest lessons look like when you're preparing a dog for such important work How trainers can tell as early as five or six weeks old whether a puppy might have the right temperament for service work—and why that assessment keeps changing as the puppy grows What makes Labs and Golden Retrievers particularly well-suited for service work, and why a "neutral" temperament matters more than you might expect How foster families bond deeply with puppies for six months, then find the strength to give them back—and why that emotional connection is actually essential to the training process The surprising range of tasks service dogs can perform, from detecting allergens in a room before their person enters to retrieving medication and placing it directly in someone's mouth What happens to puppies who don't make it through the service dog programme, and why being "released" as a pet doesn't mean they've failed How the fundraising process works for families who need a service dog, and why organisations like ECAD never want cost to be a barrier A FAVOURITE MOMENT "We are starting their training from day one. It's my responsibility to make them feel comfortable and make them have fun." — Christina ABOUT CHRISTINA REISER Christina is the Early Puppy Developer at ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities), a nonprofit organisation in Connecticut that has placed around 500 service dogs over the past 30 years. She manages all aspects of care, development and socialisation for puppies eight months and younger, preparing them for lives of meaningful work with people who have disabilities. Before joining ECAD, Christina worked as a marine mammal trainer at an aquarium on Long Island, where she learned the psychology of positive reinforcement training. In her free time, she loves to bake and spend time outside with her dog, Indy. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA REISER Website: ecad1.org Watch live puppy updates: Search "ECAD Explore" on explore.org (live every Wednesday at 10 AM EST) Facebook: Search for ECAD CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit soultouchedbydogs.com And if you're a dog lover who wants a calmer, happier dog—come find us at planetcalm.co. The Ultimate Hub for dogs, the people who love them, and the businesses they build.

    Service Dog Training from Day One: Building Confidence and Independence | with Christina Reiser
  5. Jun 20

    Animal Communication Opens Deeper Conversations with Your Dog | Emily Snyder

    Animal communication isn't magic, and you don't need to be born with a gift to do it. If you've ever wondered what your dog really thinks about that new bed you bought, why they keep digging in the same spot, or how to support them through a tough vet visit, this conversation will show you that the answers might be closer than you think. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN How to start hearing what your dog is already trying to tell you—and why talking to them out loud actually matters for their mental health What dogs typically want to communicate about, from the simple (bacon under the table) to the soul-deep (whether they want to fight through cancer treatment) Why your emotions can block the channel when you need it most, and what to do instead How smell becomes a fifth sense in dog communication—and what it means when your dog keeps making you think about poop The difference between hearing your own dog versus someone else's, and how to tell which one is "speaking" in a multi-dog home What dogs on the other side want their people to know, and why there's never guilt from that side of the veil How to practice animal communication in a grounded, practical way that doesn't require fifty rituals or years of meditation A FAVOURITE MOMENT "I cannot underestimate how much just talking to your pet all the time does for their mental health, for their understanding of their environment." — Emily ABOUT EMILY SNYDER Emily Snyder is a psychic medium for pets and people based in Brooklyn, New York. Trained at the UK's Arthur Findlay College—the oldest school of mediumship in the world—she works through her practice, Connected Intuition, to help dogs and their humans have deeper, soul-level conversations. She's currently writing her first book and teaches animal communication classes for people ready to start hearing their own animals. When she's not in conversation with the unseen, she's raising two kids in Brooklyn. CONNECT WITH EMILY SNYDER Website: connectedintuition.com Instagram: @connectedintuition TikTok: @connectedintuition YouTube: @connectedintuition Free resource: Animal Communication Guide CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit soultouchedbydogs.com And if you're a dog lover who's also building a business - or just want a calmer, happier dog - come find us at fetchhappystore.com. Happy dogs, thriving businesses, and a community that gets both.

    Animal Communication Opens Deeper Conversations with Your Dog | Emily Snyder
  6. Jun 17

    Pet Longevity Science: How to Extend Your Dog's Life by Years | with Dr. Kevin Toman

    Pet longevity science is revealing how to help dogs and cats live up to 25% longer through a combination of advanced diagnostics, integrative care, and lifestyle changes most pet parents overlook. This conversation offers practical, evidence-based strategies to extend not just the years in your dog's life, but the quality of those years — especially for older pets facing cancer, chronic pain, or heart disease. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why dental care is the single most important longevity strategy for small dogs and cats, and how dental disease can shorten lifespan by up to 15%The truth about glucosamine and chondroitin (they don't work), and which supplements are actually proven to reduce joint pain as effectively as prescription drugsHow two longevity drugs — rapamycin and acarbose — are being used to extend life in dogs, and what the research shows about their effectivenessWhy standard kibble may be setting the table for cancer, inflammation and other chronic health issues, and what to feed insteadSimple lifestyle changes that reduce cumulative joint damage — from yoga mats in high-traffic areas to avoiding stairsHow keeping your dog lean is the single most powerful thing you can do to extend their life, backed by a landmark study showing thin dogs lived nearly two years longerWhat signs of arthritis appear long before limping, and how to recognize pain your dog is hidingA FAVOURITE MOMENT "The thinner your pet is, the longer and less painful they will live." — Kevin ABOUT DR. KEVIN TOMAN Dr. Kevin Toman has been a veterinarian for 40 years, and for the last decade has specialized in pet longevity — helping dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives through veterinary care, advanced diagnostics, integrative therapies, and longevity science. His work focuses on older pets dealing with cancer, chronic pain, or heart disease. He lives on the coast of California, and his own health journey opened his eyes to the power of combining traditional veterinary medicine with herbal therapy, acupuncture, and evidence-based supplements. CONNECT WITH DR. KEVIN TOMAN Website: https://www.helpingpetslivelonger.com Free 10-Minute Vet Call: https://www.freevetcall.com YouTube & Instagram: @TheLongevityVet CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit https://soultouchedbydogs.com  And if you're a dog lover who's also building a business — or just want a calmer, happier dog — come find us at Happy Pupcakes - Happy dogs, thriving businesses, and a community that gets both.

    Pet Longevity Science: How to Extend Your Dog's Life by Years | with Dr. Kevin Toman
  7. Jun 13

    Disenfranchised Grief: Honoring Pet Loss Like It Matters | with Koryn Greenspan

    Pet loss and grief are rarely spoken about with the seriousness they deserve. When a beloved dog dies, many people find themselves lying to their employer, suppressing their heartbreak, or being told it's time to "just get another one." This conversation with Koryn Greenspan explores why grief for our animals is so misunderstood, what anticipatory grief really means, and how we can honour the bond that continues long after goodbye. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why pet loss often hits harder than losing a human, and why that's completely validWhat anticipatory grief is and how recognising it can help you prepare emotionally for end of lifeThe term "disenfranchised grief" and why society still doesn't fully acknowledge the toll pet loss takesHow companies are slowly beginning to offer bereavement leave for pets and why that matters for your mental health and financial wellbeingWhat to do if you're struggling with guilt or the feeling that your dog's passing didn't honour their lifeHow to navigate getting another dog after loss, and why that decision is far more complicated than people thinkWhy grief is love and loss coexisting, and how you learn to move with it, not move on from itA FAVOURITE MOMENT "We are their entire everything. There is no way that that relationship can't affect you in a different way." — Koryn ABOUT KORYN GREENSPAN Koryn is the founder of The Parted Paw, a Toronto-based pet loss and grief support company helping pet parents navigate one of the most overlooked forms of loss. A Certified Pet Loss Bereavement Specialist and Certified End-of-Life Pet Doula, Koryn supports individuals, families, couples, and workplaces through anticipatory grief, active loss, and life after goodbye. Her work is grounded, compassionate, and practical, offering people the language and permission to grieve openly while honouring the bond that endures beyond goodbye. CONNECT WITH KORYN GREENSPAN Website: https://www.thepartedpaw.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/koryn Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepartedpaw_griefsupport/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepartedpaw?lang=en CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit https://soultouchedbydogs.com And if you're a dog lover who's also building a business - or just want a calmer, happier dog - come find us at fetchhappystore.com. Happy dogs, thriving businesses, and a community that gets both.

    Disenfranchised Grief: Honoring Pet Loss Like It Matters | with Koryn Greenspan
  8. Jun 6

    Grieving Senior Dogs: Finding Love Beyond Loss with Peggy Frezon

    Therapy dogs don't just comfort humans — they also help us understand grief, resilience, and the kind of love that doesn't end when a heartbeat stops. Peggy Frezon writes books that honour the human-animal bond, runs a retirement home for senior golden retrievers, and has learned how to hold space for both joy and loss at the same time. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN What makes a dog suited to therapy work — and why it's about temperament, not breed or size How rescue dogs who've lived through trauma can become certified comfort dogs for people in crisis Why some dogs thrive on being petted by strangers in schools and hospitals, and others don't What therapy dogs actually do in courtrooms, libraries, tax offices, and classrooms after tragedy How loving senior dogs — and losing them — can teach us something essential about grief Why getting another dog after loss isn't about replacement, but finding a new place for your love to go How people who can't bear to adopt again still find ways to stay connected to dogs A FAVOURITE MOMENT "He's 11, Mike. He's gonna break our hearts. But my husband just said, 'He needs us.'" — Peggy ABOUT PEGGY FREZON Peggy Frezon is a contributing editor for Guideposts and Angels on Earth magazines, and the author of several books exploring the bond between people and animals. She and her husband run BrooksHaven, a forever retirement home for senior golden retrievers in upstate New York. Her latest book, Goodbye to a Good Dog, is a guide for anyone navigating the grief of losing a beloved animal. Peggy also volunteers as a therapy dog handler, taking her dogs into schools, hospitals, and community spaces where comfort is needed most. CONNECT WITH PEGGY FREZON Website: peggyfrezon.com Facebook: facebook.com/PeggyFrezonBooks CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit soultouchedbydogs.com

    Grieving Senior Dogs: Finding Love Beyond Loss with Peggy Frezon

About

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.

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