How A Rottweiler Became A Lifeline For A Veteran

A calm, steady dog can change a life—and Annie Hines shows us how. We sit down at the American Legion Department of Mississippi’s Midwinter Conference to hear how her rottweiler, Zekana, went from eager pup to trained service partner who can anticipate anxiety, apply grounding pressure, and guide Annie through crowded, high-stress spaces. Along the way, we unpack the path that got her there: reputable programs, realistic timelines, and the daily exposure work that cements good behavior beyond the classroom.

Annie’s work as a Veteran Service Officer and Wounded Warrior Project peer leader led her to Healing4Heroes in Peachtree City, Georgia—a program that keeps costs accessible, matches qualified veterans with trained shelter dogs, and focuses on real task work for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other disabilities. We clarify the difference between service dogs and emotional support animals, explain what businesses can and can’t ask, and lay out the essentials of vest etiquette so the public knows when not to pet, call, or distract a working dog. Breed myths take a backseat as we focus on training, temperament, and consistent reinforcement.

For veterans considering a service dog, this conversation is a roadmap: who qualifies, how to apply, why exposure matters, and what to expect from the first day of class to months of public practice. Annie’s message is practical and hopeful—resources exist, the bond is real, and the right match can restore independence. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a veteran who could use a partner on four paws, and leave a quick review so others can find the show.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

Jerry Allhands 0:02

This is the Veterans Standoff Podcast. I'm your host, Jerry Awesome, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army. On each episode, we will visit the veterans and hear their stories and experiences. This week we recently attended the American Legion Department of Mississippi's Midwitter Conference in Camp Shovey, Mississippi. Today I'm sitting across from Miss Annie Hines. Miss Hines is an Army veteran. And Annie is she's got a unique story she's going to share with us today. And um she's got a friend beside her. I am so wanting to touch, but I know better. I know better. I know better. Miss Heine, tell me who that is you've got beside you there.

Annie Hines 0:42

First of all, good morning,

Meet Zekana The Service Dog

Speaker 0:44

Jerry. Um I have a service animal, and her name is Zekina Von Heinz. She is a service dog. She's trained, certified, and now she's in the exposure position. How did you do that?

Jerry Allhands 0:59

She's a rockwaller. She's a rockwaller.

Speaker 1:02

And um, she's a purebred rock waller. She's 10 months old. And uh thank God I didn't have to get a new to whichever one it was, but she was still able to go through the training. Yeah. With healing healing for heroes. Okay. Say that again. Healing for heroes. Healing for heroes. Peace Tree, Georgia. Wow.

Jerry Allhands 1:19

How did you become aware of them?

Annie Hines 1:21

Well, you do know I do have um still doing uh veteran service officer duties. Uh, I'm in Mobile, Alabama. So with the resources, um, and I'm also, believe it or not, uh the Wounded Warrior Project uh peer leader. And so the resources is there. I'm able to talk to a lot of the resources, and I've been trying to get my animal a long time with my, you know, a disability that I have, but I was able uh to do that finally. And uh so with the resources and stuff, there's a lot of resources out there that I do have and I do pass on to the veterans.

unknown 1:56

Okay.

Resources And VSO Support

Jerry Allhands 1:56

Um for those of you who are hearing us and in Miss Annie's voice may trail uh a little bit left to right here. We are actually taking up a pretty large space in the hallway here at the registration table. And uh our young friend here is she is doing such a great job. We're just making sure that nobody accidentally steps on anything that they don't need to step on and get nipped at and uh because she is an absolute doll. The uh and you gotta say her name for me again, please.

Annie Hines 2:24

Her name. Her name, her name is Zakana.

Jerry Allhands 2:26

Zakana.

Annie Hines 2:27

Like Shankoda, like Shakana glory. Oh, but it's Zekana, it's just spelt with a Z. Zekana.

Jerry Allhands 2:33

Shakana Glory, I know. Yes, yes, the Shakana Glory. Oh man, we're gonna have church up in here.

Annie Hines 2:39

Look at her now.

Jerry Allhands 2:40

Get her chills over here.

Annie Hines 2:42

She is my savior.

Jerry Allhands 2:44

Man, for sure. Any uh, what post in in the city are you with?

Annie Hines 2:48

Um post I am with um um Patterson chapter 69 in Columbus, Mississippi.

Jerry Allhands 2:55

Okay, all right.

Annie Hines 2:56

American Legion.

Jerry Allhands 2:57

I've been there five, six times, I guess, over the last 20 years.

Annie Hines 3:01

Beautiful post, beautiful people.

Eligibility For Service Dogs

Jerry Allhands 3:03

Beautiful. See, you're still in my thunder. Beautiful post, beautiful people. Shakana glory up in there. I love it. Uh tell me what um what makes you eligible, what makes a veteran eligible for uh a service animal?

Costs And How To Apply

Annie Hines 3:20

Any veterans uh that has uh mental illness uh like PTSD anxiety, depression, um, any disability, um, whether you are wheelchair bound or any disability, um, mental health basically, but individuals do we have, uh they do have service animal, uh, your service animal, which she would train, uh, and they're able to, they get as they get as um, I just say what's that word, higher to the point that they train animals to turn the lights on, pick your medicine up and all of that. So, um, but yeah, so that's that's um anybody that has a mental illness. Um I think with the mental health part of it, it's just basically from state to state, and the VA will not um sign off for a service animal. They'll sign off for emotional support dogs, two different things. Okay. But um, once you are qualified uh through them, you just fill out an application, they open up the dates to you. Uh didn't cause me a dime uh for healing for heroes out yet.

Jerry Allhands 4:27

Okay. Uh healing for heroes. All right, is there a website or a phone number or anything you can share with us?

Annie Hines 4:33

It's the word healing, the number four heroes, one word dot org or dot com.

Jerry Allhands 4:38

Okay, healing, h-e-a-l-in-g. Is it the number four or the number four? The number four.

Annie Hines 4:43

Um Heroes H-E-R-O-E-S.

Jerry Allhands 4:47

Okay.com.

Public Reactions And Misconceptions

Annie Hines 4:48

All right.com. Uh would you encourage a veteran or a veteran's family to uh to check out the site and and and I would definitely um there is so many um there is so many uh people um that is trying, there's so many veterans out there even right now. Um there is so many veterans out there right now are paying funds, paying money uh to get a uh service animal dog. Um and it costs a lot of money for training, but evidently the veterans are unaware that there are different sites out here that doesn't cost us a dime for training. Um so I would definitely, definitely encourage, and then also in the process of encouraging, I'm telling you, um the world needs to understand what a service animal is all about. They really do.

Jerry Allhands 5:41

Give me an example of of how you've um been approached or or in the public with with the service animal. How is the public affecting you?

Training, Exposure, And Readiness

Annie Hines 5:52

Well, Jerry, I'll tell you, first of all, I have, as the world would say, the most vicious dog because she is a rock waller. But if you are an animal lover, it's not the name of the dog, it's the training of the dog. And it the things right now, like I said, she is certified. Uh, but she once we leave the training, we have to go, she has to be now exposed uh to stores. Uh she has to be extored around people in um um uh conferences and conventions, and she has to go. This is not something that you go to training and then she goes home and sit down. You have to keep the training. And it takes anywhere from the time she started training to at least about two years to actually get her locked in on what she needs to do. I mean, not the basic commands. Right. Um so I would definitely um um recommend. I would definitely recommend. She knows uh for me, I don't mind telling uh my disability, I have anxiety real bad. Um and she knows exactly when uh my anxiety before I know it's coming. So she'll come and sit on my feet, or because sometimes my legs, you know, you get that little nervous tip twitch, and she'll just my leg be going and she'll just sit on my foot, right? And uh so it's just the awareness that someone is there uh to get my attention.

Jerry Allhands 7:15

Gotcha. And and is the public uh compassionate with you? Do you get uh blowback? Um because I mean, like you say, she she is a gorgeous animal, but she is a rot waller and she is intimidating by look, but I'm an animal lover.

Anxiety Alerts And Task Work

Annie Hines 7:30

Awesome. And you would understand the things that I get a lot of in the out here in the community, people do not like animals. Yeah. Um the other day I went into Wawa, the gas station. We got out, I was meeting a veterinaire to get a signature. And when I walked in, uh a couple ladies got scared, like got scared. Um, and I have a tendency now that I have to come up and say, hey, I got a service animal. So when I broadcasted to let them know that she's before them, I think that takes my anxiety down. And um one incident that I had the other day, um, my own Comrade, uh went into one of uh a meeting we was having, and I took her in there, and uh this um person said, Oh, well, nobody is a fun, everybody don't like animals. And of course, I had to step out with her. Uh, but it was amazing because the guide that she did was guiding me right back around the next door back into where I needed to be. So I think once a person sees you and they aware who you are with that particular animal, it'll get better. So it's just the exposure uh from outside of the training that she's in. Right. Um so from state to state, taking her with you. And uh once she gets that down, we'll be okay.

Jerry Allhands 8:47

And she she does have on a vest.

Vest Etiquette And Boundaries

Fraud, Certification, And The Law

Annie Hines 8:49

And yes, something too that you know, we decorate our vests. Um, but as long listen, people, if a dog if a service animal has on a vest, that means you cannot touch her. Be careful how you approach her owner and um she's working. They realize with this vest that they are working and they are in the working mode. Now, if you know the animal and she's not in the vest, that means that the owner can give you permission to pet her or talk to her, but she has to know they have I say she mine, they have to know the difference. And once they learn that they're on that vest, protective they are, and that's what they're supposed to be. And it's not a a scary protective, it's let, hey, my my owner got this issue, and uh, we're gonna let her calm down, you know what I'm saying? So it's kind of like that. So when she's in a vest, a lot of the uh people come up and like, oh, she looks cute. And I'm like, thank you. And they say, well, can I touch her? No, ma'am, not as long as she's in a vest. Yeah, so that's this awareness that um need to be uh distributed to the people to know if you see a uh a vest, not only that, uh Jared, I think the most thing that's hurting us too, the veterans, the ones that, my God, that is really needing. You have a lot of animals. Anybody can tell you that they can put a vest on. We already know that. And because of um the requirement, um, no one has to show you a certification. But no one has to show you, they can't even ask you. The only thing they ask you is, is she trained? Uh, and is she trained? Yes, she is trained to my uh my disability. Right. That's what they ask. So a lot of people out here that are, you know, and that's the world. Uh they have the animal, but you can tell a trained animal versus someone that's not, yeah.

Respecting Working Dogs In Public

Jerry Allhands 10:39

Definitely. It's like j just a few minutes ago, you and I were in the main hall here at the convention center, and uh Oh, I loved her. Loved her. She just beautiful. And I asked if I could take a picture, and I took a couple of pictures and I leaned in to get a hug, and she told me I need to back off. And I look, I admire, I respect that animal so much. And uh, you know, folks, when you when you see uh someone out with uh as you say a vested dog, uh please don't just uh might immediately walk up and try to touch uh the owner or the dog. Uh always ask permission before you you do that. And uh don't be intimidated because it's a rottwaller. Be appreciative of it.

Annie Hines 11:16

Yeah, or a pit bull or any kind, yeah, any other one that they dome as a aggressive animal.

Jerry Allhands 11:22

Well, you know, when we walked into the room here to do this interview, uh a lady out in the front said, Oh, he's so beautiful. And I said, Well, you're talking about the dog or me? Look to me and ask me if I was a dog. I have no problem being a beautiful dog. Miss Annie, it is a pleasure. Is there any advice that you can give? Anything else that you'd like to say about the working service animal?

Advice To Veterans Seeking Help

Annie Hines 11:44

I just want to say to my veterans out there, my Conrads, even at battles, um, even active duty um service members that are going through some issues and um that can get into mental health while they're on active duty, I would suggest that you look into it. And also, even though uh there are people out there, they are trainers, and yes, they can train a dog in any manner, but when you're in a need uh and the service and resources is out there, I would uh recommend that you get with uh any um, I guess you could say VSO or any individual that have resources for you that can guide you. Uh, and if you need any um any uh uh information, um I'm sure Mr. Jerry can uh transfer that information. We got a class coming up actually in uh February, uh that's in Peachtree, Georgia. All you have to do is register, uh fill out the registration. Um I think it's $75 for the registration, and uh it doesn't cost anything for the training. If you don't have a dog, they will you will leave the class with an animal.

Jerry Allhands 12:53

Wow, just that quick.

Upcoming Class And Registration

Annie Hines 12:54

Just that quick. Um, the way she set it up is that um you have a choice of three animals, and um uh at the end of the class, she will uh uh uh give you the one that really uh just is to you. So, and these are animals that are out of shelters. Um so that's why they're free to us. Uh that they get them, they train them before you get there, and then they train them with you.

Jerry Allhands 13:16

So does the animal choose you or does the do you choose to do?

Annie Hines 13:19

You choose the animal chooses you, but the part about it, uh when the class I was in, this one guy wanted this one dog so bad, uh, but he ended up going to another person, but she offered him another one. He didn't want that one though. Uh Peachtree, Georgia, Peace Tree Peace Tree City, Georgia. Okay.

Jerry Allhands 13:39

Is there a website or something that we can go to to register for this class?

Annie Hines 13:43

It is um it is uh wounded, it is the wounded, I'm sorry, uh wounded warrior. It is they this one is still the same, healing for heroes.org.

Jerry Allhands 13:54

Healingforheroes.org. Okay. And again, if you'd like to uh to register to uh to attend this class, there's there's no no cost for the class, I believe you said?

Annie Hines 14:05

No cost. It's $75 for registration. Okay, but uh the training, uh the two weeks that we're there, there's no cost for that.

Jerry Allhands 14:12

You just have to cover your hotel expenses and just have to with them. Yeah. All right. Miss Annie, is there if would you be comfortable sharing a phone number if somebody had questions for you and your experience?

Annie Hines 14:21

No, I don't have a problem at all. Um again, uh my name is Annie Hines. Um my phone number is 662-251-6096. I'm also a um county service officer and out of the DAV in Mobile, Alabama.

Jerry Allhands 14:39

You know, as a person who was a service officer for 17 years, thank you so much. Thank you, sir. Please keep doing it and uh Shekana Glory. Say your name again. I just said Zekana. Zekana.

Annie Hines 14:50

Zekana, yeah.

Jerry Allhands 14:51

Zekana Glory.

Annie Hines 14:52

Woo!

Jerry Allhands 14:53

Beautiful animal, beautiful lady. Miss Andy, thank you so much for your time.

Annie Hines 14:57

God bless you, Jerry. Thank you so much, and everyone that's listening. God bless you all.

Closing And Support Appeal

Jerry Allhands 15:00

Thank you. This series is made possible through the financial gifts of people just like you. If you'd like to help us, please show your support simply by clicking on the dollar symbol in the upper right hand corner of this page and follow the instructions thereafter. Be sure to leave me a message when you do, and I'll give a shout out to you in an upcoming episode. Thanks for joining us on this episode of the Veterans Sound All Podcast with Jerry All Hands. It's a production of All Hands Media LLC, all rights reserved.