Christina: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Taking the Lead podcast where we empower people to be unstoppable. I'm Christina Hepner with my co-host, Leslie Hoskins, and we actually are recording on campus today because we're catching up with a client that we talked to not too long ago who is here getting a guide dog.
Leslie: Yes. Today Walker Jones is with.
Again on campus and getting his first guide dog. So Walker, thank you so much for joining us and taking the time out of what we know is a very, very busy day to catch up.
Walker: Oh, it's great to be here. I'm glad you guys got me back again. Yeah. Plus you get me out of a little bit of work I probably have to do today anyway, so,
Christina: yes.
So when we last talked to you on the podcast, um, you had just put in your interview and I think a few days after we recorded, you found out you were coming to get your guide dog. Yeah. So what has it been like so far? Tell us. One first about your guide dog and how has it been going?
Walker: It's been going pretty good.
It's probably the least I've used my [00:01:00] cane since I started using it 'cause I've really not used it all the whole time I've been here. But I just don't like using the cane and working with Loki at the same time. But, um, it's been great. Loki's a great dog. He's always making me laugh. He's always really close to me right now.
He's under my legs. I don't know. He is just a goofy dog and I love him.
Leslie: What kind of dog is Loki?
Walker: Loki is a lab building cross and he's 64 pounds and I think, oh my gosh. There's a s slobber all over me.
Leslie: Walker's wiping off s slobber from his, uh, sweatshirt from Loki, which is a fun little thing we don't talk about.
Also not something you experience with a cane.
Walker: No. Yeah,
Leslie: cans don't
Walker: s slobber on you. Yes,
Leslie: we hope not.
Walker: He is a huge dog.
Leslie: He is and he is. Beautiful. So how was it going? So, okay, so yeah, last time we talked to you, you were just approved for a guide dog, and then a couple days later you found [00:02:00] out your class dates and like you were coming in.
Walker: Yeah.
Leslie: So when you got here, what was that like? Like what were the first couple days of Guide Dog class like?
Walker: Crazy nerve wracking just because I wasn't, uh, mentally prepared as I thought I was. And plus it happened way sooner than I thought it was gonna be. 'cause the last time we all spoke, I was still in my, could be a year long wait, that ended up only being four months.
Mm-Hmm. So I was super unprepared mentally, yet I was, but luckily I came through it and I feel good about it and I'm glad I'm here.
CHristina: Yes. That is awesome. And I know, um, I just talked to you a little bit ago about your experience so far with Loki. Um, can you tell us a little bit about, you know, how it started with some challenges and, and how you guys have worked through those little bit of challenges to get to, you know, this second week that you are here for get dog training?
Walker: [00:03:00] Um, at first it was, it was like a very happy moment. You meet Loki for the first time and you just. You know, you almost wanna jump up in the air 'cause you're just so excited and then he's excited. And then you realize as soon as the instructor walks outta the room that he might not like you as much as you thought.
Leslie: That's a good point.
Walker: Because he loves Danielle so much. And then so at first I had my doubts and I was like, oh my gosh, he doesn't even like me. And then now we're just the best of buds and it feels like it's one of 'em things. We just do everything together now. Literally. He's everywhere.
Leslie: Yeah. There's no escaping at this point.
I
Walker: can't get him off of my clothes either. Lint everywhere. Oh, or fur.
Leslie: Do you typically wear black?
Walker: I wear a lot and I have not. You
Leslie: might have to redo your wardrobe. At this point.
Walker: I brought two pairs of black pants that I have not worn since I got Loki because there was one day I put him on and he came up and he like rubbed.
He just walked against me and just like. Brushed against my [00:04:00] leg and there was hair everywhere just from that one little encounter. And I was like, I can't imagine what a whole day of that would be. Yes, I'm not wearing those pants.
CHristina: So that is definitely a difference with a cane. Like Leslie would say, canes don't do that.
Canes don't do that.
Leslie: Honestly, some, sometimes people will just have a preference on the dog, uh, color based on like their wardrobe. Right. So if you do wear a lot of black, sometimes people would prefer a black dog because you're wearing a suit or something like that all the time. So definitely something to consider.
So you've been here now, this is week two, usually week two we say is kind of the most stressful, right? That first week it's like so exciting and new, and you're meeting Loki and you're, and the bonding that's happening. Uh, tell us how week two has maybe been a little bit more challenging or a little different than week one.
Walker: Week two has actually been better than the last week. And I think it's 'cause me and Loki are finally kind of coming to an understanding of just kind of who he is and who I am. And he knows who I am now and I know who he is now. Not all the way, like it's [00:05:00] only been what, a week and a half? Yeah, a little over, but I think.
I think we figured out each other like he knows what I like to do and my habits. I know what his habits are. And honestly, I think Loki's my perfect match. I don't think I can picture myself with another dog besides Loki. Really, literally, honestly.
CHristina: And that's great to hear. And. It's great to point out too that not everybody's experience is the same.
Like Leslie has heard in the past that sometimes week two is more challenging, but for you, you're like, actually we're bonding. So, um, good to point out. We got a little
Walker: hiccups, but I mean, that's just part of it. Yes. I'm not gonna let it affect my mood or anything.
CHristina: Yes. So you have about a little over a week left here,
Walker: just a smidge.
CHristina: Yes. Anything that you are looking forward to, um, doing when you go home with Loki?
Walker: Um, first thing we're doing, like I told you in the interview, we're going to get [00:06:00] a margarita on the way home, not stopping at my house first or nothing. Going straight to the Mexican restaurant and getting a margarita just to celebrate.
Ain't that right buddy?
Leslie: I love that. That's the perfect first goal in outing.
Walker: And then I think we're just gonna take a nap.
CHristina: Oh, I'm sure. Um, because there is so much work that. Yeah, you and all the other clients who are here doing these three weeks. Oh, yeah. So I'm sure when you go home, you just need to take a big, deep breath.
It's almost take a nap, relax for a little bit.
Walker: It'll be almost like just a big weight off, but not like a bad weight. Like you, you're glad you did it and it, and, and it's necessary, but it's just, you know. You just, I don't really have, I haven't thought past what I want to do. 'cause I just am so ready to be home.
Yeah. But not that I don't like it here. I love it here. I just miss my own pillows.
Leslie: Yes. Oh my gosh. Yes. It's, it's hard being away from home for three weeks. Mm-Hmm. And it is stressful, right? Like you're [00:07:00] going through something new, you're meeting a whole new living thing that you have to, you know, bond with and work together as a team.
And going home is going to bring its own challenges, but also. So exciting, right. To be in your own space, in your own environment Oh yeah. In which you're comfortable in, and be able to take Loki out for the first time. What, uh, besides the margarita maybe will be kind of that first destination or first route that you guys go on?
I
Walker: think we are just gonna go to my local park and just walk around and that's actually one of my routes that I picked anyway. Mm-Hmm. And I think we're just gonna walk around and work on those distractions people. I have a lot of dogs there, so I think it's perfect. And that's one of the only negative things as far as when we work together, is he can get a little distracted sometimes.
So my first goal is to go do that and work on those 'cause, right, like here you can work on 'em, but if. This is nothing. 'cause it's where you take it home and you apply it to your life. It's [00:08:00] where it makes the difference. You know? He already knows Michigan.
CHristina: Yes.
Walker: This is all his territory. I'm the one learning it, you know?
Mm-Hmm. So we gotta take him out of his element and see what he can do and see what we're made of.
CHristina: Yes. Take him to Georgia where it's a lot warmer. I'm sure. Dude, you
Walker: don't even want to know the humidity that we get. Yes,
Leslie: I know that's, so you were here in February and you really kind of had the whole spectrum of weather in these last just couple weeks.
We went from, even just in a couple days, we had 70 degree weather the other day, and then like 28 degrees, two days later.
Walker: It went from frigging 60 degrees in the morning till. It's snowing in just a matter of hours yesterday
Leslie: and then today. You would never know it. Today it's beautiful out. It's sunny again.
It's gonna be back up to the sixties this weekend. It's
Walker: funny how you say that's beautiful out, but it's pleasing outside.
CHristina: So you're saying you don't wanna move to the Midwest? No, that's what I'm getting.
Walker: I've got my taste of it and I'm good.
CHristina: Yes.
Walker: [00:09:00] I don't know how people can live up here.
Leslie: Yeah, I I, I think Timothy's not here too.
You'd definitely be outnumbered here on the. The Michigan talk. Yes. But
CHristina: you know, I'm sure you've been allowing us to share your tiktoks as well. Um, do you have anything planned for when you go home with low key?
Walker: I've got a few ideas already written down. I've actually got a couple scripts written already that I've just kind of stayed up in the bed, just making 'em.
And, uh, me and my fellow leader, dog client, Joey, have some ideas of doing together. With him and Tucker, but I'm not gonna say nothing else or give it away.
Leslie: Oh gosh. A little preview action here. A little teaser.
Walker: A little teaser. And
Leslie: we've had Joey on the podcast too. Mm-Hmm. And he shared his story too.
There's a lot of you in Georgia. You guys got a great little community going down there. You guys could stir up some trouble. I feel like
Walker: Joey's the world's nicest guy. Yeah, he's a good buddy [00:10:00] of mine. And I don't know if I would've made it this far if he wasn't. Talking me through it almost every day that I've been here.
Leslie: That is so nice to hear. And it's something that we talk about a lot here is how a mentor or mentorship program or something would be so beneficial because who else better to learn from than somebody who has done it? Mm-Hmm. And gone through it. And it is, it's an emotional rollercoaster being here. It's hard work.
You're away from home and you know, lots of questioning about is this the right thing? Did I, what did I get myself into? And to hear from somebody who has gone through it and been successful or even not been successful. Just to share their story and let you know that you're not alone and that mm-hmm, you know, you know, this day will get better or tomorrow will get better.
And it takes a long time truly to become a team. And then sometimes if you've never done that, it's maybe hard to imagine or picture getting out that far. So I'm so happy that you have that connection. I think it's something that we are, uh, talking a lot about here on how we could potentially structure something a little bit more [00:11:00] formal.
'cause not everybody has that connection,
Walker: right. I, I think it would be great. Um, fortunately for me, I do have someone like that. I don't know. You know, how that is for my fellow classmates or not. Um, but I do think it would be beneficial. I do think that my stay here thus far has been pretty good. Mm-Hmm.
Um, like I said, I don't know how the average person is. You know, everyone's dogs are different. Everyone goes through different things, you know, but I, I feel like I'm a very tolerant person, so anything that. You know, frustrates me that he, that Loki might do or might not do. I feel like I, I'm able to overcome it very easily, especially with having someone like Joey to mentor me through the whole thing.
He says, I give him way too much credit, but I'm like, nah, it's all 'cause of you, man.
Leslie: Oh, that's really cool. And Joey wrote a book he did and that he shared with us and is one of my favorite things, uh, that [00:12:00] I have read. It's such a good, I need to, we need to, I don't dunno the title off the top of my head because can promote it right now.
Yeah. We'll have to add that in somewhere. Yeah. Um, but it is a really good book that you can get on Amazon about his experience with both Cane Training and Guide Dog and Mm-Hmm. I just, I learned a lot from it as well. Yes. I
Walker: believe there's a way to get a physical copy. And an audio copy of it.
Leslie: Yes, yes.
Walker: Right. Okay. We
Leslie: have it here too. I know. And available for clients. And then we have our own personal copies, which I treasure and love. Yes,
CHristina: yes. Um, so you know, one last question. Is there, you know, anything talking about mentoring and stuff that you'd say to a client who is on the fence about coming to get a guide dog while you're.
Walker: Uh, to put it plain and simple, I don't think guide dog training is for the week for sure. Yeah. So if you don't have. I wanna say enough discipline because you [00:13:00] learn just how much you need while you're here and that it ain't no easy task, but if you got what it takes, and I think everyone does have what it takes, even if they doubt themselves, but it definitely requires a lot of effort that, um, and discipline and.
You know, you just, I think a lot of mental fortitude. And I would say if you have all those things, this place is perfect for you. And even if you don't have all those things, you can probably gain it while you're here, you know?
Leslie: That is perfect. That's a great, that's great advice. I love it. Thank you so much, seriously, for taking the time outta your day.
And like we know is a very, very busy schedule being here. We wish you and Loki the most success and luck going back home. And of course, if you need anything, we are always here.
Walker: Thank you. Thank you. I'm glad to be here. And
Leslie: thank you to our listeners for listening to the Taking Lead podcast. I'm Leslie Hoskins with Host Christina Hepner.
We hope you enjoyed hearing about Walker's Leader Dog experience, and please join us next time as we [00:14:00] continue to dive into the world of blindness. And if you'd like to learn more
CHristina: about applying to our free services at Leader Dog, you can head to leader dog.org or call us at (888) 777-5332. And don't forget, you can reach us at taking the lead@leaderdog.org with any questions or ideas.
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