|  This dog is learning how to respect even the youngest
member of his family. Before this class, Sarge
would play rough and bully this little 6 year old boy. Now,
he not only does not pull him he listens to most of his commands. Dear Wes,I hope you remember me, though I find myself unforgetable, I'm Summit from your rescue. That strange girl you
hooked me up with isn't so bad after all. So far I've been to 7 states, camping in each place and she insists that
I go everywhere they go! I've been to something called "Stone Henge" in Virginia, all the way down Skyline
Drive, camped in a truck stop (this is where "mom" was a little nervous but not to worry I slept on her that
night. I'm not a puppy anymore and she said I was a little heavy for her to breathe that night. We've camped
on top of mountains in Virginia, we saw "The Old Man in The Mountains" and I climbed to the summit (no pun
intended). We walked across the mile high bridge went back to the campsite that had a river in front of us and I loved
swimming in it. Oh, I forgot, when you last saw me I didn't like the water. While camping at a Blue Grass
festival ("mom" wasn't thrilled but "dad" loved it) I learned to swim in the Shenandoah River.
I'm the captain of the canoe and I love fishing. My white fur sorta tan now but after a bath that neither mom nor
dad have the nerve to give me I'll be white again. The trail rides with the horses probably don't help.
I went on my first one in Tennessee with strange horses. I have 2 brothers who are horses, I share the house with a sister cat named Midget that I love to terrorize and then there are these 2 birds in a cage here, don't they belong in
trees? The growling over the food
bowl isn't necessary anymore now that I'm 2. I'm a grown up dog now. I wish mom would catch on and stop treating
me like a puppy. She has to know where I am all the time, there's no sneaking off until she lets her guard down and
dad takes over, then I can run down the road, all over the campgrounds... Just today I got 3 houses down
from him before he noticed me missing. Mom had a chip put in my back so she doesn't get too upset anymore when
I'm missing. She just hopes the person who finds me is honest. I don't try running off on
her anyway, like I said she needs to know every move I make....ALL of them, she even watches me doing private things. Dad says I need to come back for more classes but finances
aren't good, whatever that means. As long as the squeaky toys and horse jolly balls keep coming in. Thank
you for finding this home for me. I've taken over completely and have whipped these humans into shape, they are now
my staff. Thanks again, Summit
the Beautiful _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you Wes!! Oscar,
a golden mix, was our first foster dog. The first day we picked him up, we knew we were in for a challenge. He
had been living in a West Virginia shelter most of the two years of his life and exhibited possession and aggression issues
as well as lack of both animal and human socialization. As Wes had trained our 2 rescued shepherds, and we knew that
he also helped many other rescued dogs, we turned for him for help. And we needed a lot of help! Wes was very
gentle with Oscar; Oscar had never been trained or shown limits before. Wes showed us how to do both. Our home
was turned into 'boot camp': lots of guidelines, but also lots of love, affection and positive reinforcement. Wes taught
us how to reduce his possession issues through training and consistency. Eventually, after many months, Wes gave
Oscar a full evaluation and a thumbs up - a home, a very specific 'right' home could be found for him. I cried.
And so we found Oscar a great home with a wonderful woman with dog experience. Oscar is thriving there. His new home
did have one setback as the adopter's frail, elderly mother was afraid of Oscar because he would posture around her. They
considered euthanizing Oscar. The adopter's mother soon learned she could tell Oscar to sit and down and, because of his training,
Oscar quickly learned his place was at the bottom of the totem pole. Oscar even became a therapy assistant for
the mother - visiting her often at a rehabilitation center after an accident until she was able to come home. Wes,
in essence, saved Oscar's life. He would never have had a chance if Wes did not train him. Oscar was my first foster
and I had no idea how to begin to rehabilitate this dog. Wes provided the tools, instruction and the confidence for me to
teach this dog and allow him to finally find a loving forever home. Thank you Wes, Oscar and I will be forever
grateful! __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wesley’s
training saved the lives of my two dogs!!! Let
me tell you a little story (true!) about how Wesley’s training saved the lives of my two dogs. I
adopted Cody in 2004. Cody is a Smooth Collie mix and was 1 year old when I adopted him. We’re
not sure what he’s mixed with but it appears to be Husky, or as Wes always says “there’s a little Shepherd
in all of them”. Cody did well with all people and small dogs but he had some aggression issues with
dogs his size and larger. I had been in contact with Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue when looking to
adopt and they gave me great advice about Wes. Cody and I started seeing Wes in mid ’06.
The classes were great and Wes always had a lot of patience with each client and dog. Making sure
he knew what the issue was and what we wanted out of our dogs. The training classes are easily structured
which made me very comfortable knowing I could come to class when my schedule allowed. Cody and I went
to class for about 18 months, off and on when my schedule allowed. Two surgeries in one year prevented
me from attending more but I can tell you, I gained a wealth of experience and most importantly, confidence. I
made sure I reinforced my learned commands when at home. Cody became better in all aspects.
When company arrived, during our walks, at the pet store, etc. He was all around a much better,
much happier dog. In May of ’08 I adopted a second dog. Boomer is a smaller dog
(25 lbs vs Cody’s 66 lbs), is about a year old, and despite a few skirmishes in the beginning has managed to become
a wonderful playmate for Cody. I started Boomer’s training right away but still I had only had Boomer
for 4 weeks when an event took place that has caused me to write. I had workmen over the house at the end of May to install a new AC unit.
They were here all day, in and out all doors. I had my automatic garage door opened, as the men
were coming through the garage and using the cellar door to remove and bring in equipment and tools. They
kept closing the cellar door to prevent either dog or the cat from running out. The work was complete but
I had not yet had time to close the garage door. The dogs were upstairs with me when my room mate decided
to go out the cellar door to move his vehicle. Lord only knows why he did NOT close the cellar door behind
him but he didn’t. This left a perfect opening for freedom for Boomer, who was not yet used to my
commands, and Cody. My room mate came in the front door and everyone goes down into the basement, the dogs
first. I was next. Imagine my surprise and distress when I come around the corner of
the basement and notice bright sun shining through the garage into the basement, the cellar door was standing wide open.
Imagine my pleasure, pride, and thankfulness to Wes to also see two very well trained dogs simply standing in the doorway
looking out. Neither one of them had placed even a toe over the threshold. They
were just standing there, waiting for their next command. Cody and Boomer got lots of hugs, kisses, and
treats. My room mate got his you-know-what reamed. Wes takes his time to impart to you, the dog owner, that you are being taught so
you can in turn teach your dog. I’m here to tell you from experience, it works! If
I had not been to Wes’s training, if he had not taught me so well, if I had not imparted that training to my dogs, Boomer
and Cody would be no more. I live one block from a very busy street. They would have
just ran out that door and been gone. Instead, they are laying at my feet as I type this letter.
They are a wonder and a great deal of pleasure and company to me. Thank you Wes. I
owe you one, big time.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wes & Becky,
I wanted to drop a line to you and let you know how pleased we
are with Rocky's progress. As you know Rocky is a 17 month old Rottweiler. We have been going to one-on-one classes for the
last 6-7 months with some group classes mixed in along the way. When we met you ask what I wanted from Rocky? I wanted an
obedient dog with the ultimate goal of having complete off-leash confidence in Rocky and myself. I
am happy to report among other things, Rocky was camping with us this weekend and was OFF LEASH THE ENTIRE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!
The distractions were limited to some squirrels and an occasional golf cart, but Rocky performed flawlessly(even recalling
with the fur on his back standing at a passing cart). He listened not just once, but everytime we called him. It was one of
the highlights of the weekend to see the time and monitary commitment to our training pay off. In
addition the techniques and toys you have used to teach protection have made the obedience end of our work fun for Rocky and
myself. He loves "playing the game". I took him to a park around the house today to work with him off-leash again
today, it makes exercising him a whole lot easier. PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We look forward to working with you in the future
to continue enhancing both of our abilities. It improves the quality of life for everyone when he listen's.
Thanks for helping Rocky polish off his great personality by cheerfully listening to his handler(s).
Steve Mullins
and Lauren Preller
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wes: Not sure if you remember me or my dachshund, "Ripples" (aka "Low-Rider"), but I wanted
to let you know that a week ago "Ripples" was critically injured in a freak accident. As a result of
her injuries I choose to euthanize her. I just couldn't watch her suffer and her chances of regaining function
was less than 30%. Needless to say like so many other dog lovers losing a dog rips you apart. I've had lots
of dachshunds, but Ripples was my soul mate and my best friend. Maybe it was because I worked so hard with
her, but she idolized me and I idolized her despite her "issues". Working with you was the best thing
I ever did for Ripples. I wanted to thank you for making the last year and a half the best years of her
short life. In my eyes you were her savior and you will always be remembered. Again thanks so much for everything that you do for so many dogs. Fondly, Beth Mittleman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey Wes!
I just had to tell you. So my roommate brought his dog (the
husky) over to our house tonight. Chiyo initially lunged and did some growling but after a few corrective
jerks (we had them both on leads) she settled down next to me. I then was able to (after Ko Ko) get her to completely
ignore him by just staring at me. She maybe broke the gaze twice. We held this for a few solid minutes. I
was very pleased. I didn't take her off lead while he was in the house but she was able to walk closely by him
and really just ignore him, even kinda stay behind me instead of going near him. I thought this was a much better
improvement than the first time they met when she couldn't even stand still.
I really want to see her keep
improving-I don't want to give up on her at all. I look forward to our next training session!
Jacquie
Redmond + chiyo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I would like to
share my success story with you about Wes and his ability to not only train but to evaluate dogs. We rescued a German
Shepherd from a rescue only to have the write up to not fit the dog’s personality. As a matter of fact, it was
way off when getting the dog to our house.
I have four children, youngest at the time being only 5. The write up suggested
that the dog was excellent w/children and very friendly to all which was not the case. She was very skittish and didn’t
want anything to do w/any family members but myself. She was not good around children and would have nothing to do with
them and was visibly frightened anytime a child came near her. I have a house w/kids running around at all times
and was very afraid of Elsa biting one of the kids and more importantly one of my own. We thought
the right thing to do was to return her but d the idea of doing so. Wes gets involved and not only does he test the
dog for aggression but assures me that the dog is perfectly safe around children after a careful evaluation. He puts my 5 year old in charge of all training sessions which at the time, I thought wasn’t going to work.
Well, 4 years later, he was right. The dog has warmed up to children and is leading a very charmed life these days.
If it had not been for Wes, I would have definitely returned this dog and his future would not have been nearly as bright
as it is today. He really knows his stuff and I am so happy we met him and felt assured by his assessment of the dog.
She turned out to be a wonderful dog and still is today. ~Gail Kirby
 Elsa. I am
sorry to report that Elsa was laid to rest on March 26, 2008 with a Tumer that took her with no suffering. I am so glad
to take part in making the last 4 years of her life the best it could get. I know she was given the love and companionship
that she so lived for. thank you Gail for giving me a story of our home visit and how i made you go all over your house, just
to show you that you had the obedience to give you and Elsa the best 4 years. Please keep intouch and give me a call any time,
again Thanks for letting Arropwwood Shepherds be a part. Wes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi Wes, I just wanted to give you a little update
since I have not been able to come to class with Duchess. I have had all intentions to come back to class after the last time
we came in the end of July and hopefully move from beginners to the next level. After that class I found out that I was pregnant
and I have been having a hard time getting up and moving around early in the morning especially in the heat so we have decided
to put training on hold for a little bit. Duchess is improving everyday so we are comfortable with the decision at this point
she is even starting to come up to me more especially if she needs to go out early in the morning she loves to find my toes
and put her cold nose to them to wake me up, so even though she favors Greg she does have her moments with me. The past week
we have been leaving her out with Hogan instead of crating her when we go to work and we have had no problems. We just
wanted to thank you for the advice you gave us for helping a dog that was in such bad shape as she was. We know that she would
not be where she is today if I did not take her to the classes even though it was tough in the begining being in the cold
with a dog that did not want to be next to me. We are still working on commands at home, she knows them but still does not
like being approached all of the time if she is not on a leash, but we feel comfortable with the idea of bringing a baby into
the house at this point from day 1 we have taken her around kids and she does great with them. If you have any suggestions
on how to introduce a baby to the dogs can you let me know? Thanks
for your help, Melissa and Greg
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a note to let you know about
how Silver is doing, especially in terms of the obedience work that we have done with Wes at Arrowwood Shepherds. In
short, Silver has done very well in his work with Wes and other dogs at Arrowwood. He attended two beginner classes
and three intermediate classes. After his last class on July 14, I spoke with Wes about Silver’s progress and
he said that he believed Silver has done very well and that his progress to date is consistent with MAGSR’s expectations.
Wes indicated that our focus for future work with Silver should be to continue building his confidence and teaching him new
skills. Wes told me that I could summarize our conversation in an email and cc him, which I am doing today.
Our goal is to help Silver earn a Canine Good Citizen certificate
from the AKC and then to teach him to be a therapy dog.
Silver is a GREAT dog. He is a happy member of the family, a good protector, and generally a
jovial, well-behaved soul to have around the house. He is gentle with Jaxon, friendly with people who we invite into
the house, and a wonderful jogging and walking partner. He is now healthy, too; it turns out that his chronic GI difficulties
were due to the fact that he cannot eat chicken and he was getting chicken-based foods. We switched him to a lamb-based
food and his GI difficulties literally disappeared overnight. No one knew. He now weighs over 80 lbs, probably
close to 85.
We attach
several pictures of Jaxon and Silver, as well as a brief video of Jaxon leading Silver around our hallway at heel. We
thought that you and Wes would both enjoy these. We strongly endorse Wes as a trainer; Silver was not the only one to gain from working with
him. We did, too, and we plan to return periodically for follow-up lessons.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Thanks. Vik.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi, I just wanted to share this great picture
of Genny (we adopted her in March 2005). We had friends visiting with their 20-month old son this past weekend. We were a
little concerned because Genny always seems scared of little kids (despite the fact that she came from a home with children).
Initially, there was growling anytime the boy would come near her but we told her "no" in a stern voice and monitored
their interactions. After the first few days, she seemed to get used to him and would let him walk past her without any fuss.
The last night at our house the dogs were laying around and let him pet them. The greyhound (Cam) is our second adopted dog,
a retired racer from the Greyhound Pets Association--they also had a few rough days but were fine to be left alone together
after a couple of days. Although we are no longer in the area, I like to keep up with the MAGSR
news and check the new pictures on the Arrowwood Shepherds site. Without both of you, we wouldn't have our Genny dog. She
is still stubborn and doesn't always follow commands but she is doing very well and loves having a big backyard to chase the
squirrels. All the best, Betsy 
When we adopted Dino
(fka Diesel) from MAGSR in late January 2006 we were on the rebound from the loss of our beloved 12 year old lab / shepherd
mix. After many years with a mellow dog we had a quite an adjustment make, along with Dino, to a whole new experience. Here
was a 60 pound bundle of energy without any real obedience training. We could see he was unsure of us and his new surroundings
but we also saw the sweetness in there and we bonded with him very quickly – ok like in 2 minutes! But he pulled and
lunged on the leash especially at cars, we had difficulty controlling him when guests came to our door, and he nipped
at anybody who came close to the kitchen counter. Not only did we want a dog who was good at home with us, the cat, and the
neighborhood kids – we wanted a dog we could take to work with us in our design studio. We knew of Wes and Arrowwood
Shepherds through Jon and Jamie Farris and called him within our first few days with Dino. First,
Wes trained us in the basics in a way we had never thought about how to talk to the dog, how to hold the leash, when to pay
attention to him, and when to correct. Going through the Beginner and Intermediate classes we have learned so much and Dino
has come a long way. In class we learned a lot through the exercises and by watching Wes with other dogs and owners. He saw
Dino’s potential and understood his behavior and showed us how to get the dog we wanted. We also had Wes come to us
for a few home visits to work on specific concerns. This Christmas – 2006 – Dino is
our best gift! Christmas Eve he was well behaved and friendly in a house full of people – something we couldn’t
have imagined last spring. Thanks to Wes we have learned how to work with Dino to make him a good dog citizen and the ideal
dog for us! Abbie, Ernie and Dino
On Friday, November 17,2006 our two German Shepherds - Dolly and Beau(formerly, "Venus"
and "Shakespeare") - managed to leave our home withoutour noticing. (A back door had blown open from the wind) (In defense of ourselves, we need to add that they are USUALLY very goodabout not leaving our home or property, thanks
to Wesley Jensen's helpfultraining) Hours went by and we were becoming frantic, as these dogs
are not"wanderers." As they were tagged, we called the Humane Society, hoping that someone had called in a sighting,
but no luck there either. We continued to searh on foot and in our cars. with some of our neighbors helping, also. We finally remembered that Wesley Jenson, owner of Arrowwood Shepherds, had a dog - Lucha - who had successfully
tracked down a dog under similar circumstances in the past, so we called Wesley, just to ask his advice. At this point, our dogs had been gone for 4-5 hours and we were convinced that they must have been hurt and/or we
might never see them again. Wesly had Lucha get the scent of Beau from his bedding - and Lucha
took offout of our yard, across the street, between two houses and back into thewoods. He continued to go over a creek, back
up into more woods and vacant land (with me struggling to keep up with the two of them!) and finally arrived at the back of
what appeared to be a deserted and/or deteriorated house. Low and behold - out came Dolly and
then Beau from underneath the house's back porch! Wesley's and Lucha's successful seart took only 20 minutes - if that! We
cannot praise Wesley and Lucha enough! Thanks, as well,to Jamie and Jenn of MAGSR for the calls
of support and readiness to supply search volunteers which,fortunately, were not needed due to Wesley and his wonder-dog,
Lucha!. Thanks so much - again! Lynda and Al Scileppi 
I want to update you on
Sheena, my 3rd rescue. She is a sweet, smart, stunning Shepherd. She is very obedient, but she must be commanded! Otherwise
she will be a devil dog! She is a trash can scavenger, shoe eater, digger, escape artist, and she punches when she gets really
excited. Honestly, I think she could easily take a kangaroo in a boxing match. Come
6 am, my alarm goes off ( but not on the weekends she Knows what time it is). Madame jumps up on the bed, wraps herself around
my head, licks my face & starts batting me with her paws. In 44 years, I have never had a black eye or bloody nose until
Now!!! Because of your training I know to give her an OY and a correction. As you know we are all works in progress... Sheen-bean is Learning. It take patience and repitition and
reward (for the good stuff) You have taught me the skills to train my dogs. I had no clue when i first came to see you&
and I was wary of your methods. But I quickley came to see the value of the results. sheena will now down and stay when luxuriously
eat my dinner( a huge problem before) she will come like a dream, she will leave anything or any situation (so far) when I
tell her to, and we working on the breakfast situation. And I know how to do it. Thank
you, oh great dog whisperer of the east. You train humans very well!! Many Thanks
Karen, Bug & Sheen 
Hi Wes,
I wanted to thank-you from the bottom of my heart for the help you gave me with my Neapolitan Mastiff, Leo.
I rescued Leo in December, 2004 when he was about eight months old. About two months after I adopted him,
he developed a fear aggression towards strangers. Even if Leo were in another room or in his kennel, he exhibited aggressive
behavior. It ranged from severe growling to lunging at strangers or doors and biting. I tried everything. I talked to my veterinarian,
who recommended the behavior specialists at the University of Pennsylvania. I took him there for an evaluation. The doctors
there were apprehensive about him ever learning to become “normal”. Over the next six months, things just got
worse. I did not know where to turn. Then, I met a woman who recommended I contact you. Sorry,
I don’t remember her name. She explained how much she admired you, your relationship with the animals you work with
and the help you gave her with dogs she had. I contacted you, and with your help and the help of some wonderful people at
your training facility (thanks Ed and Chris!!!!! ) you taught me how to handle Leo, the 130 pound fear aggressive puppy. It
has been an uphill battle trying to help Leo. For the last six months I have consistently worked
with him. For the first time yesterday, I had a friend over and Leo never showed any aggression towards him. Granted Leo was
in his kennel, another room, or on his leash but, it was truly unbelievable!! He is finally learning he does not have to protect
me. All of the hard work is paying off and I have Wes and Arrowood Shepherds to thank!!!! With your support, Leo has a chance!!!
Thanks for everything!!!
Cindy Eidel & Leo 
Hey, whatever you taught my daughter, Hannah,
she applied the same confidence with her horse today. Unfortunately, my pic isn't all that good but it gives you the
idea. She was firm correcting Pearl, who usually tries to boss her around. Hannah would tell her woah and then
yanked down on Pearl like she does on Zack to ' Foosay'.

Samantha was an angel when we first adopted her. She wasn’t used to her new
environment so she was very quiet and very loving with us…for about 4 days…then the problems started! When we
first adopted her, we were told that she was timid of men but we didn’t realize the extent of it! It started to feel
like we got more than we had bargained for! Within days, she was tearing off after a man walking down the street, a next-door
neighbor, and anyone at the dog park who made a sudden move. The only thing we could think to do was call Wes. He was so patient
on the phone and explained to us that the dog park is a reward and Samantha had to earn it and that she had to earn our trust.
Until she was able to do that, we would have to be willing to commit to some intense training and serious discipline in our
home. We loved Samantha with all our hearts so we agreed to make that commitment. I remember the first time going to Wes'
class and seeing how his dogs just sat there waiting patiently for the next command and I was so impressed that I knew this
is where Samantha needed to be. We quickly learned Wes’ philosophy of teaching the owner more than teaching the dog.
Every week that we went to training, we learned so much and were able to take that home and work on it with Samantha during
the week. We began going to a field and worked diligently on her training until she earned her play time. Each week we saw
improvements in her behavior, her listening skills, her obedience and most importantly her attitude. She knew we were in charge
now and she would have to listen. Now, Samantha has earned our trust. We don't have to worry about her pulling while walking
her on the leash or about her barking at people we pass on the sidewalk. And now – those guys at the dog park…they
chase her around and play ball with her and she has become very attached to them! The best result of all this training is
the true happiness I see in Samantha. She’s not nearly as timid, nervous, or scared as when we first got her and she
truly enjoys being a dog! Samantha isn’t a finished product yet but we have every bit of confidence that Wes can help
us get her there! Wes' training is for people who are serious about getting their dog on the right track and correcting their
negative behavior. It is NOT for someone who wants the “easy way out.” We trust Wes’ judgment and …
we trust him with our baby… Samantha!
Thanks so much for all you have
done for us! Tina Burke, Sarah Gumina, and Samantha Jean
I WANT A DOG LIKE THAT......
I hear that a lot, people walk by my car
and see my German Shepherd Roxy laying unfettered in the back with the hatch wide open calmly waiting for me to call her,
or walking beside me quietly, or sitting as I stop and speak to someone and inevitably I get the comment, I want a dog like
that. At first I am tempted to explain, how after trying other training, after reading all the books I could find, I
had an adolescent German Shepherd and I was at my wits end, she barked, she lunged, she pulled, she literally bounced into
people, but yet she was not particularly friendly and as she tried her limits I found myself at the end of mine. My life started
to adjust itself around the patterns and reactions of my dog. I loved my dog; I wasn't going to get rid of her, so I adjusted.
Then, I heard about Wes and Arrowwood, so I called one June day and he invited me to come and watch his class. I drove up
to the training site, my German Shepherd acting like an idiot and I looked over and saw all of these beautiful dogs all shapes
and varieties laying quietly at the sides of their owners and this was the BEGINNER CLASS!!, and I said to myself, I
want that. Wes invited me over and we talked, I talked to the people in the class and as I did Wes took Roxy and within literally
minutes had her walking at a heel, I got in my car drove to an ATM and withdrew my registration fee and started that day.
It has been Seven Months, the change has been remarkable, in her and me, she needed training I was the one that needed
the real work. She had to feel confident enough in my ability to make decisions and I had to develop the confidence in her
and myself. Wes patiently teaches me, deals with me being very sure he is wrong, then of course, he is always right (you
will hear that from a lot of Wes' students, he is ALWAYS right it is one of the hardest things we have to deal with !!). The
more Roxy and I have trained together the better we have bonded; I thought we were close before, I was wrong. Wes evaluates
each dog individually. He made me understand that I cannot project my human expectations onto Roxy. Roxy is not unfriendly;
she is simply uninterested in persons or dogs that are not in her family. We come to class every Saturday, Roxy loves the
training, in fact, she has just been moved to the advanced level, I am working desperately not to embarrass her (yep that's
right I have to work to keep up with my dog now!!). But don't let all the talk of training mislead you, the same dog that
will not touch food unless given a command, snuggles with me and eats popcorn while we watch chick flicks together (ok she
may be there for the popcorn more that the movie). I can promise you the training and discipline we have has in turn
made her a kinder and gentler dog. So when I hear "I want a dog like that" I just smile and I give them Wes'
number, because, I didn't do this Wes did and Roxy and I are forever grateful. Zoe Draughon and Zoe's Roxanne Cerrano's Love better known as Roxy
I adopted a Doberman Pinscher from a shelter a little over a year
ago. Rita was 7 months old, and I was her third owner, after the breeder. She was full grown and quite a handful. I think
her previous owners weren't quite truthful about why they got rid of her. She had been in the shelter for weeks with no takers.
I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I soon found out I was wrong. I was overwhelmed and scared about what I had
gotten myself into. I even shed tears on more than a few occasions. It was a very lucky day when someone I worked with saw
my dog's (and my granddog's) pictures on my desk and asked me about them. When I started telling her about some of the issues
I was dealing with, she told me about Wes. It's now over a year that Rita and I have been taking lessons from Wes. (The
granddog took some lessons, too.) I think the slowest learner was me. Wes has had to constantly keep working on my head and
I must say he has been very patient. So far, he has been right about everything - although I hate to admit it. Rita
is not yet two years old and still has a lot of puppy in her. We are constantly learning new things and Rita is always very
enthusiastic about class - especially the obstacle course (oh, and the TREATS!) We go to class almost every Saturday and we
can't wait to get there, no matter what the weather. We've had many victories over the last few months and I've been
meaning to write this for ages. But just recently we have had a very big success. Of course, if I had listened to Wes, we
could have done this a long time ago. (Darn it!) But it took me injuring my arm to make me realize that I absolutely needed
to be able to take Rita on walks off-leash and know that she is in control and safe. So I talked it over with Wes and
he reminded me that he had already taught me the necessary skills to do this, I just needed to engage my brain in the exercise.
I am happy to say that Rita and I are now walking all over town, most of the time with Rita off leash. While she may not be
perfect - like a certain dog named Kane that we all know and love - she is very close to excellent. She listens and obeys
- even in the presence of squirrels. And she doesn't even seem to mind doing it. The walks are so much more enjoyable, for
her too, I'm sure, when I'm not yanking her neck all the time. It's kind of funny when sometimes people ask, "How did
you get your dog to do that?" and all you can say is, "It's a very long story!" Thanks to Wes, I've gone
from having a dog that consumed my every waking moment and all of my energy with all her needs and wants, to one who only
consumes most of my time and energy, but who fills my life with love and my heart with joy. Thanks, Wes. We'll see you Saturday.
Nancy Brown and Rita Mae Brown 
|
Training through
the eyes of a first timer... So at Jenn's suggestion
I went to training this weekend at Arrowood Shepherds in Woodbine, MD. I was originally just gonna do the first class(10-12)
cause I had other things to do that day. But I ended up liking it so much that I blew that stuff off and stayed for the beginner
class(1-3). And it's a good thing I did cause I learned more in the 1-3 class than I did in the 10-12 class.
When
I got there I picked up Rebecca's Dog, Amar. He was a really well trained boy although you could tell he'd take Mom's word
over mine. :P But this was an interesting class to see the dog's progress. I felt Amar knew more about this stuff than I did!
At points he was almost telling me that I was doing it wrong. You'd be surprised how much obedience has to do with your own
actions and how the dog's perceive that. Amar did great, as did all the dogs in that class. And they do love the play time
when they all run around like maniacs!
Later Wes started giving the opening instructions for the beginner class.
I was originally just gonna listen in for a little bit, cause I figured I had the upper hand on these people. I belong to
MAGSR and I was already in the intermediate class. Clearly I know more than these newbs. ;) WRONG! I knew a few procedures,
but really didn't understand why they were important or what they signified to the dog.
Wes spends the 1st 30-40
minutes with the dogs out of the way, just working with the owners. Teaching you things like how to work the leach so the
dogs understand stop and heel and things like that. I got Wolfgang for this class and he is a wonderful dog to work with.
Super personality!
The beginner class opens you up to things you never thought about before. It explains why dog's
do the things they do and how our reactions help or hurt there obedience progress. Who would have thought a paw on the foot
is a dominance thing? I always though it was cute, like they just wanted to be close. There's a lot of little subtle things
like that that mean something in the dog world, that we may just overlook.
I really learned a lot and had a great
time at training. I high recommend anyone who has not gone. You can better help our pups out if you understand a little bit
more about their world. Plus you've develop the tools to make them more adoptable. Mike

Brianna before training... I was reading over the website and write-ups of all of the aggressive problem dogs
that Wes has helped. That is not the only problem or issue that he works on. I am half (my husband being the other half) of
a foster home for Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue and we have had MANY dogs through our house. All of our fosters go to Wesley and I know that we would not
be able to handle the numbers of dogs we have had at our house without being "Wes trained". And when they are adopted
out to different families we encourage them to attend classes with Wesley to challenge their new fur kid even more than we
did.
Brianna was one of those fosters. She came into the rescue in Spring of 2003. She was available for adoption
when we submitted our application in June of that year, but she was adopted before we were approved. So Lucky got, well, lucky
and we chose him. (See story below as to how we first met Wesley) Brianna proved to be an escape artist and escaped out of her adoptive home.
A plea went out to help look for Brianna. After a few escapes she was returned to the rescue and to her previous foster mom.
Then in December she got out of her foster's 6 ft wood privacy fence and was loose running with the deer for a month.
Once she was caught (and she was in good shape for being on her own for a month) she was taken up to the kennel. No
matter how much people loved her and want to care for her, if Brianna wanted to leave she would find a way. She needed to
be somewhere she could not escape from. And we needed to find her a home that she did not want to leave.
Jon and
I picked up Brianna as a foster in March of 2004 to try and see if we could get her more socialized. She was afraid of strangers
and especially afraid of males. We started taking her to training. Per Wesley, no pinch collars or corrections were used on
her, everyone had to be nice to Brianna. All of her reactions were due to fear and you do not correct a dog for fear or ignorance.
To desensitize her to men I was buying string cheese and cooking kielbasa and bacon to bring to training to encourage Bri
to approach people to get a really good treat. Teaching her that people that she does not know can be nice too.
At
first, given her history, I was afraid to give her much freedom. With Wes's encouragement one day we tried Brianna on two
30ft leads in the training field. And she did not hop the fence. Then we went down to one. Each class there was improvement.
It took us a long time to build up her confidence enough to be off lead running around, but that time finally came. Everything
was baby steps. We have one of her early tail wags on video, she was that timid that her waging her tail at me calling her
name was a big step.
Thanks to Wesley we were able to teach Brianna to start to trust people. We were able to teach
her that it is a lot nicer in a home where she is loved than running and constantly searching for something. And ultimately
there is no question that through all of our work and training, that we had formed a bond with Brianna and adopted her this
past Thanksgiving.
She still attends training on Saturdays with Wesley and works as his distraction. We know she
is going to require lots of work, continued commitment to training, as well as introducing her to new situations regularly.
Brianna is still very much a work in progress. She is a great dog, but can be stubborn when she does not want to do something.
It can be hard to convince 80lbs of GSD to do something when they plant their feet as I am sure many of you know. She is home
now for good - something that we would not have done without Wesley's help and guidance.
...and Brianna after:)
WESLEY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT A PLEASANT AND POSITIVE EXPERIENCE
IT WAS TO BRING MY GERMAN SHEPHERD SHY-ANN TO YOU. I BELIEVE YOUR TRAINING METHOD OF REPETITION WITH PATIENCE AND KINDNESS
ALONG WITH REWARD AND A LITTLE FIRMNESS TO BE THE RIGHT TECHNIQUE FOR US. I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE GROUP ENVIRONMENT, EVERYONE
IS SO FRIENDLY AND THE FARM WHERE YOU TRAIN IS THE PERFECT SETTING. WHAT COULD BE MORE ENJOYABLE THAN TIME OUTSIDE IN THE
COUNTRY TRAINING WITH YOUR DOG. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU IN SUCH A SHORT TIME AND IT’S WONDERFUL TO BE
ABLE TO CALL AND TALK WITH YOU PERSONALLY ABOUT SHY-ANN’S TRAINING. I WILL RECOMMEND YOU TO EVERYONE I CAN, YOU
ARE A KIND AND FRIENDLY PERSON AND A GREAT TRAINER! DOTTIE
MICHAELS, PROUD MOMMIE OF SHY-ANN
Hi Wes.
I just have to brag. I took Roxy to the dog park in Gambrills/Crofton
for the first time today. There were 4 other dogs there or varying sizes and she played really well with all of them. After
we'd been there for about 45 minutes, it was time to go home. She was a good 35 or 40 yards away from me, playing with the
other dogs, when I called her to me. She just stopped what she was doing and immediately ran to me, finishing in the perfectposition.
The woman standing next to me, who owned a boxer, said "that's impressive." I was so proud! 
Stacie

On 31 August, 2004, I received a call at work from our
dog walker. She was crying and was trying to explain to me in between sobs that Argos, one of our dogs, had torn loose during
his walk and run into the woods. We had adopted Argos (fka Max - white GS) less than a month before this incident and knew
that he was very skittish. However, he was doing well and I was shocked to hear that he had run away. I left work right away to start looking for him. I was hopeful that he had not gotten very
far since his leash was still attached. However, after several hours of fruitless searching, my husband Mike and I got very
worried. Throughout our search, I kept calling Wesley, our dog trainer, for advice. He promised that if we did not find Argos
by the time he got off work, he would bring Lucha, his tracking dog, to help with the search. After five hours of combing the woods, there was still no sign of Argos. I called Wesley
back to let him know. He said that he would be on his way as soon as he picked up Lucha at home. Since he had at least an
hour-long drive ahead of him, we were getting worried that he would not make it to Virginia before nightfall. Fortunately,
traffic was light and Wesley arrived at our house before it turned dark. Wesley asked me to bring Argos’ dog bed downstairs and told me to put the brush that I use on Argos in a plastic
bag. He also instructed me to let him know as soon as Lucha was picking up the direction in which Argos had run. Almost right
away, Lucha headed in the direction that our dog walker had described to me. My friend Rebecca, who had been helping with
the search, and I followed at a distance. Even though
Lucha headed in the right direction, I was concerned that he would pick up Argos’ old scent since Mike and I take Argos
for a walk in the woods on a daily basis. Sure enough, Lucha was following almost the exact route that we usually take with
Argos. Rebecca and I were keeping our distance so as not to interfere, when she noticed that Wesley and Lucha had crossed
the creek. This was very odd since we had never crossed the creek with Argos. As a matter of fact, Argos is very scared of
water and so we did not even bother to look on the other side of the creek. I crossed the creek to continue following Wesley
and Lucha. As soon as I got to the other side, I saw Lucha stretching his nose into the air as if he were smelling Argos.
Almost simultaneously to Lucha doing that, I could hear a whimpering in the woods. Lucha and I were off running in the same
direction and there was Argos: tangled up in the brush by his leash. I did not know who to pet first, Lucha or Argos. After
7 hours of fruitless searching, Lucha had tracked down Argos in about 30 minutes. Argos was so happy to be home that he wasrunning around the house for 5 minutes, crying, howling and
barking. Needless to say, Mike and I cannot thank Wesley enough for responding so promptly to our situation and for finding
Argos so quickly. In addition to the happy ending, it was impressive to see Wesley and Lucha at work. I certainly hope we
will never have to go through such an ordeal again but if we do, we will be sure to call Wesley. Mike, Nicole, Rolf,and Argos (Springfield, VA)
Hi Wesley, This has
been such a rewarding and educational experience being in your classes. We can't thank you enough for the positive transformation
in our dog and ourselves. Late in March 2004 we had gotten a dog from another rescue. He is a shepherd mix. This is the first
time we had adopted from a rescue. I had visions of bringing him home and how perfect it was going to be. At first it was.
We were all getting to know each other and Boomer seemed perfect. Except for the way he charged after other animals, but we
thought in time this would change. Then Boomer appointed himself guardian. He started to chase my 19 year old son down the
hallway when he came home at night (which was probably not a bad thing, my son was trying to be quiet because he was coming
in so late!). Never trying to bite, but he did chase him. Then he started being slightly aggressive towards anyone who came
up to us or came into the house. It appeared he did not like anyone but us. We still thought we had a handle on this because
we have always had dogs and never needed any help. Then he bit my daughter's boyfriend. Now we knew we had to do something. We started to check out alot of different trainers, who are probably
very good but it wasn't what we wanted or needed. We came across your name on the Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue web-site
and called you immediatley. We took the dog to be evaluated by you and stayed for the first lesson. During this lesson I began
to realize how much I didn't know! The difference in Boomer was incredible just after one lesson. In your classes you show
the owners (adults and kids) how to train and control their dogs. I am always amazed in class at all the different breeds
and different issues the dogs and owners have, and how you deal with all of it. You are extremely confident, patient and reassuring
with the owners and the dogs. No issue is too small or big. You are not critical of what an owner has done, you show them
how to fix it. Because of you we have a very spoiled but
well mannered dog who will be with us forever. We can't thank you enough. THANK YOU!!!!
PS The only time Boomer
pulls on the leash is going out to dog playtime at the end of class. The dogs love just to run and be dogs. Thanks again.
Dave, Mary and Boomer Woodbine, Md
Wes, We want to thank
you for the great class we attended, yesterday, with our high-energy pup, Rex. My husband, Don, learned a lot from you and
so did the dog. We would like to continue with your classes and would like to know the cost, if we can attend either Saturday
or Sunday and if we can come when we are available. Don works on Saturdays (usually), but will take off when he can. It is
vitally important for the dog and for us that we come to your classes. We both feel that we learned nothing in the beginner
classes we already took even though Rex passed with flying colors. I knew he was smart right from the beginning. I kept telling
Don that I thought he might have had some previous training. I have fallen several times since getting Rex and he has stayed
by my side and kissed me and watched me very closely until I could get myself up off the floor. He stays right by my side.
We forget what you called Rex. Is he a Belgian Malinois and not a Sable Shepherd? I know you said he is high-energy
and is highly desired by the police department but will he make a good house pet? You were pretty excited by him and that
made us feel good ... I think!!! He's a lot of dog ... that's for sure. He is also very lovable and he loves to be loved.
Don calls him a mama's boy. He's attached to me like velcro, but he loves Don, too. He listens for his car and gets very excited
when he comes home from work.
I took the rock out of his food bowl and am doing what you suggest. I put him in
a sit and a down/stay command. Then I put his food down and give him an OK so he can go and eat. He is doing great with that.
Thank you again. Any man that has a German Shepherd tattooed on his arm is truly dedicated!!! I await your reply.
Regards, Mary Ann & Don Vogelsong
 
Hello friends, I just wanted to share something that happened in my life; that made me realize how small things make
a BIG difference and how I believe God works in mysterious ways. On Easter Sunday, I returned home from my Moms and as I got out of the car I heard the cries of a scared cat. I walked
out on the driveway and called – here kitty, kitty, kitty. From the woods behind my neighbor’s home came running
a small kitten. I knelt down and kept calling and the small kitten ran into my arms. We posted signs, notified the SPCA, put
noticed up in the local vet office. Nothing. Someone abandon this little helpless kitten, who turned out to be an “Easter
Angel”; a gift from God. About a month later, I was
told of a person looking for a home for his 6 month old puppy. I inquired and found the owner wasn’t prepared to take
care of this puppy. Puppy has mange and was not socialized at all. The owner met Frank and I at the vet so we could see the
puppy and have puppy evaluated. It was very sad to see another helpless, innocent animal in a bad situation due to nothing
he had done. Needless to say; we took in the puppy and he is now part of our family. Training of the puppy was obviously needed and we have come under the wings of an excellent trainer;
Wesley Jenson of Arrowwood Shepard’s, and Frank and I are progressing every day with our puppy. During this time, the
ladies of Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue have been a huge support; offering their knowledge, suggestions, time and help.
It made me feel good to know that there are people in this world that really care and give their time to help other neglected
pets. Once again, I felt God restored my faith in humans and at the same time – gave me another wonderful gift. Scooter (Kitten) and Zeus (GS puppy) are now our new family! Those of
you; who know me, know that these two pets could not have been placed in better hands. These two small additions; (Zeus may not be considered small at 65 pounds), have made a BIG difference
in mine and Frank’ life. I come home from work and instead of working at home; I play with Scooter and Zeus. I smile
a lot more and even laugh. I have come back to the reality that pets are health for you. I enjoy coming home to be with my
family. Now, this may be a different song once Scooter
and Zeus are introduced! I’ll let you know how that works out, but I believe that God will see to it that we are all
together. It was meant to be. Rita Campbell
I had convinced my husband to get a dog, and after searching the local shelters, I fell in love with Riley. They told us she
and her litter mate were found in an abandoned building, and they didn't like other dogs. Already six months old, she had
to fight for herself and food. We took her anyway and she became a loving part of our family, great with us, neighborhood
kids and dogs, though very defensive towards other dogs and strangers.
We soon found ourselves turning the other
way when we saw dogs, even people, on our walks, running back into the house, avoiding situations where we may encounter other
dogs. Riley had completed a basic obedience class (clicker training) and knew many other commands as well, but outside the
house she didn't listen to us! She had broke a chain choke collar, slipped out of a flat collar, and dragged me across the
street after a dog on many occasions.
So we tried again, calling the local shelters and vets for recommended trainers
who would handle 'difficult' dogs. We tried 2 of them, one of which yanked away on her neck with a standard choke over and
over, it looked like he was sawing a tree down! Needless to say, these did not work. We couldn't find anyone who could help
us.
Hundreds of dollars later, I finally found Wes on the Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue site. I had to really
persuade my husband to try again, we had pretty much given up on ever being able to take Riley anywhere, convinced this was
the way she was. On the day of our evaluation, Wes had Riley walking next to his dog, Kane, after one quick correction, and
we knew that we were in the presence of a very special trainer!!!!
What we've learned is that we enabled Riley
to become more and more aggressive by not being the 'leaders' or taking the dominant role in our 'pack'. She was our baby,
and she still is, but we are all much happier! She goes everywhere with us, meets new people, chases balls without having
to be tied to a rope in case a dog walks by.
Wes treats every dog as an individual, and adapts to meet those individual
needs. Riley needed to be shown that she wasn't the leader, and she is much happier, with less stress. She starts whining
as soon as we get near training...waggs frantically when she sees the training bag being loaded, and works 'like a dog' to
please us. Training has made all of our lives so much safer!
In addition, I am working to become a trainer, using
the same principals Wes does, and hopefully, I will be able to help people and dogs that were in situations like ours. I know
that if Riley had been place with anyone else, they could have given up, not found Wes, and who knows what could have happened.
This is one very special thank-you to a gifted trainer, who not only helped our dog become more than we thought she
could be, but inspired me to be a trainer as well!
Delia and Jay Ruffner Riley, too
Wesley,
We had Millie
evaluated by Wes yesterday and stayed for the beginners class. When we got there she barked and acted like a maniac; when
we left, she looked at another dog walk by, sitting at my side without so much as a grunt. We took her for her big Sunday
and (as we decided her birthday!) walk today at Piney Run. She needed a few "reminders" to heel, but did very well,
indeed. She sat by the lake WATCHING ducks instead of pulling one of our arms out to chase them and basically ignored people
walking by . She's a bit confused about the sudden change (of what she can get away with), but learning very quickly. She's
always been a sweet girl, just a teenager testing the limits -- nothing "a few more doses of Wes" can't cure! I
have no more concerns taking her to the reunion later this month. See you there! Jutta
P.S. Thanks Wes,
you sure know your stuff !
Wesley,
Just wanted to say thank you from myself and Dakota for class today. In the
two short hours we were there, we both learned so much from you, and each other. We are looking forward to next class and
getting more advanced in our training. See you Sunday!
Noelle & Dakota 
Wesley & Rex - The Story & the Magic! Just a note to let you know how grateful I am to Wesley Jensen for saving Rex! I was literally a week away from returning
Rex to his breeder. He is a beautiful, black, 75 pound, 9 month old, German Shepherd puppy. He was also thought to be an "alpha"
dog when he had his "Puppy Manners" classes last Spring. Rex was absolutely fearless, very dominant, and difficult.
He was also very loving at times. Rex has a "dog bite"
against him already - he scratched a neighbor's child after he got out of our fenced yard. That was my wake-up call. He was
simply too much dog for me and I was at my wits end! I love Rex dearly but (BUT!) he was NOT an asset to my tiny family and
I was terrified that he would get into more trouble. I had to get control and I could not seem to! I contacted the Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue group (MAGSR) for any referrals to
a new home for Rex. I was referred to their premier, trainer Wesley Jensen! Wesley contacted me and in discussing, via emails,
the various options for Rex, Wesley suggested that I bring him to one of his classes for a free evaluation. After a couple
of weeks, I finally agreed. We drove the 1-1/2 hours to
Elkridge and when Rex and I walked up toward Wesley, Rex instantly liked him and started to drag me toward him! The greeting
was warm. A few minutes later, two large Great Dane puppies (at least 100 pounds each!) appeared for the class. Rex turned
out NOT to be an "alpha" dog - he was actually submissive to them! Then Wesley worked his magic!! A new collar, a few jerks, and literally a couple of minutes later, my difficult puppy
was sitting quietly beside me. My mouth was hanging open! Rex was like a new, well-behaved dog! His "Puppy Manners"
class seemed to come back to him and he did pretty well with the commands. I have a lot of work to do and new hand signals to practice. However, I learned more about Rex in that two-hour class
than during the past several months that I have owned him! He is still stubborn but at least now I know how to deal with it.
He is a protective dog, who may not be alpha, but can hold his own when confronted by another, aggressive dog. And the most
important thing of all, Rex wants to please. He responds well to discipline and is very smart. Working with him every day
is now a pleasure! So, Wesley literally saved Rex and me!
Wesley claims he does nothing special, "It is not magic!" but I respectfully disagree. It IS magic when a tired,
frustrated, and sad owner appears at one of Wesley's classes and literally minutes later, has a well-mannered, polite dog
on her leash! Sure, there is skill involved. But there is also MAGIC! Wesley has found his calling and he deserves the title
"Miracle Worker"! I recommend Wesley most highly!!!
Even if you do not have a difficult dog, we can all use that kind of MAGIC!! THANK YOU, WESLEY! God bless you and take care. Gail Talmadge & Rex Hagerstown,
Maryland
 About 10 months ago I adopted an 11 week old spirited
puppy. I had gotten all of the "right" books, bought all the right supplies. I was ready to "play trainer".
After all, it's a harmless little puppy, right? Day 1-she leaped over the pen barrier we had set up for her and proceeded
to do her puppy thing. Ok, I thought, I just need to read more, get more "stuff" and proceed with my "training".
All the while, my girls were telling me that their new friends down the street had 6 German Shepherds and their dad was a
trainer! Go talk to him, they said, he's really good! Why? I thought, I have all the books, I can do it myself. It just takes
time and patience. At about day 10, a few more pulled carpet strands, holey socks and chewed furniture legs later, I was coming
home one day and saw 3 beautiful shepherds sitting quietly and attentively at the corner of our street. No leash and it appeared
to be, no owner as well. Kids were riding bikes, other dogs were barking, still those shepherds did not move! I looked around
and saw Wes all the way at the end of his street standing there watching. And with one wave of his hand the shepherds went
full stride down the street and sat right in front of him. He gave them lots praise and treats and the shepherds happily trotted
off. Amazing! I thought, now THAT's what I want from my dog! Manners! 3o minutes later we were signed up! Today, Shadow is
a well behaved, happy dog. She graduated from puppy class and is now training with older dogs in Wes' class. I receive numerous
compliments on her manners, something I'm sure wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gone to Wes. He has a firm gentleness about
him that dogs and people respond to. He instills confidence in the dogs AND, more importantly, the owners and their ability
to train them. His instruction is clear and he makes sure everyone has the tools to be successful. And the absolute best part
is we're all having fun! I HIGHLY recommend him for any type of training you need. If you want someone professional, attentive
to your needs, and who will work with you to ensure your success and have a blast doing it, he's your man! Glenda and family - Elkridge, MD (Shadow (R) and her new MAGSR brother, Samson (L), both
students of Wesley's!) Wesley
is a lifesaver! When I took my one year old puppy to Wesley I wanted him to help us learn how to teach the dog that biting
was not acceptable. I also wanted him to help with making the dog obedient. Wesley has made a wonderful difference in our
dog. He not only has stopped biting but he now does very well with sit, stay, down and heel! Wesley is the best thing in the
world for a dog!!!!! Jean - Reisterstown, MD
 This is Gigi, while not an MAGSR
dog she was close to our hearts and often got to go on walks with our volunteers who visited her since she stayed in the same
kennel as our dogs. She was extremely dog aggressive to the point that she could not see another dog without completely loosing
her mind. She was so bad that no one would ever even meet her and she languished in the kennel for many, many months. This
is what patience, time and Wesley did for her: We are the
family that adopted Gigi recently. After working with Wes, she is now a carefree and happy young girl living in our home with
our other dog! She is such a wonderful dog, we all love her very much.. Wes is a great trainer and has been teaching us how
to train our dogs. (We have a golden lab as well) They get along so good you'd never know she ever had any issues! :-) We
thank the Eylers for introducing us to Gigi , I know it was hard for them to let her go but we promise to take good care of
her! She brings me much joy, she has became my best friend. She follows me everywhere I go!!! Thanks for posting the story
and keep up the good work, every dog needs a good home and you guys do an excellent job. -The Youngs Elkridge, MD
We became Lucky's foster parents on 6/15/03
and adopted him on 6/23/03. He was about 7 months old and seemed to get along with our other dog but we were not sure at first,
which is why we chose foster-to-adopt. We came across several issues with Lucky but thanks to Wesley he is now the happy,
cheerful dog he should be instead of the dominant, aggressive dog he was trying to become! Two examples: Toward
the end of the first week we had Lucky, we went to a big Park to try Lucky's skills with other dogs around. We had been going
to a secluded park until we knew more about him. We got 1/4 of the way around the lake, and had to turn around. Lucky was
barking, growling, and lunging after every runner, biker, dog, and even the fishermen on the lake. Three classes later, and
we are able to walk him on a European leash draped over our shoulder with no hands on the leash at all. We can hear people
whose dogs are walking them ask their pets why they can't behave like Lucky! I am the dominant one in the household and Lucky would listen to me more than anyone, only me really. The first thing
that Wesley said was that my husband should be the one with Lucky during training sessions. Lucky needed to learn that he
was not in charge - we were! This evening we had Lucky off leash in our backyard (we do not have a fenced yard), Jon called
him and he came running. At first Wesley's methods may seem harsh but he is constantly saying that we should be praising our
dog when he does something good and that you should run out of treats during a training session. It works! Jon, Jaime, Balboa, and Lucky - Ellicott City, MD with Balboa (L) and Lucky (R).

We adopted Jeannie and Harry when they were 7 weeks old. They
grew very quickly and so we took them to obedience classes (3 times!) to try and get them under control. We struggled for
almost a year. By this time, Harry is 112 lbs and Jeannie is 68lbs. Way too big to not behave well. They were actually becoming
a danger to us as they would not walk well on the lead and pulled us all over the place! Jeannie was also aggressive with
other dogs and people she met outside. Deb and I were seriously discussing the sad possibility of having to give them both
back to MAGSR. Denise Gosnay told me of Wesley. I called him and he asked us to come and see him right then. We did. Within
20 minutes, he had Jeannie walking at heel!!!! We have now attended 3 classes - we have BEAUTIFULLY well mannered dogs. They
walk at heel - they don't bark at other dogs or strangers, they LISTEN to every word. It truly is nothing short of a miracle!
He is The Dog Whisperer! He literally saved their lives and their home. We are going to continue for another several weeks
because it's fun and it works. Hope this is enough of an endorsement - the man is worth 100 times what he charges!
Glenys, Deb, Jeannie, and Harry - White Marsh, MD

My
fiancee and I had researched dogs and decided to adopt a German Shepherd. We were taken with their nobility, their intelligence,
and their energy. Both of us had had family dogs before, but we had never been responsible for the training and providing.
When we first met our Tasha, she ran right up to us and started licking our faces. “What a loveable dog she is,”
we thought. Well, what no one really saw at the time were several latent dominance issues, and a healthy dose of borderline
dog aggression. At MAGSR’s suggestion, the three of us went to our first training with Wesley a week later, with neither
MAGSR nor us realizing that these issues were there. During the course of the two-hour session, our dog fought both of us
for control, got angry when corrected, and saw herself as higher on the totem than my fiancee. We could’t socialize
her with any of the other dogs in the class, because she was snappy, loud, and generally uncontrollable. As if none of that
was bad enough, she bit Wesley on the hand at the end of class! It’s
been three months now since that first session, and we’ve been going to training on a pretty regular basis since then.
We have seen a huge improvement in her behavior because of it. For starters, Tasha now knows that both my fiancee and myself
are in charge. She walks at our side, at a (mostly) perfect heel, at all times. She comes when called, stays when told, and
is an absolute pleasure to run with in the mornings. We walk her off-leash almost all the time. And she gets to the dog park
at least twice a week. Most importantly, she has calmed down significantly, and has learned that good behavior results in
good rewards. Tasha is still far from the ‘perfect dog’. She still needs some commands reinforced, and she is
still jumpy around the neighborhood dogs, but those things will improve with time and training. But we would never have made
it this far if it weren’t for Wesley. In all truthfulness, if it weren’t for him and the training methods he taught
us, we seriously doubt if we would have been able to handle her dominance issues. We unconditionally recommend Wesley as a
dog trainer, and applaud MAGSR’s decision to make him their trainer of choice. While he is particularly gifted at working
with dogs with social/attitude problems, his methods work for dogs of all sizes and dispositions. And the results, when compared
to many more popular training alternatives, are astounding. Warren,
Ann, and Tasha - Odenton, MD If you have a success story that you'd like to share, please send it to Kasikane@verizon.net Arrowwood Shepherds, Inc. 2000 All Images are Owned and Copywrited by Arrowwood Shepherds, Inc.To use these images for any purpose is Illegal and Punishable by Law
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