Meet the Buckeye DockDogs Officers!

President Tina McLaughlin, along with husband Glenn, have jumped their Chesapeake Bay Retriever Ellie at many DockDog events over the past three years. Ellie is just one of the numerous critters on their farm where Tina grows blazing hot peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic (for homemade salsa!), and hundreds of flowers in extensive gardens. Famous for her jello, Tina works as a printing company rep in her spare time. E-mail Tina.

One day Vice President Jim Zelasko and his wife Jennifer realized that their Chocolate Lab Cammie was obsessed with swimming and retrieving. So they searched the internet for new ways to expand Cammie's love and found DockDogs—which quickly became their favorite hobby! They joined Buckeye DockDogs almost immediately after the club was formed. Their passion for this sport, its dogs, and its people, has since lead them to get another Lab for Dock Jumping, this time Yellow, named Hallie.

Randi Breese, Buckeye DockDogs Secretary, and her beloved Parker have been Dock Jumping since August 2006. Ranked the 4th top Border Collie in the U.S. and Canada, Parker's average jump is 22’ 7” feet with a personal best of 24’ 3” feet. At competitions, he often places in the top 12. When not on the dock, this team enjoys the sport of canine agility and running 5K races. Randi works as a dog groomer when she's not playing with Parker or her other Border Collie, Riley.

Shaun Vahl is our treasurer and number-one announcer at competitions as he’s more than enthusiastic about Buckeye DockDogs, and a really funny guy. His wife, Randi, does all the work with their two Border Collies, Parker and Riley, but he is a very loving and supportive husband! When Shaun’s not cracking up the crowd at events, he fixes appliances for a living, and enjoys bowling, running 5K races, and relaxing at the campground.

Neither of Board Member Connie DeWire’s two dogs compete in dock jumping but Brandy, who has cancer, appreciates DockDogs support of Chase Away Cancer. Connie likes to participate in any venue Buckeye DockDogs does in conjunction with rescue groups because both of her dogs are rescues. A novice motorcycle rider and “a bit of an adventure junkie,” Connie is a business analyst for a software developer.

An ESPN show on DockDogs in 2005 inspired Board member Linda Eckel to tell her husband "someday I will get me a Lab and try that out." Now she and her Chocolate girl Jazmine are TeamJazz and a work in progress. An animal lover and huge fan of the "Dog Whisperer," Linda has two grown children, takes care of her little grandson, works at FedEx, and has a Shar-Pei named "Sir Bentley" and three cats.

Board Member Glenn McLaughlin, Tina’s husband, is the primary handler of Ellie, their Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Glenn has loved dogs all his life, and has had three Chessies. Ellie’s best jump is 20’ 7”, set in March 2008 at the Columbus Pet Expo in Columbus, OH. Owner of a construction company, Glenn also golfs, hunts, fishes, and raises Scottish Highlander cattle.