About Us
Who do we serve?
Serving the dock diving and dog training community in North Central Ohio. Within 1 1/2 hour driving distance of Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Sandusky, Findlay, Van Wert, Bowling Green. We also serve clients from the following states, within a 3 hour drive: Southern Michigan, Eastern Indiana, Western Pennsylvania & Northern Kentucky
Why come to our facility?
We offer more than just dock jumping, we can teach you or you can practice all the disciplines in DockDogs, NADD, and UAD. We also provide therapy swims for dogs that need to rebuild muscle tone or low impact exercise for an older or geriatric dog, as well as much needed exercise for dogs that need to lose a few pounds!
We have Fast Cat, obedience classes, puppy classes, conformation classes, and Therapy Dog classes.
All instruction is by a certified and experienced trainer.
Meet The Trainers
Marie Buckingham CPDT-KA, NADD Judge
Marie Buckingham CPDT-KA, NADD Judge
Marie Buckingham CPDT-KA, NADD Judge
Marie Buckingham CPDT-KA, the owner of The Gated Dock, has spent 1000's of hours working with hundreds of dogs. Her experience includes 7 1/2 years working closely with the local county Sheriff Department's K-9 program, as a veterinary technician, boarding kennel attendant, AKC CGC Evaluator, as well a 4-H Obedience judge. She recently be
Marie Buckingham CPDT-KA, the owner of The Gated Dock, has spent 1000's of hours working with hundreds of dogs. Her experience includes 7 1/2 years working closely with the local county Sheriff Department's K-9 program, as a veterinary technician, boarding kennel attendant, AKC CGC Evaluator, as well a 4-H Obedience judge. She recently became Certified Canine Hydrotherapy, and earned her Certification as a dog trainer through the Council for Professional Dog Trainers. Marie has the experience and knowledge to teach your dog in basic obedience or dock jumping. She can take an experienced dog to the next level, in competition or train for a new discipline.
If you want to be a better handler, and you want your dog to reach its potential, Marie can get you both on track to success!
Vickie Proudfoot
Marie Buckingham CPDT-KA, NADD Judge
Marie Buckingham CPDT-KA, NADD Judge
Vickie has years of experience working with all types of dogs in obedience training and behavior modification.
Vickie and her husband, Dean currently have a senior tea-cup yorkie, and two poodles: a silver toy and a red miniature. Vickie's toy poodle earned his AKC Canine Good Citizen, Novice and Intermediate Trick Dog titles at the age
Vickie has years of experience working with all types of dogs in obedience training and behavior modification.
Vickie and her husband, Dean currently have a senior tea-cup yorkie, and two poodles: a silver toy and a red miniature. Vickie's toy poodle earned his AKC Canine Good Citizen, Novice and Intermediate Trick Dog titles at the age of 9 months and his Therapy Dog Title at 13 months.
Her 8 month miniature toy poodle is preparing to take his AKC CGC test.
Vickie began working with dogs at the age of 13 as a 4-H member competing at local and state 4-H shows along with area AKC open class dog shows. As a a young adult, she was a 4-H Advisor of a Crawford County dog 4-H club. Vickie has been a participant of Pilot Dogs of Columbus puppy program, raising and training young dogs during their first year of life before they begin their formal guide training.
Vickie's experience includes training
and competing with dogs in AKC confirmation classes. Over the years, Vickie’s residence has been the loving home of Labrador Retrievers, Dobermans, Cocker Spaniels, Miniature Pinschers, Shelties, several All
Americans, Poodles, 2 feral Westies, Siberian Husky and Yorkie, many in need of resocialization and behavior modification training.
Vickie is eager to extend her passion to promote and enhance understanding between dogs and their humans through positive experiences, at The Gated Dock.
Christie Auck
Marie Buckingham CPDT-KA, NADD Judge
Christie Auck
Christie is the first dock diving Instructor at The Gated Dock. While being relatively new to the sport itself, Christie has years of experience with dogs and obedience training. She and her husband, Matt currently have four black labs and four German shorthair pointers. She was introduced to the sport of dock diving at one of Marie B
Christie is the first dock diving Instructor at The Gated Dock. While being relatively new to the sport itself, Christie has years of experience with dogs and obedience training. She and her husband, Matt currently have four black labs and four German shorthair pointers. She was introduced to the sport of dock diving at one of Marie Buckingham's clinics in December 2020. What started as ”just looking for a place to let my water-loving dog Barry swim during the winter”, led to a friendship and a realization of the love of the sport of dock diving itself. She has acquired training skills from shadowing and assisting Marie- undeniably one of the best dock diving trainers. Christie has attended several dock diving trials with her dog Barry and has received extensive NADD training in Minnesota with Marie, including certification as a NADD judge. Within four months, her dog Barry has earned not only his Dock Senior and Dock Master Titles and his AR Senior Title, but also his first Distance invite to Regionals! Christie enjoys teaching dogs to swim and is a positive, competent trainer, working with dogs and their people. She is excited to be a part of The Gated Dock, teaching new dogs the sport, and helping to achieve their dock jumping goals.