Employer organizes doggone good time

Dogs join owners for office cookout

Accounting assistant Chris Oliver takes a break to play with her dog Prince during TDC Companies’ Take Your Dog to Work Day at the Maumee firm.

THE BLADE/LORI KING
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Accounting assistant Chris Oliver takes a break to play with her dog Prince during TDC Companies’ Take Your Dog to Work Day at the Maumee firm.

TDC Companies went to the dogs Tuesday.

From left: Suzie Spanazze, Denny Tucker (a partner with the company), his daughter Libby Tucker, 16 and her friend Bryce Swafford visit Ralphie.

Employees were invited to bring their four-legged friends with them to work. Employees at the financial services company on Indian Wood Circle took advantage of the balmy summer day to have an outdoor lunchtime cookout and host some dog-oriented activities.

Erynne Hunt kisses her dog Fritz.

“We have a lot of dog lovers in the office and we thought it would be a fun event for employees and their dogs,” said Sydney Delp, an intern who organized the event. “We hope to make it an annual event.”

Director of Life Insurance Tyler Horning tosses a treat to his dog Otto, right.

Awards were given out to the dogs including the designation of “most athletic,” “dog that looks most like its owner,” and “friendliest dog.”

Event organizer Sydney Delp.

Six dogs were brought to the event: two goldendoodles, a golden retriever, a dachshund mix, a rottweiler, and a labradoodle, said Ms. Delp, who will be a sophomore at Hillsdale College this fall.

Ms. Delp had personal reasons for organizing the event: She wanted to show off her best friend, a black goldendoodle named Buzz, who is 5.

“At first the dogs were getting to know each other, there was a lot of sniffing,” she said.

Then the chasing and playing ensued.

“By the end of the event, they were all tired out and just laying in the shade resting,” she said. “I think they really enjoyed it. Most are used to staying inside alone all day.”

Some of the other 60 employees at the company joined the dog owners and dogs outside for the festivities. The dogs spent the majority of the day outdoors, but were allowed to go into the offices. Accounting assistant Chris Oliver’s dog Prince, a one-year-old rottweiler, checked out his owner’s office with interest.

Ms. Oliver acquired the friendly dog with the help of fellow TDC employee, Erryne Hunt, who is an animal-rescue volunteer.

“It’s nice to be able to see him as he grows up,” said Ms. Hunt, a life insurance case manager who brought her dog, Fritz, a 4-year-old dachshund and Chihuahua mix, who weighs 11 pounds and was the smallest dog at the event.

Fritz won the designation of best personality, Ms. Delp said.

“What he lacks in size he makes up for in personality,” she said.

Other winners included Leanne Lanning, who brought her golden retriever Hayes. Both sported blond hair that helped them capture the owner-dog lookalike award. The designation of most athletic went to Denny Tucker’s goldendoodle Ralphie, who deftly leaped into the air to catch tennis balls.

“There’s so many dog lovers in the office, they are always talking about their dogs,” Ms. Delp said. “We thought it would be fun to have one day where they could all play together.”

Contact Tanya Irwin at: tirwin@theblade.com or 419-724-6066 or @TanyaIrwin.