Kane County Technologies Coordinator Blair Peters said people can’t help but want to pet the adorable 4-month-old Labradoodle who’s been shadowing him around the county’s government center in Geneva.
But Peters can’t let anyone touch Gremlin because he’s getting specialized training to become a service dog. “I have to tell them that Gremlin is working and cannot be distracted,” he said.
Peters and his wife, Deb, were fostering Gremlin for the VIP (Very Important Pooches) Foundation of Hinckley. The nonprofit provides affordable service dogs to adults and children with disabilities.
“I love dogs and decided to volunteer with the foundation to help give someone part of their independence back,” Peters said.
The idea was put on the back burner when Peters was diagnosed with cancer, treatment for which damaged his liver and required he receive a transplant in December 2019, he said.
“While no one has a guarantee, I got a second shot at (life),” said Peters, who was given six months to live if a transplant organ didn’t become available. “Now that I am healthy, we are moving on and doing different things. (With) my view on life being a little different, we became a little more interested in the organization.”
Peters and Gremlin go to classes every week where the dog is taught basic obedience skills and given specialized training, said Donna Akers, VIP founder and president. “A service dog learns to perform at least two custom tasks to help an individual mitigate their disability.”
As part of the Gremlin’s training, he needs to be in large public spaces to learn how to focus on his handler no matter what is happening around him. Peters thought having the dog attend Kane County Board committee meetings could help with that aspect of his training.
Gremlin is considered a service dog-in-training so he’s allowed to be in public spaces, he said.
“The board room is a large public space with lots of people talking, walking around, and there are lots of distractions like doors closing, ringing cell phones and chairs moving,” Peters said.
County Board President Corinne Pierog and committee chairs gave him permission to have the puppy attend meetings, and so far Gremlin has done well with minimal issues, he said.
“He’s not too much of a distraction, but you still have to keep an eye on him,” Peters said.
Full county board meetings aren’t option right now because there’s usually a lot going on requiring his IT skills but he may try to bring Gremlin to the larger meetings in a couple of months, he said.
Because Gremlin is so calm, he’ll make a good service dog, Peters said. The puppy follows him everywhere and has been doing well learning commands, he said.
“He’s pretty much my sidekick all the time,” Peters said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
