WORKS ALL OVER NEW HAMPSHIRE, AS
ND HE UPLIFTS ABOUT EVERYBODY
WHO GETS TO PET HIM.
>> >> HI.
>> HOW ARE YOU?
HELLO.
>> OH MY GOODNESS.
>> THIS IS OSCAR.
OSCAR?
>> YEAH.
>> GORGEOUS.
AT HAVENWOOD HERITAGE HEIGHTS, A
RETIREMENT HOME IN CONCORD, CALM
AND COOL AS HE VISITS WITH PAT
AND CHUCK POIRIER.
>> THAT'S SWEET.
KAREN: AS A THERAPY DOG, HE'S
TAUGHT TO READ THE ROOM.
>> OH, I LOVE YOU.
KAREN: OSCAR TRAVELS NEW
HAMPSHIRE WITH HIS OWNER AND
HANDLER KATHY LORENZ, DELIVERING
COMFORT AND COMPANIONSHIP.
>> HE ENCOURAGES.
HE DE-STRESSES.
HE RELAXES PEOPLE.
HE TAKES AWAY FEAR.
>> IT CHEERS UP MY WHOLE DAY.
MY COMPUTER WENT KERPLUNK THIS
AFTERNOON, AND THIS GETS THAT
OFF MY MIND.
KAREN: THE EIGHT-YEAR-OLD COLLIE
WORKS FOR LOVE, BUT WILL NEVER
TURN DOWN A DOG TREAT.
>> TAKE IT.
>> YOU CAN HAVE IT.
KAREN: HE'LL GET A WORKOUT WHEN
HE VISITS THE POIRIER'S
NEIGHBORS.
TAKING OSCAR FOR A STROLL BRINGS
BACK MEMORIES FOR 92-YEAR-OLD
EARL LAURA RAYMOND.
>> WHAT A GOOD BOY YOU ARE.
KAREN: SHE GREW UP WITH DOGS AND
MISSES THEIR COMPANY.
>> THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF
MY LIFE.
AND WHEN I HAVEN'T HAD THEM, I
JUST FEEL LOST.
KAREN: THERAPY DOGS ARE
SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO LIFT
SPIRITS AND LESSEN DEPRESSION,
ALSO LOWER ANXIETY, AS WELL AS
YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART
RATE.
RELAXED.
MUCH MORE -- I'M ALWAYS RELAXED
MORE WHEN I'M AROUND ANIMALS.
KAREN: OSCAR HAS JUST THE RIGHT
TEMPERAMENT.
>> HE'S A GOOD BOY.
YES, HE IS
HE IS SUCH A GOOD BO
>> THE BREED DOES HAVE SOMETHING
TO DO WITH IT.
COLLIES ARE GREAT DOGS.
THEY ARE VERY GENTLE, VERY
AFFECTIONATE, AND VERY
INTELLIGENT.
KAREN: STILL, JUST ABOUT ANY
BREED CAN BE TRAINED.
THE FOCUS -- SOCIALIZATION.
>> GETTING THEM OUT TO AS MANY
DIFFERENT PLACES AS POSSIBLE AND
INTO AS MANY DIFFERE
ENVIRONMENTS AS POSSIBLE, AND
COMFORTABLE IN THOSE
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CLOSE BOND
THAT THEY KNOW THEY CAN TRUST
YOU.
KAREN: MOST IMPORTANT, THE DOG
MUST BE FRIENDLY AND HAVE A GOOD
PERSONALITY.
>> THEY CAN'T BE AGGRESSIVE OR
FEARFUL OR, YOU KNOW, BARKERS.
OR NOT GET ALONG WITH OTHER DOGS
, OR NOT LIKE CHILDREN, NOT LIKE
MEN, OR NOT LIKE TO BE TOUCHED
HERE OR THERE.
THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT
ALL.
KAREN: A DESIRE TO BE THE CENTER
OF ATTENTION HELPS, TOO.
INTERVIEW.
YOU WANT ME TO INTERVIEW YOU AND
NOT YOUR OWNER?
YOU WANT ME TO INTERVIEW YOU AND
NOT KATHY?
>> IS ALL ABOUT HIM.
DOG?
IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT YOU.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW
IT'S ABOUT YOU.
HE'S A BUSY DOG, WORKING
HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES,
HOSPICE, YOUTH SHELTERS,
SCHOOLS, AND LIBRARIES
>> HIS SISTER SLID HER ART
SUPPLY BOX.
KAREN: KIDS AT THE WEARE PUBLIC
LIBRARY READ TO OSCAR AND OTHER
THERAPY DOGS.
>> WHAT KIND OF BOOK IS THIS?
KAREN: AFTER MONTHS IN A
READ-TO-A-DOG PROGRAM,
EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SIDNEY BARRIEAU
MUCH MORE CONFIDENT READING OUT
LOUD.
>> I THINK ALLIE REALLY LIKES
IT.
I LIKE PETTING HER, AND SHE
LIKES LISTENING TO THE STORY.
KAREN: READING TO A SOCIABLE,
NON-JUDGMENTAL DOG WAS A TURNING
POINT FOR 15-YEAR-OLD BETHANY
FULTON.
>> WHEN I CAME HERE, I WAS A
TERRIFIED SMALL CHILD.
I ONLY ACTUALLY READ IN HEBREW.
DOGS KIND OF HELPED GIVE ME MY
VOICE.
KAREN: BETHANY NOW PAYING IT
FORWARD WITH HER OWN THERAPY
DOG, ALLEGH, VOLUNTEERING EACH
WEEK, HOPING THESE KIDS REAP THE
SAME BENEFITS.
>> NOW I DO FIRE EXPLORERS
I DO CIVIL AIR PATROL.
I WENT TO A WEEK-LONG ENCAMPMENT
THIS SUMMER FOR CIVIL AIR
PATROL.
JUST THE CONFIDENCE I GOT AT A
YOUNG AGE WITH HER, IT'S JUST
KIND OF HELPED ME WITH
EVERYTHING.
KAREN: SUCCESSES LIKE BETHANY'S
ARE WHY KATHY VOLUNTEERS HER
TIME AND HER DOG.
>> I LOVE IT.
I LOVE IT.
IT MAKES ME HAPPY.
IT'S JUST SO REWARDING TO SEE
THE DIFFERENCE THAT HE CAN MAKE.
KAREN: BACK AT HAVENWOOD, BETTY
ARTHUR BONDS QUICKLY WITH OSCAR.
>> YOU'RE A GOOD DOGGIE.
YOU KNOW THAT?
YES.
YOU FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.
YES.
KAREN: BETTY AND HER HUSBAND
PAUL ARE COMING UP ON THEIR 70TH
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.
THEY DON'T SOCIALIZE AS MUCH AS
THEY USED TO, AND LOST THEIR OWN
DOG LONG AGO, SO THEY RELISH THE
FOUR-LEGGED VISITOR.
>> OHH.
YOU'RE A SWEETIE.
YE