July 11, 2008

Rosie, a Maltese puppy, was rescued out of a cruelty and abuse case a couple months ago, and now she is helping Autistic children become better students. (Pet Pulse Photo by Pat Perrotto)

BRISTOL, Pa. -- During a recent June day at Roosevelt Middle School, students eagerly awaited the conclusion of the school year’s final week, with the exception of their smallest -- and most lovable classmate.

“She follows me into the classroom like a student,” teacher Jean Schaum said of “Rosie,” a white Maltese puppy she adopted less than two months before. “And it’s the first thing they want to see is, ‘Where’s Rosie? Where’s Rosie?’

“And they all pass her around and get their little hugs and kisses.”

“They” are Schaum’s class of students with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism. She adopted Rosie to use as a therapy dog for her students, who are higher-functioning than other autistic teens but exhibit similar frustrations.

“Crying, pounding on the table, banging your head on the table, fists, yelling, that kind of thing,” Schaum said, describing the outbursts she sees when these students’ emotions get the best of them.

“Bobby comes in every morning, the first thing Bobby says is, ‘Where’s Rosie?’” Schaum said.

Bobby Andreini, a well-spoken ninth-grader-to-be, appears to have a particularly strong affection for Rosie, who easily slips into the arms of the students as they gently anxiously pass her around like a trophy.

“Usually when I’m kind of bummed, Rosie will be there to help me smile,” Bobby said.

After following Schaum into her first-floor classroom like she knows where she is going, which she does, Rosie is greeted by the students, who clearly are immediately comforted by her mere presence.

“When she’s out of her crate all the magic starts happening, because all the kids start wanting to pet her and saying, ‘Oh, she’s so pretty. Oh, I love her,’” said Mitchell Reinecker, a friendly student wrapping up his eighth-grade year.

Since receiving permission from her principal and superintendent to bring Rosie to school, Schaum has watched the adorable pup capture the attention of those throughout the school.

“She can put a smile on anybody’s face when people are having a bad day,” Schaum said. “I’ve had people come down here and say, ‘I need some Rosie.’

“And they’ll come and get Rosie just because they’re having a bad day.”

When stressed, these students are often soothed by taking some “Rosie Time,” as it is referred to by the class.

“When the children get upset, they are allowed to go sit on the couch with Rosie,” Schaum explained. “And within five minutes they’re fine, and they’re ready to come back to get their work done.”

Indeed, Pet Pulse observed several students curled up with Rosie on the classroom’s corner couch near the window. As they petted her, she was enjoying the interaction as much as they were.

“She adapts to any situation with kids on the couch,” Mitchell said.

Coming to class also benefits Rosie, Schaum said, since the puppy’s outgoing personality makes her much happier around people instead of being home alone.

Rosie has impacted these students not only by contributing to reducing their stress but by motivating them to increase their work output.

“If they get their math finished she’s allowed to come out,” Schaum said. “And I’ve also noticed that the kids are getting their work done a whole lot quicker because they want Rosie Time.”

Sitting around a table in the center of the room, the students have already mastered the combination of having their hands on Rosie while training their eyes on Schaum as she teaches.

“If we do better then we’ll be able to see Rosie more,” Bobby said.

Like these students, Rosie is overcoming her own obstacles. She was among a group of neglected puppies rescued in April by the New Jersey SPCA. Rosie was found in a crate inside a closet with no ventilation, covered in feces.

Just weeks after being saved from darkness, though, she was brightening these students’ lives.

“I saw a lot of empathy with the children,” Schaum said. “Emotions are a difficult thing for them, but they really empathized with her plight.”

Indeed, Bobby concurred, “I just feel so sorry for her, and that’s why I love her.”

There is no scientific proof that dogs help autistic children, yet Schaum’s class shows that it is working. In fact, around the country there are now specially-trained dogs for the autistic.

Despite no such training, the impact Rosie has already made has surpassed Schaum’s expectations, and earned the dog graduation. Come September, Rosie will return to greet Schaup’s new class.

The only drawback, Schaum says, is that Rosie will miss her school buddies over the summer.

“It’s a miracle,” Schaum said, as Rosie’s eyes began to close as she started falling asleep on the edge of the couch next to a student. “I mean, it absolutely is. She shows no signs whatsoever of any of the abuse that she was under.

“It’s almost like she’s extremely thankful.”

As are her new friends.

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