Reimagine Ability Inc. / Buddy Treats

The inspiration for Buddy Treats stems from Michele (Founder of Buddy Treats) family’s journey to connect with Sebastian, her grandson with autism.

When Sebastian was diagnosed with autism at age 2, being non-verbal at the time, her family was searching for meaningful ways to connect with Sebastian…Michele, who had previously worked with therapy dogs in Autism programming, believed a dog could help build that bridge.

“As a family, you look for anything and everything to bring out social connection,” Michele said. “My sole purpose was to get Buddy to work with Sebastian, so he felt a certain sense of comfort and acceptance”.

When the bond occurred with Buddy and Sebastian, it sparked something bigger than all of us – it showed what’s possible when love, patience, and play come together.

Buddy is a spirited and high-energy golden retriever. He failed his therapy dog test more than once and struggled in traditional training classes. But one thing was clear—he wanted to connect. Using a different approach, such as smaller class sizes and personalized training, Buddy finally earned his therapy dog license. His journey became a reflection of a larger truth Michele knows well: not everyone follows the same path to success.