Growing Old with Honey Bun

Man’s best friend; that special dog that becomes a part of the family and a part of one’s life, is a treasure.


Anthony Panico had two very special best friends that brought joy to his life and his story is a personal narration of his experience with his prized pups.


Goldie was a six-month old puppy when Panico found her tied to a tree. Rescuing her proved to be one of the best friendships of his life. The two became inseparable; wherever he went, Goldie was by his side―for 14 years. When Goldie’s life came to an end, Panico believed he’d never find a canine companion to take her place.


Panico’s wife knew the only way to remedy her husband’s depression was to find him another companion and she did so with Honey Bun, a two-month old yellow Labrador. Honey Bun became Goldie’s “replacement” and for the past thirteen years, Panico and his pet have been constant companions―one an “old man” of 84, the other a thirteen-year-old dog, sharing day-to-day activities, growing old together and finding an unbreakable bond that sustained them both until Honey Bun's last day.


This personal journal, filled with hope, heartbreak and love, is a beautiful representation of how these magnificent creatures that are only with us for a brief time, bring out the best in us.