Hayden was a 10 year old Boxer cross that had lived with the same elderly woman his entire life. He was a gentle soul, as you can see in this photo. His owner was a woman who suffered from a severe stroke. She died within 48 hours of being admitted to hospice. Our evening nurse called me to tell me how deeply she was touched by Hayden's response to his owner's death. He had sat quietly beside her and beside his owner's bed during her pronouncement and when the funeral home arrived, he had tried to go with her body to the funeral home. He looked so sad, she said, that her heart melted.
The patient's son (standing next to him in the photo) tried hard to incorporate Hayden into his home, but he owned a pit bull that was understandably territorial and reluctant to tolerate another male dog. The son was caught in a difficult situation, with loyalty to the pet he had raised and at the same time trying to accomodate his mother's beloved dog. He called our social worker to ask if there was any way we could help. We did. Hayden found a home with one of our staff members. She has a teenage son who immediately bonded with Hayden and Hayden quickly became a beloved member of their family. He thrived on the attention and slept on a special blanket at night with his head on a pillow. After a year and a half in their home, Hayden died suddenly of natural causes, probably the heart problem common to deep chested older dogs. He was buried wrapped in his favorite blanket with his toys in his family's back yard. Her son suggested a marker for his grave. The marker says, "Hayden. He was a good dog."
