GoHorseShow has never written an obituary about a dog, but we thought
the eight year-old Great Dane, Hudson, who was such a fixture at the horse shows, was very deserving of his own memorial
article. Hudson passed away January 27th in California. According to owner, Jason Martin, he went to sleep and never woke up.
“Hudson was a once in a lifetime dog,” Martin told us just one day after the passing of his beloved friend.
“Sad to say but Hudson laid down and left us. He was truly a gift to Jason and all of us,” says Charlie Cole of the gentle giant. “Glad he didn’t suffer and went when he was ready.”
Eight years ago, longtime Highpoint client, Tammy Dyer, purchased three Great Dane puppies out of the same litter, and she gave Jason Martin one of the adorable puppies.
“He was hit by a car when he was a puppy and lived with a cast for his first year of life,” Martin recalls. “That constant connection formed a very strong bond and a perfectly behaved dog. Hudson went everywhere we went. He flew first class. One time (my partner) Dan was flying with Hudson and traveled through LAX and walked into the Admiral’s Club. When he went to sit down, he noticed every eye in the place was looking at the same thing. It was the actor Owen Wilson. When they noticed Hudson, every eye turned and stared at him. A few moments later Owen walked over to Dan and said hello and asked how it felt being the center of attention.”
“He was a pleaser,” says Martin. “All he wanted in life
was to make me happy. When I had my neck surgery he stayed in bed with
me for two weeks solid. I would have to make someone come get him out of
bed to feed him and let him go the bathroom otherwise he would not
leave. He was as loyal as they come. I had sitters who used to come stay
in the house with Hudson when I had to go away and I paid them for
their time. After a couple of stays, they would offer to do it for free
just so they could spend time with him.”
This noble and loyal canine loved Martin with all of his heart and was in turn given the best of all worlds. According to Martin, “From December to May, he would live in Newport Beach, California and the rest of the year at the ranch in Texas. Hudson went to all the major shows including the Congress where he had his own living space. He traveled first class and got to fly numerous times on a private jet. He stayed in 5 star hotels and would lay down right next to the table in their fancy restaurants never making a sound or moving a muscle. He went skiing in Aspen and gambled in Vegas. He lived the fullest that life had to offer.”
Martin loved the breed so much that last year he got another Great Dane named Duke.
“Hudson was teaching his new partner Duke the ropes. I hope he listened well. Hudson made a lot of friends in this world and touched every one he ever spent time with,” Martin states. “It has been overwhelming the number of nice emails I have received from his passing. Even from people I don’t know but who knew Hudson. I am very sad that my time with Hudson is over but so very thankful that it happened.”
Click here to see a slideshow of photos of Hudson
