old , the vet had echoed , but he had looked troubled all the same , because dogs do n't die of explosive brain hemorrhages , even at twelve ( `` like as if someone had stuck a firecracker in her head , '' hal overheard the vet saying to uncle will as uncle will dug a hole in back of the barn not far from the place where he had buried daisy 's mother in 1950 ; `` i never seen the beat of it , will '' ) .