MNGeeks61, I certainly understand how what you are experiencing. We've had some very good dogs over the past (all smaller breed), and loosing each one has been painful. "Spirit" in the previous post photo, was a replacement for one we lost and a companion to the one who replaced the companion for the one before him. (we've had 2 dogs for a long time).
When "Spirits" big brother passed, he seemed to get along just fine solo, with us.
Like yours, if my wife and I are not together, he becomes very upset. If one of is in one room and the other in another room, he sits in the middle until we are together. If one leave the house, he sits and watches for us to come back. He tells us when it's bed time and drives us nuts until we go to bed, and then drives us nuts to wake us up. He keeps time better than our clock!
About 2 months ago, my daughter told us she no longer wanted her Dachshund any longer. She had the dog for 10 years. Our two Dachshunds know each other, and actually, hers is the ONLY dog ours actually is compatible with. So, we drove from Indianapolis to Kansas City, Missouri and back again over a weekend to get the dog. And the two dogs have been great together ever since.
Unfortunately, my daughter was not very sympathetic to her dog. For her, it was an "animal" not a family member and she got treated as such. We felt bad for her from the beginning and offered to take her at any time. Long story, she finally realized letting the dog out to potty was just too much work and picking up after the dog went in the house was even more, too much work. Her 3 kids were rough, and her the dog was just too much work for her husband. The dog lived in a crate more than not. She finally gave the dog to us.
Well, she's free now. Before we even got home, that crate was thrown away into a dumpster at the motel we stayed at that week-end on the way home. She's now bathed, pampered, and well fed! She's such as happy little girl now. We took her to the vet immediately and got her checked out, got her shots up to date, and ... by the way ... she had never made a single mess on the floor since we've had her. We have a doggie door in the house. AND if in the camper, she starts dancing and jumping up and down when she needs out. My daughter just never pay any attention to the sings, as it required too much work for her, I guess. (some people should just never have pets).
The two dogs are as compatible as Jack and Jill. So, now, it really is the 4 musketeers.
We are so happy to have Ruby now. Every time I look at her I still feel bad for the 10 years of neglect and (in my opinion) abuse. But hopefully, the rest of her life will be fulfilled! You can just see it in her eyes when she's adoring us ... Thank-you for saving me!
Spirit is the long haird male
Ruby is the short haired female