Will my other dog ever go back to normal? I think she is lonely. I’m not ready to get another dog for her, and don’t know if I ever will be.

My soul dog passed away 2 weeks ago. It’s been very hard for me and I’m trying to get things back to normal with my other dog. She basically only knew a life with him. For about the last month I was staying at my family’s house because of the holidays and so they could spend more time with my older dog since we knew his time was coming. so she got used to being around other people even after my other dog passed.

Now I have gone back home where it’s just me and her, and she is noticeably less energetic, a little more anxious, and seems to have lost some confidence, but only when at my house and it’s just the two of us. When I go back to visit my parents she is seemingly back to normal and happy. She is a people person so I think she does ok with everyone around.

When it’s just the two of us in my house, which we’ve only been in for 8 months, she seems depressed. She still wants to eat and go on walks, but otherwise she kind of mopes, and often has her tail tucked when following me around the house. Sometimes she will lay in a sphinx position and just stare off, and be unresponsive to me when I pet her or talk to her. In the evening, she often lays with her eyes half open looking like she’s sleepy but is clearly still awake and not fully relaxed.

in the morning, when I was staying with my parents she would get up eagerly and wake me up to get the day started, but at my house, she just sleeps until I get up, and does not seem that excited to get going.

I feel very sad that she is unhappy with me. I know she likes to be around more people but I’m not going to live with my parents, and I can’t leave her there because they don’t have the time to do things with her like I do.

People have suggested daycare and dog parks but I’ve heard those can be risky. I don’t know if I trust taking her there.

Im afraid she will only get more depressed. She was such a happy dog and I will be heartbroken if she loses her spark over the loss of my other dog.