Yeh guess its a reassurance thing, at the end of the day normal does not exist anyway! I do have another dog and would love him if it wasnt for all the bipolar meds I am on. But hes pretty cool (well I think so) and does get called Grace sometimes instead of Ruger he doesnt seem to mind.
My Dads also been dead a year I call out his name silently knowing that it makes him feel closer to my heart