Thank you sooo much for the suggestions everyone :)
Right now my partner leaves for work at 10-ish and I’m out the door by 630am. Max eats and walks before I leave and then sleeps by my partner until he’s out the door.
He made it 2 hours in his crate today before starting to cry...I did obtain approval to bring him with me to work so, I’m thinking that if I increase the time he is alone/in his crate (or let him roam free like usual) by a half hour each day it might help- then I come home to pick him up and walk back to work with him for an hour or two and walk home around 330/4pm.
We can deal with separation anxiety at any point in time but, right now I want him to know he isn’t alone and will never be abandoned by us.
I will update as time goes on-

Also, thank you for the suggestion but, no puppy. We prefer adopting adults and, I’m a foster for BRaT (Pittsburgh area) so that may be a possible solution if a B comes up in my area. I have to admit I really like having a single B...the time spent is so much more personal for me.

You all are great. Thank you SO much!!

I think Max is coming out of the woods a little bit!
He’s been more mischievous when he is with me at work (I do feel very lucky that they love him as much as I do) and when I got home last night after a movie he engaged in playtime like he used to do with his brother!! It was so awesome.

He has a handful of girlfriends at daycare and today he made a new friend- Jimmy, a bull terrier. Tears- great tears at least!

You all have been so wonderful. Thank you so very much for all you suggestions and words of comfort. Thank you.

I’m not a breeder but, you really should go pick him up in person. You should meet the breeder and make sure he is coming from a reputable home that breeds to better the breed and not just to make money- I know this sounds harsh and I’m not trying to be a jerk.
I’ve adopted dogs that were unfortunately in this type of a situation when they were ‘shipped out’ and really, if you sincerely care about the dog and his future pick him up yourself. It’s a great time to bond with your boy. Driving or even flying back home with him.
Also as Tanza is suggesting the 8 week mark seems a little too early...again, I’m not a breeder but I do care deeply about the breed itself.
Good luck!

Hi everyone
Just looking for suggestions on how we can help our Max cope with the loss of his brother Jimmy on 12-31-18.
They had a very tight bond and had rarely been separated over their six years together.
Thankfully Max just started eating on his own without prompting today.
The issue I am concerned about is what happens when my partner and I go back to work on 01.07.19?
We went grocery shopping and crated Max (he is trained) while we were out. We were gone about 45 minutes and when I checked on him on camera he was screaming/howling with the saddest tone. It was not a ‘I’m mad I’m in here’ cry. It was a ‘everyone left me alone’ cry.
We don’t make a big deal about leaving the house. We don’t reinforce bad behavior with him either.
I’m trying to help him get through this in a healthy manner. Any suggestions are appreciated!!!

Thank you for sharing!! I’m excited for you guys :)
At least TJ can help raise your new girl-

We are probably not going to get another B anytime soon. We have to pay off thousands in vet bills first.
When that day comes I will post a pic of the new addition

...and, yes the Max was with us when we let James Dog Kibble Bones depart. He was not interested in much after a single sniff. He did run around the house looking for Jimmy when we got back home.

So today the Max has been taken to daycare to see if socialization helps at all.
He lost it when my partner left for work today. Full blown benji siren blasts.

Fingers crossed this helps- is it a big deal if he attaches himself to me right now until he adjusts to being the only dog or, is that going to slow him down with his transition?
By attaching I mean that I take him to work with me where he has his own little bed to chill in. He does not sit on my lap and I do not acknowledge him if he follows me unless someone is asking about him. He’s just ‘there’ in close proximity.
I’m struggling

We are considering bringing in a female companion around the same age.... he does well at daycare (has lotsa girlfriends) after getting over the fact that his pack member has just deserted him for a few hours.
He goes 4-6 hours at a time usually.

Also... CBD doesn’t help much. Trazodone seems to make him more hyper.