Firstly, I would like to note that it can be best to bring the pet back to where they were adopted from. If you aren’t ready to take the pet in or it’s not for you, the organization will usually always take the pet back. If you feel they aren’t providing sufficient attention or care, you should be reporting them to the appropriate authorities. I work with a rescue group myself and I see first-hand what it can be like at shelters. It’s not always great or heart-warming, but they do help save lives and that is what counts.

If you really do not want to bring her back to the same place, there are several other organizations in the Denver area that would likely be more than willing to care for her and take her in, especially if you may be willing to start off fostering her. There’s Colorado Canine Rescue, 4 Paws 4 life, All Aboard, and likely many more. You can always search these up on Google and give them a call if you want more information before surrendering.

Best of luck to your family and Moose. I do hope it works out!

A lot of the commentary in the other comments is great advice. My addition here is perhaps try a ThunderShirt. These can help calm your pet if the above actions don’t seem to be helping much.

I’d also suggest not bringing your pets into a full room. Try introducing people slowly, rather than all at once. That way, it’s not as overwhelming. My family chihuahua hates a crowded room.

Two words: dog park. Taking any of my more excitable/energetic dogs out to the park always wears them down. The only downside is that you usually will have to bathe them once you get home, just as a precaution and because they usually will always find some dirt or mud.

If you don’t have a dog park available to you, have you tried doggy playtime/daycare? Places like PetSmart or Pooch Hotel have big rooms where dogs can play together with constant supervision. I’m sure you can always find some great folks here on Rover that have furbabies that can help wear yours down. ;-)

Oh, as someone else commented, puzzle toys are great for distracting and winding down as well!

In this case, I would just ask the owner to elaborate as to what they mean by “table scraps”. Though, a common thing a lot of my co-volunteers and I do is give green beans, yogurt (this can be great for food transitioning or oral medications), or small bits of unseasoned lunch meat with meals or for use as treats. As far as safety goes, my general rule of thumb with people food is this: If you are unsure whether or not it is safe, do not give it.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some dogs may have allergies or special conditions, so you will want to check with the pet owner and ask this if they make this type of request. For example, my cat is allergic to most seafood (salmon especially). Something like this can be easily forgotten by a rushed/stressed pet owner, so it can be crucial for sitters to ask.

I, personally, will withhold treats, people food, or table scraps if I feel a pet is unhealthily overweight/obese. Like with people, being overweight can cause several issues with health / the body, and I’ve seen first-hand how excess weight can affect dogs and cats. If I notice a weight problem and the owner makes a request for extra “special” foods, I will respectively inform them that I am not comfortable with the situation.

I hope this helps. A lot of other comments have some friendly tips too, but I would definitely do your own research so you’re in your comfort zone! Good luck!

That’s a really cute chart! I’ll have to save it for my collection when our fosters get adopted out. ;-)

Without knowing anything about Dolly’s parents, it may be hard to get a general idea of how large she may become (especially considering she may have multiple parents). In my experience, I’ve never come across a Border Collie / Jack Russell mix that is large. They are usually small-medium.

Some pet owners look at the size of a pet’s paws to get a rough estimate. If Dolly has small paws, she’ll likely stay closer to the normal Jack Russell size. This definitely is no guarantee, however.

One thing to keep in mind, sprouting off of Shannon L’s comment, is the average weight of these breeds. Jack Russells are usually only about 15lbs. Female Border Collies are usually 30-35lbs. Odds are, she shouldn’t get over 40lbs.

If you want better information, you may try contacting your vet. They should be able to help you out! Either way, she’ll be happy to have you and you her, no matter the size! :-)