Blogs by Ella Fisher

Jack Russells are the best

I’m naturally more of a cat person. I used to have three male cats, but they’re no longer with us. I’m sure they’re in a better place now, and that thought gives me comfort. Still, I also love dogs, and especially my Jack Russell, Beau-Simon.

Most of the time we just call him Beau, but because I love names with a certain flair, Beau-Simon felt right. We got Beau through the cleaning lady at my work. At first, a colleague wanted to see if Beau (who was still called Simon back then) would be a good match for his own Jack Russell. But because his dog was already a bit older and calmer, it wasn’t the perfect fit.

So Beau came to us “just to dogsit.” That’s also how I explained it to the kids. But of course, he stayed. How could he not? 😉 Now he’s completely woven into our family and totally irreplaceable.

I chose his name because I wanted something that reminded me of my father. Bo is a song by Rob de Nijs, and my dad used to be compared to Rob de Nijs because of his looks. Beau is also the name of a well-known TV host in the Netherlands, so to me it felt like the perfect name. Simon, on the other hand, really didn’t suit him at all.

As the title already gives away, Beau is a Jack Russell and wow… they are active. I definitely underestimated that part, haha. But once you adjust, it’s absolutely fine, and it doesn’t make him any less lovable.

Honestly, it was love at first sight between Beau and me. And I mean really love. He clearly put me at number one, which leads to some funny situations at home. When my boyfriend walks into the living room in the morning, Beau doesn’t even bother getting up. But when I come downstairs, he almost jumps on me out of excitement. When we all come home together, he walks right past everyone and heads straight for me. It makes me laugh every single time.

At the moment I’m writing this, Beau is one year old, but he’ll be turning two soon. What makes him a bit special is that he’s not a standard Jack Russell. He has a few lightly haired patches on his back and near his tail. It almost looks like he’s a 3D dog, which gives him a really funny appearance. When we walk him, people often stop to say, “What a cute dog,” and I still find that kind of special to hear.

Before Beau, I had two Shar Peis, but they both passed away a long time ago. If I ever decide to get another dog someday, I honestly don’t know if I’d choose another Jack Russell, a completely different breed, or maybe just a mixed-breed rescue. Those seem to last the longest, in my experience.

To me, having a dog isn’t about ownership. I don’t see dogs as possessions, just like I don’t see people that way. A dog represents calm, love, and relaxation. Dogs are the most genuine creatures there are. They’ll always let you know if they don’t like another dog or a person. There’s no pretending.

If I had to describe Beau’s character, I’d call him a mischievous little clown. He really is. Watching him jump through the snow once was hilarious. He looked just like a little bunny. Of course, he sometimes does things he’s not allowed to do, like sneaking a chew onto the couch. But he also tests boundaries, and honestly, that’s pretty smart.

When strangers come over, he stays very relaxed, which I really appreciate. I’ve never seen him act aggressively toward anyone. He completed puppy training successfully and is super social. What I do find difficult sometimes is when other dogs react aggressively toward him. He doesn’t deserve that at all.

He does have a best friend, though: a Golden Retriever we run into regularly. Those two absolutely adore each other, and it’s great to watch. Beau is also very alert. He often hears things before we do. Someone walking toward our door, a cat in the garden, even a hedgehog. I actually like that, although sometimes it can be a bit annoying. Luckily, he’s not a big barker. I honestly couldn’t handle that.

His weirdest habit is crawling under a blanket on the couch. He does this all year round, even in spring and summer. Temperature doesn’t matter to him at all. Maybe it has something to do with the thinner hair on his back. I once had a hairless cat, and I always joke that Beau is my hairless cat too. Maybe a reincarnation. That cat was called Django, named after Django Unchained.

What really makes Beau happy is going to the beach. He loves running after a ball and sometimes jumping into the water, as long as it’s not too cold. Forest walks are also pure joy for him, just like walks on the heath.

He’s afraid of fireworks, but not extremely. Luckily, fireworks are no longer allowed in the Netherlands, so that problem is basically solved.

When he was younger, I took him out more often but only for short walks. Now that he’s bigger, he can hold it longer. He goes out between 7:00 and 7:30 in the morning (whoever gets up first, that’s always the question), again around 12:30 or 1:00, then around 5:00 in the afternoon, and one last walk in the evening. On weekends, he seriously sleeps in. If you ask me, that makes him the ideal dog. He can easily sleep until 9:00 or even 10:00. Perfect, right?

One thing I always have to keep in mind is that he’s very much a male dog, which means stopping constantly to sniff everything. He slept in a crate for a long time, but recently we decided to let him sleep wherever he wants at night. Most of the time, that means the couch with a blanket. I’m fine with that. Maybe it’s not ideal from a training perspective, but hey, he’s my dog 😉 I make my own rules.

His favorite toy changes all the time. He’s a real destroyer and loves chewing, so I definitely need to go shopping soon for something truly Jack Russell-proof. If you have any tips, let me know. A tennis ball is always a hit, but even those don’t survive for long.

His favorite snacks are lamb or pig ears, but he also loves tripe. I like it a lot less because it smells awful. He also enjoys fresh salmon skin, eggs, banana, 100% pure peanut butter, strawberries, and very occasionally a piece of shrimp crackers. I know, not great. He looks perfectly in shape, if I may say so myself.

He’s not allowed on our bed. I think that’s gross. I did allow it with my Shar Peis in the past, which in hindsight was absolutely ridiculous, especially considering how big they were compared to a Jack Russell.

When we got Beau, he was already house-trained. He was a few months old, so we never experienced the very early puppy phase. He’s not huge on tricks, but he loves fetching his tennis ball and can do that for hours. Seriously, trust me. He knows commands like sit, come, no, good boy, and stay. “Drop it” isn’t really his thing, but I’ve been told that has something to do with the Jack Russell build.

He listens well overall. After every walk, he always gets a treat or a chew from us, which is good for his teeth. He loves kids, which is great because we have two. One of my most beautiful memories of him is from when I went to Madrid for work. When I came home after four days, he started crying when he saw me. That moment really touched me, and I’ll never forget it.

I have an incredibly strong bond with him. I also find it very sweet how he lies next to you when you’re sick. He does that with us and with the kids. A friend for life, truly.

I sometimes call him Simonis or Poes, don’t ask me why. I always give my animals ridiculous nicknames. One upside is that because I call him “cat,” he doesn’t really react outside when I say there’s a cat around.

If you’re thinking about getting a Jack Russell, I’d really recommend doing your research first. Be aware that this breed has a lot of energy, and you truly need to make time to help them burn it off. A short walk around the block just won’t cut it. They need movement, play, and mental stimulation to really feel balanced.

I would also always choose good, natural food. I can genuinely see the difference in Beau’s skin when he’s eating high-quality meals. His coat and skin improve so much when his nutrition is right, and that alone already tells me I’m doing something right.

My life has become so much brighter since he joined our family. Together, he and I turn every ordinary day into a little celebration.