If there’s one thing you can count on with a Jack Russell Terrier, it’s determination. These little dogs were bred to hunt, and once they’ve spotted something they consider “their mission,” good luck convincing them to let it go. You know the phrase like a dog with a bone? The person who coined it was probably talking about a Jack Russell. One particularly focused Jack Russell Terrier has captured hearts after he was spotted camping out by a drainpipe, still waiting for the mouse he saw there three days ago. I’m not sure what he wanted to do with the mouse if it showed up again!

Dog parents everywhere are cracking up because this isn’t stubbornness; it’s typical canine commitment. You can almost hear him saying, “I know you’re in there, buddy.” It’s a perfect example of how deeply dogs remember (and obsess over) the things that matter most to them, whether it’s a squeaky toy, a squirrel, or in this case, one sneaky little mouse.

The clip was shared on the TikTok account @plushbyabbey, and people can’t stop cracking up at this persistent pup. “My dog still checks where he once found a cheese sandwich on our walk 1.5 years ago,” one dog mama commented. “My dog ONCE found a chicken drumstick under a bench in our park when she was about 10 months old. She’s now 6, and always has to have a quick check… daily,” someone else added. Another comment read, “Jack Russell parent, yeah, they’re crazy AF also when you drop stuff and it lands under the sofa, they don’t quit going after that either. Dropped an M&M, thought they were gonna try to dig to China, OMG!”

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It’s easy to laugh, but this level of dedication is exactly what makes Jack Russells so lovable and so relentless. Once their instincts kick in, they don’t quit. And honestly? Same energy as my Pomeranian, Kingston, who watched me once drop a single gummy bear between the couch cushions by accident. Weeks later, he’s still digging and sniffing around like he’s gonna find it and eat it. Spoiler alert! I already did that and ate it.

Dogs might not have the same kind of memory humans do, but when something captures their attention, it seems to stick.

Do Dogs Have Good Memories?

While dogs don’t remember every detail of their day like humans, studies show they have excellent associative and emotional memories. That means they remember feelings and patterns—like where they last saw a mouse, where the treat jar lives, or who gives the best belly scritches.

PetMD explains, “Dogs’ ability to remember past events has been a topic of interest to scientists for many years. Studies have been done looking at short-term memory, episodic memory, memory related to chewing, and comparative memory of wolves versus dogs, among others. The results of these studies indicate that, to a certain degree, dogs have a good memory and usually perform best when imitating human action.”

Is your pup relentless about something they remember, even if it happened years ago? Let us know in the comments!

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This story was originally reported by Parade Pets on Oct 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.