Elizabeth G. welcomes Shirley Jump and "friend."

The Three-Pound Queen

On "20/20" this week, they did a whole episode about a year in the life of the royal family, with a focus on the Queen and the princes. Britain may have their royals, but I have a little queen of my own.

And she only weighs three pounds.

Don’t let her size fool you. Sophie has only been in residence at the Jump household for a few days, but she’s already ruling the roost. She’s got all of us under her furry thumb (or what passes for a thumb) and has every other mammal deferring to her.

This is her posing in what I jokingly call her Playboy pictorial, with her propped up all sexy on a blanket and pillows. And yes, I have gone a little Paris Hilton with her and bought her some outfits and more hair bows than my daughter has ;-).

This queen is a Havanese, a type of Bichon, native to Cuba. It’s the only breed native to that country, and was first owned outside that country by Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens. She’ll only get a few pounds heavier (about 7 to 9 pounds total) and a few inches taller. She’s very bright (she already knows how to give kisses, how to sit and come when called). Her potty training is going quite well, and her chewing is kept pretty much under control with a few Nylabones and a stuffed Kong.

She’s yet to realize her queenly status. Everyone who sees her oohs and ahhs and just plain out adores her, but Sophie has yet to let it go to her head. Once she does, I just know I’m going to have a spoiled princess on my hands. Of course, I’m the one doing a lot of that spoiling, so I’ll have only myself to blame ;-).

Perhaps I’ll give "20/20" a call and see if they want to do a Day in the Life episode. Sophie’s got quite the job, keeping our other two dogs and cat in line, then napping every couple of hours. It’s an exhausting life…but she’s putting all three pounds into the effort. :-)

Sophie tells me that she wants to give the readers of RWQ a little treat, too, to celebrate her arrival in our house. She says she’ll put her pawprint on one lucky commenter to receive a copy of REALLY SOMETHING, my latest romantic comedy (still available in stores!).

And if you have a chance, be sure to check out the Wedding Planners blog (which will give you a preview of the rest of the books in the Wedding Planners series) and "Hold the Date," my Online Read at eHarlequin, which introduces both the series (debuting with SWEETHEART LOST AND FOUND in April) and the characters from The Wedding Belles!

Woof!

Shirley and "friend"