Debbie came into our lives one beautiful day nine years ago. The decision of adding another member to our family was not born out of balanced talk, but quite the opposite, a fight !

My sis & I had one of our cat fights in the presence of our GSD (he passed away in 2002) who appointed himself as the adjudicator. He resolved our fight by standing up to his full height between the two of us & gently nudging my sis backwards. My sis stomped out of the room vowing that she’d get a pup & train him to be vicious so that one day, he would at her command settle her scores with me ! Two weeks from the day of our fight, doe-eyed Debbie (spitz & corgi mix) all of seven weeks entered our lives. I am told it was a case of Love at First Sight for our Dad who brought her home along with my sis. As time passed on, my sis got her first rude

shock-Debbie refused to unleash her vicious streak on me-my sis’s plan had back fired !! There was a surprise in store for me as well, till then I thought that I was a strong contender for “Debbie’s Favourite Person in the World” POST. But strong willed Debs had made her decision & placed the coveted crown on Dad’s head. Since then her middle name is Daddy’s Princess !!

Since day one she has reveled in all the attention showered upon her from all quarters. She even had our otherwise ferocious GSD under her magical spell-he was putty in her hands. But now at nine & going strong (touchwood), life has come full circle for Debs.

She is Godmother to our Four Indian Terriers & good friends with Dooby, a six yearold almond-eyed homeless spaniel who adopted us as her Family.

Debbie rules our lives with her indomitable tantrums-all her meals are handfed to her, nobody is allowed on her side of the bed at sleep times (she allows me to share her bed with her) & we are to keep our hands totally free when she nuzzles up to us, one at a time to do what she loves most-rolling on to her back & treating herself to a heavenly massage.

These past nine years have been most wonderful. Debbie continues to teach us in her own mysteriously charming ways. Most important thing we’ve learnt is that it is a piece of cake to have your family dance to your tunes. All you need to know is How, which is a Secret known only to a select few. May be one of these days Debbie will take me under her tutelage. Until then Debbie –You ROCK !! You are Daddy’s only PRINCESS & our JAAN … CHEERS !!

Written by Sherry Bhurjee