COURTESY OF RENÉE ALSARRAF

judgmental . We all judge ourselves , and the tapes in our heads are sometimes saying things that aren ’ t very kind . Dogs never judge themselves like that , and we shouldn ’ t either . They ’ re happy every morning the sun comes up . They cherish every moment in the present , don ’ tfret about the past and certainly don ’ t fret about the future . So many patients come in wagging their tail . When I was being treated , my tail would be between my legs , and I had these thoughts cluttering my head : “ Will Iget sick ? Will my hair fall out ?” We can lose the beauty of the moment .

Another important lesson is that we ’ re all better together . Dogs are pack animals ; when they descended from wolves , they survived that way . Dogs have evolved to be within our pack . We , as mankind , are better when we ’ re all together . My life is better for living with adog ; they love me even when Idon ’ t shower that day . We as mankind are better when we ’ re all together and working in conjunction .

I do also believe that dogs are put into our lives at certain times to teach us certain lessons . As sad as it is that their lifespan isn ’ t longer , we at least have that benefit of being able to have afew or many dogs inour lifetime fulfilling different needs .

WHAT CAN READERS EXPECT FROM YOUR BOOK ? Even though the underlying premise of the C-word

is there , it ’ s an uplifting book . So many people come in and say “ Oh , my wife says I ’ mcrazy to treat my dog ’ s cancer !” But this is a living , breathing creature who loves us unconditionally . Every chapter in the book is about a different patient and either what the family learned from that dog or what I learned . We think we ’ re responsible for them , but dogs think they ’ re responsible for us . For example , Chapter 2 in the book is about a beagle who enters with his crabby owner . He always took his cue from his pet parent . When his pet parent wasn ’ t having a good day , the dog lay by his side . On a good day , the dog wanted to be out walking with him .

Sometimes a person would come in who didn ’ t even want their cat ; their deceased spouse insisted on it . But now all the widower has left is the cat and he wants to do everything he can for it . Other times , a client has cancer and doesn ’ t want to give up on the dog with cancer because it feels like giving up on themselves as well . I ’ m hoping readers are validated , and know more about the humananimal bond .

YOUR OWNDOG , NEWTON , WASDIAGNOSED WITH CAN- CER AFTER YOU WERE . WAS HE ILL FOR LONG ? I ’ ve had boxers for the last 40years , and they doget alot of cancer . While Iwas going through my own battle , Newton was diagnosed with lymphoma . He was 6 ½ years old . Initially , he did very well , but he did not doaswell asthe average dog . He was never an average dog to begin with . That was hard , because Iwas doing well . Newton became my nursemaid and lay on the sofa with me when Iwasn ’ tfeeling well , but always showed upfor my family , too . We treated him aggressively , and he didn ’ t get sick from it . He lived seven months . Iwas 100 % good with the choices Imade for him . ■

Alsarraf will be appearing at Watchung Booksellers inMontclair in partnership with the Montclair Township Animal Shelter at 7p . m . on October 19 . She will also be interviewed by Michael Strahan on Good Morning America at 8a . m . on October 20 .