In 2006, Arizona author P.J. Blue was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent surgery.

"I didn't smoke and I had a pretty healthy lifestyle. I had to figure out why I got sick. In the process of studying how nutrition affects the body, I learned that one in three dogs get cancer," she said.

She believes that the longevity of her dog, a Bichon Frise who lived for 22 years, was due to her homemade cooking, free of additives and preservatives. A year ago, she wrote a cookbook to help dogs live healthy, long lives.

Blue used to be a caterer so cooking comes easy to her. But her cookbook was made for "non-cooks" with recipes using five ingredients or less. You can learn how to make turkey burgers, goulash, momma's meatballs and even a "Hawaiian dinner" that consists of chicken, sweet potato, cantaloupe, carrots and cottage cheese. She includes crockpot recipes for busy, on-the-go folks.

Each recipe includes vegetables and fruits, which Blue feels is most important for maintaining optimum health.

The book also includes interesting facts, fun trivia and dog jokes. It's a perfect gift for any dog lover, and part of the proceeds will be given to the National Canine Cancer Foundation.

The mapping of the genome sequence in dogs is complete, but not in humans. Researchers believe that finding what causes cancer in dogs will help advance human medicine.

You can purchase her cookbook at www.threewhitedogs.com or www.Amazon.com.

Blue says, "If your dog could cook, don't you think it would cook for you?"

Animal lover Leslie Kawamoto has been with the Advertiser for 18 years, or 126 in dog years. Check out her blog at www.HonoluluAdvertiser.com/Blogs.