Franklin , Tennessee – April 5, 2010 – The Battle of Franklin Trust Board of Directors Chairman Marianne Schroer announced today a ceremony and dedication is set for Saturday, April 17th to formally open the recaptured tract of land that served as the garden for the Carter family and witnessed some of the most horrific fighting of the November 30, 1864, Battle of Franklin. The public is invited to attend this free event which will be held from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Read more….http://battleoffranklin.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/gardens/#respond

It’s an event that every Franklin Dog needs to attend! The grand opening and dedication of a dog park at the historic Park at Harlinsdale Farm will be Monday, April 12 at 6 p.m.

The first 100 people (and their dogs) to visit the off-leash fenced park will receive a memento.

This amazing property is located on Franklin Road between downtown and Mack Hatcher. The 200-acre Harlinsdale Farm has been called the most significant historic farm associated with the modern Tennessee Walking Horse industry. Purchased by the City of Franklin, the park’s first phase was opened in September 2007.

The dog park, named The K-9 Korral, features half an acre of fenced area that was formerly the horses’ paddock. It is located on the south side of the barn, right off the parking lot area.

A notice from the Parks Department advises that dog licenses and rabies tags and vaccinations must be current, and dogs must be over 4 months old. when outside the fenced area, dogs must be leashed.

For more information, call the Parks Administration at 794-2103.

Core Value 3: OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS HERITAGE

We believe that as dogs can enhance the lives of families and individuals, they can also connect us on an individual and community level. We look for ways to use dogs to build bridge between members of our community. We recognize accomplishments of Franklin dogs, especially in the area of service to the community, and also work with owners interested in using their dogs to reach out to others. The Franklin Dog brand embraces our community’s history and its pride as a significant Civil War battleground.

Taken at Franklin's "Dickens of a Christmas"

Sitting on your coffee table may be a makeshift scrapbookof less-than-professional snapshots of your Franklin dog. But visit www.framedbyfletcher.com and see why there are a couple of Franklin dogs with portfolios to brag about. After all, they’re owned by quite a creative couple, professional photographers Jonathan and Blakley Fletcher.

Weddings, portraits, special events — the website showcases work in a multitude of categories, including pets. You’ll also find emotion-packed pictures of historic Franklin. The couple fell in love with the city on an earlier visit and moved here last year from Houston, TX putting them closer to family in north Mississippi.

Jonathan and Blakley didn’t come alone. About eight years ago, the Fletcher home welcomed two chihuahua pups (sisters, actually), Sandy (the boss) and Cheesecake (afraid of her shadow, afraid of walking on hardwood floors and afraid of drinking out of a bowl that is anything but plastic).

“We can’t imagine life without them,” Jonathan says.

So which is easier to photograph: people or pets?

Here’s a tip for even amateur photographers: “We find it’s best to find out what makes the pet happiest and photograph them doing just that. Some of my favorite photos of one of our dogs is her in a completely airborne, leaping position as she chases her little miniature soccer ball across the yard. Chasing the ball is what makes her the happiest, and you can’t help but see that and smile when you look at the photo,” he says.

“Sure sometimes a dog will lick the camera lens, whereas a human client might not,” he says. “But it’s all a part of the fun.”

Sandy in flight

Core Value 3: COMMUNITY AND ITS HERITAGE

We believe that as dogs can enhance the lives of families and individuals, they can also connect us on an individual and community level. We look for ways to use dogs to build bridges between members of our community. We recognize accomplishments of Franklin dogs, especially in the area of serve to the community, and also work with owners interested in using their dogs to reach out to others. The Franklin Dog brand embraces our community’s history and its pride as a significant Civil War battleground.

Piper is a little Franklin dog with a great big job! And as her owner, I’m glad to be teaming up with her! She was seemingly custom made to curl up in the lap of a child and lovingly listen as they read to her and play with her long silky ears.

A 5-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Piper is a Registered Delta Therapy Dog (Go to a Page, See Blogroll: Therapy ARC) and a Reading Education Assistance Dog (Go to a Page, See Blogroll: READ).

The mission of the READ program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered therapy teams as literacy mentors. Piper and I make up one of many READ teams in the Middle Tennessee area.

If you would like an opportunity to meet and READ to Piper or some of her buddies, join them at the Williamson County Library on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Several teams are available for individual 15-minute appointments with a child. Advanced reservation is required, so please call 595-1244 for your appointment.

We are proud of the good work Piper and her READing Dog friends are doing in our community!

Heather Pass

Becoming a READ team

Here’s the process Piper and I went through to become a team. It took about six months.

1. To become a READing dog, you must first become a Delta Registered Pet Partner Therapy Team. The process is detailed here: http://www.therapyarc.org/Pet_Partner_Process.htm. Because of scheduling conflict with the classes, we choose to order the workbook from the Delta website and self train for the evaluation. We spent about six weeks doing this.

2. We scheduled our evaluation through the local Delta chapter: Therapy ARC http://www.therapyarc.org/. Contact Ken Bell at kensk9comcast.net. Evaluations are scheduled about four times a year. They fill up quickly.

3. After passing the evaluation, we sent in our completed registration packet and became an official therapy team.

Then, we decided to focus our Therapy by becoming a READ team.

1. First, we had to fill out the initial application online: http://readingpaws.org/Application%20for%20Training%20FormFL.htm.

2. Then we attended the one-day class to become READ certified. This class is offered a few times a year (contact Helen Wahl at Helen@READingPaws.org).

3. We began by working with the Williamson County Library once a month, and then requested a placement in a local elementary school. We are now serving at Crockett Elementary once a week.

If you have a question concerning any type of therapy work with your Franklin Dog, email it to therapy@franklindog.com.

Core Value 3: OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS HERITAGE

We believe that as dogs can enhance the lives of families and individuals, they can also connect us on an individual and community level. We look for ways to use dogs to build bridges between members of our community. We recognize accomplishments of Franklin dogs, especially in the area of service to the community, and also work with owners interested in using their dogs to reach out to others. The Franklin Dog brand embraces our community’s history and its pride as a significant Civil War battleground.

Stop in at Keke’s Kitchen Dog Bakery and Boutique and meet another family that’s discovered that Franklin is a great place for dogs and dog lovers.

Located one block south of Moores Lane on Franklin Rd. (next to Gateway Village), Keke’s, owned by Keke, Leo and Stephanie Sotiros, is an extension of a business that opened in Wisconsin in 2005.

When they were ready to expand, Franklin was their choice. “This city fit all of our criteria,” says Stephanie.

“This is a very dog-loving community,” she says. “People open their hearts and their homes to dogs. The rescue effort is amazing and I admire how the community helps support the rescues, shelters and breed rescues.”

Among their best sellers are their cookies, freshly baked in Keke’s kitchen. Over 75 varieties are naturally preserved, made with nutritious ingredients with no sugar, salt, wheat, or or corn.

And even non-dog owners can find something for themselves: Greek Baklava and Stephanie’s Fudge Brownies are always available. Plus, there’s the boutique side of the business featuring Keke’s original artwork.

Collars, leashes, beds, toys, grooming products, naturally-preserved dog food and chew treats, protein treats and more are also in the inventory.

The Sotiros family has added to the Franklin dog population with Saxby (Scottish Terrier), Poppy (French Bulldog) and Vinne, a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen (PBGV) who is a trained Search and Rescue Canine for Williamson County.

For many years, Stephanie bred, raised and showed Bernese Mountain Dogs and Clumber Spaniels. In the past, a Maltese, Wirehaired Dachshund and a West Highland White Terrier have been a part of their lives.

Check out www.kekeskitchen.com. Keke’s does mail-order, and you can have gifts sent to others.

You’ll want to read about Jake, Williamson’s Co. Sheriff’s Dept. 11-year-old German Shepherd Dog. Jake crossed the Rainbow Bridge Dec. 14.

It’s a wonderful article. Jake’s many heroics included tracking a disoriented diabetic who had wandered into the woods.

Jake began a legacy that continues through all our local law enforcement K9 units.

Remember Beethoven’s Grille, the restaurant in Cool Springs that made all of us Franklin dog lovers think of a Saint Bernard? Well, the Chuy’s team is opening one of their popular Tex-Mex restaurants in that location.

http://www.chuys.com/#/nashville

What’s it got to do with Franklin Dogs? It seems that they’re building a wall of pictures of our famous Franklin Dogs.

They’re accepting framed dog photos from now until the end of October. The Chuy’s team will be available Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Facebook members can check it out at

http://www.facebook.com/ChuysNashville#/photo.php?pid=3123356&id=81925186839