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.

Albert Payson Terhune (1872-1942) in my mind ranks as an American treasure. Out of his love for dogs, including his collies at Sunnybank Kennels in New Jersey, he wrote numerous epics of heroic dogs who served their masters with great devotion.

Prior to a family vacation a few years ago, I stopped by our Williamson County Public Library and checked out the audio version of Lad, a Dog. I recalled seeing the 1962 movie version at a drive-in theatre with my parents on a vacation of our own and thought it would make good listening while my passengers slept. I under-estimated the power of Terhune’s picturesque writing. Everyone was interested.

Only recently I recalled that the name I choose for the American Eskimo Dog of my boyhood was from another Terhune book, A Dog Named Chips. Nowadays, sitting on my bookshelf is the appropriately weathered copy that my wife, Lisa, thoughtfully searched out as a gift for me.

A Dog Named Chips, though more light-hearted than other Terhune novels, is just as engaging…enough to make a dog-loving boy name his best friend Chips.

Randy Smith

1. Go to any of the “Pages” listed on the left hand column of this webiste.

2. Once you’ve reached a “Page” look at down the left hand column, and under “Blogroll,” click on “Create a Profile for You and Your Franklin Dog.” This will take you to a page headed “Franklin Dog: Create Your Own Profile.”

3. On the right of the page, you’ll see a block that says, “Welcome to

Franklin Dog: Create Your Own Profile.” Click on “Sign Up.”

4. Fill in the requested information. Write down your password for future reference. On this “Create Your Profile”page, entered your Full Name and, if you have a picture of you, your dog, or you AND your dog, upload it.

Fill in the last two questions and click “Join.”

Voila! You’ll see a page with a message that says “Welcome to Franklin

Dog: Create you Own Profile, (Your Name)!”

5. Now, why don’t you go to the left of the page.

*Click on the individual pictures of Members to see other people who have joined.

*Or add some photos!

*Or go to the middle column under “Latest Activity” and see information

that other members have recently posted.

*Or go to the brown banner at the top of the page, click on “Add content,” and post some information about you and your Franklin Dog.

–

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

(Easier than you think….you might want to print out these directions, though)

1. Click on any of the “Pages” from the vertical menu on the left side of this page. Then, look at the vertical menu on the page you’ve selected….it will be slightly different than the menu you on the “Posts” page.  Under “Blogroll,” click on “Create a Profile for You and Your Franklin Dog.” This will take you to a page headed “Franklin Dog: Create Your Own Profile.”

2. On the right of the new page, you’ll see a block that says, “Welcome to Franklin Dog: Create Your Own Profile.” Click on “Sign Up.”

3. Fill in the requested information. Write down your password for future reference. On this “Create Your Profile”page, entered your Full Name and, if you have a picture of you, your dog, or you AND your dog, upload it. Fill in the last two questions and click “Join.”

Voila! You’ll see a page with a message that says “Welcome to Franklin Dog: Create you Own Profile, (Your Name)!”

4. Now, why don’t you go to the left of that page.
*Click on the individual pictures of Members to see other people who have joined.
*Or add some photos!
*Or go to the middle column under “Latest Activity” and see information that other members have recently posted.
*Or go to the brown banner at the top of the page, click on “Add content,” and post some information about you and your Franklin Dog.

http://www.myspace.com/3jacksmusic

Nobody should have to experience losing a dog. It’s a heartbreak that serves no good purpose…except maybe as a tear-jerking country song lyric.

In the summer of ’08, Dan Reising was making moving into the Nashville area, settling in Brentwood. Back in Cleveland, OH, his dad, Rich, had a song idea based on the concept of “Man’s Best Friend.” Rich remembers the father/son team emailing ideas back and forth, “just taking the ideas from stuff that happens in our own lives everyday with our own dogs.” The lyrics ended up suggesting the title, “Better with You There.”

Sometime later, while Rich was visiting dog-related websites, a picture of a dog named Duke popped up which totally captured the personality of the song. When Rich contacted the owners of the website, “Hearts United for Animals” (HUA), permission was granted to use the picture as long mention of the organization is made.

http://www.myspace.com/3jacksmusic

Rich says, “I have learned so much about shelters and various animal groups in this past year…it is totally amazing. What makes it all work for me are the notes I have received from people saying how ‘Better with you There’ touched them….or that it sounds like it’s about them and their dog!

“That’s way cool. I get a kick out of driving down the street and seeing a dog’s head out the car window just enjoying being there! I makes me know that we got it right!” he says.

Rich says the story comes full circle for he, his wife, Laura and son Dan when they’re all in Franklin on a Saturday and stop in at The Factory in Franklin when Happy Tales is holding Dog Adoption Day.

“I think the lyrics are pretty universal for all of us dog lovers…and if it brings a smile and a tear to our fellow dog lovers… that’s good enough for me,” says Rich.

We think it’s distinctly Franklin.

http://www.myspace.com/3jacksmusic

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