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The pups usually take a nap after their morning walk/breakfast and in the noon time after their afternoon walk/run.  They are very picky about where to nap, and have their favorite places.  Jude likes dark, cool places like her brother Frances’ bed in the back bedroom.  Penny and Frances prefer to sleep by the window on the window seat, soaking up the sunshine.  We try to make it as comfy as possible there for the pups.  Sally usually likes to sleep on the soft comfy couches.  She always looks like she’s having a great dream.  

Introducing...Sally

Sally was the last of our adopted pups, and she turned 1 on December last year.  She was abandoned with her two other siblings, Mac and Flo, and was featured at Tokyo ARK.  We instantly fell in love with her because of her uncanny resemblance to our own Penny Layne!  The face, the ears, and the spot?!  Sally and Penny both have a perfect round circle on the opposite sides of their body.  Because of their similarities she was given the middle name PJ (Penny Junior).

Sally is always wagging her tail and giving us love.  She is playful and very sweet. Everyone loves Sally including the hard-headed Frances and the boss Jude.  They can’t help but play with her and tease her a bit.  Sally is an active girl and will run, walk and play until she's worn out.  She is also very smart, and waits for her food like a good girl.  We are all proud of our Sally!

Introducing...Frances!

Frances was once a tiny baby, who we thought would be smaller than Penny (26 lbs), but bigger than Jude (24 lbs). Instead, he decided to grow long legs and become a 46 lb dog! Frances was found by ARK abandoned at a school in a cardboard box. He was with his only other known sibling, Fizz. Frances was flown over to Tokyo ARK, from Osaka, where we picked him up and brought him home. Everyone in our house fell in love with Frances immediately... except Jude. It took awhile for her to warm up to him.

Frances is a very active dog, and loves to go outside when he can. He running partner is Penny, and both boys can run up to 9 miles with us. He loves to walk as well, and on special days visit the dog park where he plays soccer with...tennis balls?? Yes, he plays soccer with tennis balls. We will kick the ball, and Frances will chase it down, or block your kick as a goalie. He also loves food, and will eat anything. He loves chicken, carrots, apples, cheese, yogurt, and everything a dog is allowed to eat.

Introducing...Dollie

Dollie is a big dog stuck in a small dachshund body. She is looks like a teddy bear, but is actually a wire-haired dachshund. Dollie came from a very rough backround, being kept in a puppy mill and made to give birth to numerous litters of puppies. All of her babies were taken away from her right after she gave birth. She was rescued with 32 other small breed dogs by ARK. Without them, we may not have had our Dollie.

Dollie is a funny girl. She is very fashionable, with an array of clothes that could put people to shame! Her favorite clothes features Buddy Lee, and when she has to put on clothes, she will raise her arms. Her favorite pastimes include walks, eating good snacks, cuddling and being loved.

Introducing...Jude

Similar to Penny-Layne, Jude was abandoned in front of ARK with her two siblings, and four other pups in the same box. She was the runt in the box, but the runt with the Napoleon complex. Jude is a sweet girl, but is very shy and timid. She is very loyal to her family, and listens as long as you give her good praise. We were lucky to have met with her blood sibling Sedona, who was a good 20 lbs heavier than our runt. Sedona looked like a great rhodesian ridgeback, and we are assuming Jude is a ridgeback mix, but how did she end up so tiny?

Jude loves to walk, but since she loves being the leader, she takes solo walks. Though she will join one of her siblings for her regular run. Her hobbies include napping, running, taking her walks, paying with her siblings, and most of all, being petted. She is a strong girl who also wants tons of love... and deserves it!

Introducing...Penny-Layne

There are no words that could describe Penny-Layne accurately. He is quiet but loud! He is active but loves to be lazy...

Penny was abandoned at ARK with 4 other siblings. Because they never saw his mama or papa, we can’t tell what dog breeds Penny may be. Whatever he may be, he is quite the mix. Penny was the first dog adopted by our family. He is the most sensitive and sweet boy, and his demeanor hasn’t changed from puppyhood to now. Once a good boy, always a good boy.

Penny loves to go outside. He loves running (he can run 9 miles!), his daily walks, playing with his siblings, and anything he can do outdoors. He is a true big brother, cleaning his sisters’ teeth when they let him, and setting a good example on car rides by staying calm. He lets you know when he is happy or saying hello by saying “arooo!” If you hear the “arooo” Penny is near!

Backyard Play

When the pups are not out on their daily walks, they love to play in the backyard. It’s small, but they find a way to make the most of it. Penny and Sally could be found wrestling each other, Jude fetches her squeaky red ball, and Frances will be playing soccer with his favorite tennis ball. If they get too dirty, they have to face their least favorite thing.... BATH!

Welcome to the Ark Five Blog!

All five dogs were adopted from a Japanese shelter, ARK (Animal Refuge Kansai). Four of them, Penny-Layne, Jude, Frances, and Sally have made the journey over to the US to live in California. The oldest and last adopted, Dollie, lives in Japan where she is the queen of her household. Penny Layne is the second oldest sibling. He is very responsible, playful, and acts as the mother hen. He doesn’t get the respect he deserves, as he is a big softy! Jude is the middle child, with traditional middle child qualities. She is dominant, and wants to be the leader of the pack. She demands and gets respect. Frances is the baby boy, but the biggest dog weighing a good 45 lbs. He is the tallest, with long, spindly legs. He loves soccer (with tennis balls) and food. Sally is the youngest and the sweetest baby girl. She is also known as “PJ” Penny Junior, since she can pass as Penny’s twin. All of these pups get mistaken as relative (except Dollie ;) but they were all born out of separate litters. Please continue to stop by as we update the blog with their stories as individuals and as a pack!