Has anyone had the runt of the litter?

[fivedogstofeed]

And did they stay really small or catch up? Did they have any other problems?

Two foster pups here atm, nine weeks old. The littlest one was by far the smallest of a litter of seven. He was under 3kg when he came last week, though a perky confident little boy. He was well checked over by the vet and his heart is fine. He's eating well and doing everything he should. He looks about two weeks younger than his sister ( who was middle sized for the litter, definitely not one of the bigger ones)

I'm just curious if the difference will still be obvious in a year's time.

We got two sisters from the same litter. One was definitely the runt. She has stayed about 1kg less than her sister (Yorkie cross, so not massive breed anyway) and the difference in size is noticeable. Despite her smaller stature she is a perky little thing but will always let her big sis eat first.

My Nan had a lab runt. Told he wouldn't last the week. He lived 12 years and was normal size.

Hah. No right or wrong answer then!

Mine was the runt. I got him at ten months. He is small, but confident, perky and very loving.

My male GSD was also the runt, at 12 weeks he was only 5kg (average at that age is 14 kg). He has to be handfed wet food (with peas hidden in) but is now exactly the weight he should be and could not be happier or doing better!

'runt' on the left.
Her dm on the right.

I had the runt of a German Pointer litter, as well as her sister from the same litter.
She out grew and out lived her sister, living to the grand old age of 15.
Only vets visits required were due to injury rather than illness.

A few sets of foster pups ago, I had brother and sister who at 6 monthsish were very different sizes. They still are, and it's apparent that she shows the part of their heritage that is whippet almost entirely, and he very much saluki.

What are your pups? I only have one foster atm who is a gorgeous blue whippety girl who is currently doing zoomies round the furniture

They are golden retriever x collie, so it's always possible the dad was a smaller type collie. He takes much longer to eat than his sister so I'm guessing that until now (as I strictly supervise feeding) that he's been getting a lot less than the others :(
Suppose you need a photo really.....

Aww, he's so sweet! This is a gratuitous photo of my current foster

OMG, that little face. No, you definitely don’t want the runt. Give him to meeeeee

Oh sweet faced whippety girl CMOT

I just woke her up to take that, hence why she looks a bit sleepy!

No experience of runts but omg that’s a cute puppy!

My runty 13 year old is average size for her breed. She is still damn cute though.

Our old lab was the runt of the litter.

She grew into a huge (tall) girl with absolutely massive paws.

My jack Russell was the runt of the litter and always stayed slightly smaller than other dogs of her breed.
Solid stock though. Sadly she had to be pts this afternoon but she was the grand old age of 16.

So sorry Rowgtfc72

I’ve got a cocker runt. She’s tiny, only 8kg and stopped growing at 6/7 months. She’s had so much wrong with her liver issues, reactions to meds, is very fussy with food, has an issue in her thoart, plus has massive mood swings and doesn’t quite get life at times (part of her liver problem)

But she’s my little shadow, she’s the most beautiful girl, so loving and full of beans.

Vets given her until she’s about 5, she’s 2 now and is on a load of meds and special diet, so she costs a bomb, but even the vets say she’s the most spoiled rotten dog on their books

I have a golden retriever x collie who was the runt. 4 years on he is of a good size with no health problems.
I love him💜

Gorgeous doggies tweed and tartan :)
Little boy has put on 1.3 kg in 10 days so I think he's doing OK.