Lavs Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Just wondering what happens to the "runt" of the litter when they grow. I've heard some have health issues, I've heard some end up being the biggest of all their siblings. Thought I'd ask for some accounts of life with a "runt". --I use the term only because my girl was the smallest, she is in good health and growing, very strong and I've been told by some of the other buyers she is the most energetic out of her litter. She only really classifies as a "runt" because she was the smallest from birth until 8 weeks when she came home, and still is at this point the smallest one (all her siblings are 20+lbs she's hanging around 16...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Povodny Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Apparently Loki was the runt of his litter, he was 14oz at birth and wasn't breathing when he came out. In comparison his sister was 1lb4oz. He's a bonny lad now, he goes by the affectionate term Loki Bear because he is quite literally a big soft bear of a husky, he's breed standard height 23 inches to the shoulder and weighs just over 30 kg. Apart from having eaten a bee and his snout looking like a knobbly chocolate covered ice cream he's never need the vet, he's always had perfect health. (he's three) His sister, whom we have as well. Was diagnosed with liver disease when she was two years an nine months old. I think it's just pot luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #2 Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I think our Jessy might have been a runt...she's 38 lbs at 2yrs and is half the size and girth of the boys. Not all from the same litter, but she's full of piss and vinegar!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavs Posted February 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Apparently Loki was the runt of his litter, he was 14oz at birth and wasn't breathing when he came out. In comparison his sister was 1lb4oz. He's a bonny lad now, he goes by the affectionate term Loki Bear because he is quite literally a big soft bear of a husky, he's breed standard height 23 inches to the shoulder and weighs just over 30 kg. Apart from having eaten a bee and his snout looking like a knobbly chocolate covered ice cream he's never need the vet, he's always had perfect health. (he's three) His sister, whom we have as well. Was diagnosed with liver disease when she was two years an nine months old. I think it's just pot luck. ok ok because like i said her weight went up 5lbs in a week then all of a sudden she's stuck at 16lbs, however she's gotten very tall and long in this past week so she might be starting a little growth spurt? As i've said before, she's my first puppy EVER so i'm unsure as to how they grow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Povodny Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 ok ok because like i said her weight went up 5lbs in a week then all of a sudden she's stuck at 16lbs, however she's gotten very tall and long in this past week so she might be starting a little growth spurt? As i've said before, she's my first puppy EVER so i'm unsure as to how they grow? I'd agree with you on the growth spurt, if she sprouting legs and looking lanky her weight will catch up later, I wouldn't worry to much if she's happy an healthy they do go through a gangly phase. You didn't mention how old she is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenwolf Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Wyatt was the runt of his litter - he came from hardcore sledding stock and he was deemed too small to keep, so he was foisted off to be a house dog (and ended up as a showcase for neglect). He is a damned healthy dog. At 10 years old, he's starting to develop cataracts and his hearing isn't so good, but other than that, he can still run 3-year-old Scout into the ground! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leyka&Diva Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 diva was the smallest of her litter and from what ive heard about her siblings shes the biggest of the girl and bigger than most of the boys except one shes fit and healthy aswell x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavs Posted February 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 I'd agree with you on the growth spurt, if she sprouting legs and looking lanky her weight will catch up later, I wouldn't worry to much if she's happy an healthy they do go through a gangly phase. You didn't mention how old she is? She was three months on thursday. and yeah I would say she's pretty lanky, unless she is sitting down, when she sits she appears more filled out. --also she is about 1.5 feet long, soooo that'd be 18 inches from nose to bum not tail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex T Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Isis was the runt of her litter, she stayed for sooooo long! But she is now a normal size/ weight when compared to other husky's her age! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyshqa Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Kiska was the biggest of her 4 siblings at birth. At around 6 weeks her brother nicknamed 'Big Boy' took over and is porbably huuuuge now! Kiska is 23'' at the shoulder and 24kg+ so she's turned into a decent sized dog so he will be a lot bigger. Her sister was the runt and was smallest right up until they left at 8 weeks but when I took Kiska to meet her sister when they were about 8 months old her sister was considerably larger than Kiska was! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 ok ok because like i said her weight went up 5lbs in a week then all of a sudden she's stuck at 16lbs, however she's gotten very tall and long in this past week so she might be starting a little growth spurt? As i've said before, she's my first puppy EVER so i'm unsure as to how they grow? Each puppy grows at an individual rate, which seems to be partly genetics and partly environmental factors, especially diet - both amount and ingredients. I wouldn't be surprised if time of year/amount of daylight might also play a part, but that's more a hunch than anything else. I really don't like the term "runt" very well, because it implies that something is "wrong" with whatever puppy is smallest in a litter - and in my experience, there usually isn't anything physically wrong with them that causes them to be smaller. During conception, eggs are released from the ovaries over a period of hours, as I recall, and can take several days to mature to the point where conception can occur. This could mean several days difference in development before birth, for the puppies, resulting in a puppy being rather smaller and weaker than it's siblings at birth. Frequently, these puppies, being smaller and weaker, have a harder time competing for a spot to eat in a larger litter, and for the best "spigots", overall - the lower glands tend to produce more milk than the upper glands. Nutrition as they're being weaned and start eating solid food can make a difference, as well. Additionally, some puppies are simply (like in humans) smaller in stature and build than others, and would grow up to be shorter and/or smaller boned than their littermates simply because of the genes they've inherited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavs Posted February 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Each puppy grows at an individual rate, which seems to be partly genetics and partly environmental factors, especially diet - both amount and ingredients. I wouldn't be surprised if time of year/amount of daylight might also play a part, but that's more a hunch than anything else. I really don't like the term "runt" very well, because it implies that something is "wrong" with whatever puppy is smallest in a litter - and in my experience, there usually isn't anything physically wrong with them that causes them to be smaller. During conception, eggs are released from the ovaries over a period of hours, as I recall, and can take several days to mature to the point where conception can occur. This could mean several days difference in development before birth, for the puppies, resulting in a puppy being rather smaller and weaker than it's siblings at birth. Frequently, these puppies, being smaller and weaker, have a harder time competing for a spot to eat in a larger litter, and for the best "spigots", overall - the lower glands tend to produce more milk than the upper glands. Nutrition as they're being weaned and start eating solid food can make a difference, as well. Additionally, some puppies are simply (like in humans) smaller in stature and build than others, and would grow up to be shorter and/or smaller boned than their littermates simply because of the genes they've inherited. thanks for the input i didnt really think of pups from the same litter having different genetic makeup i guess i just assumed they'd be very similar give or take a few things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin the wizard Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 merlin was 13.5 pounds at 9 weeks and i thought he was super small but i just had him weighed and at 5 months and 1 week he is 45 pounds. i wouldnt worry too much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marakai Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 I think Zarly was the runt, She sits at 18kg and is 2 years old. She isn't skinny, she is small and has no health problems. When we got her at 14 weeks she only weighed 12kg for memory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austinville Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 Ryn was the smallest of her litter, but now at 19 months, she is only a pound or two smaller than her 'big' brother, Zeke. (She's pushing 60 pounds, but you don't notice how big she is until she sits down on her behind. She's a looong husky, taking more after the racing line in her genetic background though she has the looks of the show line in her family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 thanks for the input i didnt really think of pups from the same litter having different genetic makeup i guess i just assumed they'd be very similar give or take a few things. There are 4 grandparents to each litter, and they could be quite different in look from each other; maybe one grandma is very petite and the other is a big girl, and one grandfather tall but lean and racy, and the other much more compact... Some of the puppies are likely to resemble one, with others taking after another... For that matter, look at how different kids in a human family can sometimes look compared to each other! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #2 Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 And really, it doesn't matter...especially to us rescuers, because we love them all the same...well, sometimes different, and whatever parents of humans tell you, there is always one that you like better!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aridaen Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 My girl Maya Nakai was the smallest of her litter. Now she will be 11 months in a few days and weighs 58 pounds. As far as health problems, the only things have been 2 small spots of puppy mange at 4mo. and a cyst on her private part after her first time in heat. Other than that, also at 4mo., she got to a fresh roadkill squirrel and before I could get it out of her mouth, she had swallowed it whole. That was a trip to the emergency clinic where they induced vomiting. She has lots of energy and loves attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kara Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 I agree with sutsibe, but do have to say that my first (Alice) as the "runt", and turned out normal sized, if not a little on the heavier side, but this was due to the fact that she was diagnosed as diabetic at age 4, but lived till she was 11yr. My brother called me Runt growing up, when I looked it up in the dictionary, I told him that I could not longer be that because I was the tallest in my class, he said "okay, then I will call you gi-runt, gor gigantic runt!" LOL I have a soft spot for the runt of the litter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuskyMom09 Posted February 21, 2012 Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Juneau was the runt of her litter, but it didn't affect her growth she's completely normal size...she was a bit more reserved and it took a bit more prying to get her out of her shell. Not sure about the others who were rescues...Denali was litter pick though, he really shows it in every way LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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