Friday, November 18, 2011

Runts Deserve Love Too!

When shopping for a new family pet, consumers may have conflicting information regarding purchasing the "runt of the litter".  There are several reasons why dogs receive the runt title.  Most commonly the smallest and/or weakest dog born to a litter is termed the runt.  This smaller stature could be due to several reasons.
1.  The dog did not receive as much nutrition from their mother's milk post birth. 
2.  Female dogs can conceive for several days.  The runt may be a few days younger than the other dogs, causing a smaller size.
3.  As with humans, some puppies are simply smaller than their siblings due to genetics.  This is especially common in mixed breed puppies.  One pup may take after their larger breed father while another lends itself more to their mothers smaller stature for example.

More serious medical factors may be at play, which is why a veterinarians exam is always recommended for all pups in a litter.  However, runts have a great chance of really thriving as healthy, happy dogs if given the right nutrition, exercise, and of course love.  As Blue Paw Nation member Cathie of Palo Alto, CA points out her Curly Coated Retriever "Lightning" lives life to the fullest despite her so called runt status.  "Lightning was the first to leave the whelping box, the first to nip at the breeders toes, and jumps into trees to get the neighborhood squirrells", proud mom Cathie boasts.  At 50 lbs Lightning is 10-12 pounds lighter than her three Curly housemates, however her personality does not reflect this size inferiority.  The runt you decide to purchase may surprise you as well.

                       Brought to you with love from Blue Paw Nation

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