# Why would ONE pup grow to be so much smaller than littermates?



## Anthony8858

I managed to meet a handful of Kira's littermates / owners.

Kira is a healthy 59 pounds. Very petite, and agile. No signs of illness or obvious reasons for her lighter weight.
However, her littermates are all larger and obviously heavier.

The 2 brothers I've met are 75-80 pounds at nearly 11 months.
Her 2 sisters I've met are 69 and 73 pounds.

Their features are identical, and obviously from the same litter.

Is this typical?

Would like your opinion.

Thanks


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## Falkosmom

Are they spayed/neutered? If yes, what ages?


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## msvette2u

Maybe she was the runt?


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## Sunflowers

I am thinking it is genetics, just as it is with people. You can have siblings of different sizes. My sons are so different in appearance and size that I was asked if they have the same father !


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## Anthony8858

Falkosmom said:


> Are they spayed/neutered? If yes, what ages?


 
NO. None are spayed or neutered. All the owners are looking to breed or at least wait until completion of first cycle.




msvette2u said:


> Maybe she was the runt?


Maybe she was.

Can you tell me more about litter runts?
I would like you perspective on owning a "runt"


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## Anthony8858

Sunflowers said:


> I am thinking it is genetics, just as it is with people. You can have siblings of different sizes. My sons are so different in appearance and size that I was asked if they have the same father !


 
There's always the "Maury Show" 

Just kidding


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## Sunflowers

Anthony8858 said:


> There's always the "Maury Show"
> 
> Just kidding


LOL! We always joked that we should call Maury


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## Sunflowers

Thing is, I have heard that the runt could grow to be bigger than the others, eventually. 
Maybe she is just more petite...


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## Freestep

There is always a range of size in every litter. Don't worry about it.


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## carmspack

An 11 month female at 73 pounds is too heavy.

A fit 59 for that age is about right.

At maturity a female should be 22 to 24 inches at whither , and ranging from 55 to 65 pounds (depending on size and frame) .


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## Catu

Sunflowers said:


> I am thinking it is genetics, just as it is with people. You can have siblings of different sizes. My sons are so different in appearance and size that I was asked if they have the same father !


In the case of animals who have litters (multiple babies in one birth) a runt is common. Genetics play a part on it, but more important is the access that the pups have to blood irrigation and nutrients from when they are in the uterus. Now a purist will say that genetics play even then, because the competence of the pups start when the embryos are looking where to implant.


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## lhczth

Size is for the most part genetic. In my D litter I had 5 males. 4 are in the 90# range (give or take) and one weighs in the 70's. Genetically he just inherited the genes for smaller stature. He was only slightly smaller at birth than the other males and bigger than the females (I have never had a runt in a litter). Have you seen the littermates or just talked to the owners? Those heavier females may be fat instead of just heavier. Your female is pretty normal size for her age.


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## Cassidy's Mom

Anthony8858 said:


> I would like your perspective on owning a "runt"


I can't imagine that there would be any particular perspective. As long as she's healthy it really shouldn't matter if she was the largest girl in her litter, the smallest girl, or somewhere in the middle. 

She's well within the range of the female standard, and is about Halo's size, right at the midpoint. Halo is 3 years old.  Since Kira is only 11 months old, she will add at least a few more pounds until maturity. Absolutely nothing to worry about.

The male standard tops out at around 16 pounds more than the female standard, so it makes sense that her brothers are larger than she is.


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## Anthony8858

Well.... Actually, I have what one would consider the "runt" of the litter, but in actuality, I have the one that's within a normal weight range.
These other dogs are not fat, they're just taller and longer.

I'm not worried. I love her size. She's a bullet 

I'm really just wondering what would cause a runt. Is it always nutrition related prior to birth? Is it illness? Kira did have giardia until about 6 months.


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## CeCe

I've heard that the last puppy conceived could be a little smaller. If the parents had several matings then some pups could have had a few more days of gestation.


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## phgsd

To me, a runt is a pup that is sickly and obviously behind developmentally. I wouldn't consider a slightly smaller dog a runt. Kira is just the "perfect" size and the other females are going to be oversized.
Two of my girls are 52-54 lbs, I never worried about their size. And my Kira is lighter than her littermates - I am fine with that, I would love her to be in the 60-65 range but I can't control her size...whatever will be, will be


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom

If Kira is smaller that may mean less health issues and its easier on her joints.She appears quite graceful and athletic in your videos.


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## BlackCat

My Kyrie is just a year and weighs 61 lbs. Her brother, Bay is 71 lbs. and they are both just about perfect in my estimation. Bay is fast and strong, but Kyrie is wicked quick on a turn or a jump. When I play with them with the flirt pole, Kyrie will cut Bay off and grab the prize before he knows what happened.


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## msvette2u

Heh.



> Can you tell me more about litter runts?
> I would like you perspective on owning a "runt"


IME. There's often one puppy that appears just like the others, colorwise, "shape" wise, only more petite. Sometimes this is not a girl but a boy. The last litter we had, had 2 chunky girls and one very petite boy - they all looked alike though, same mama/daddy.
Then we'll get another litter with very obviously two different dads, if not more, and one will be smaller by virtue of being a different breed, at least 1/2 of it (genetics from Dad).

It's not rare or uncommon to have a litter with one puppy who is simply smaller.

Me - I am adopted. My biological full brother is 6' and some odd inches. My half sister (biological) and half brother, same mom, different dad, are both taller than I.
I am 5'4". You could say I am the runt. My bio mom is over 5'8"! 

As for "owning" a runt?
It depends on my expectations of the dog I guess. In smaller breeds, I like more petite dogs. 
If a large breed dog that I expected to be larger, I might be disappointed. 
Depends on the dog and why I got it in the first place, I guess?

Our Ruger is no giant. 
While he's at the minimum for males, he's within the standard. 
But the last 10yrs. were spent with a GSD boy well over standard, so while it's different for him to be so "small" (comparatively speaking), I am happy with him and don't mind him being "runty"


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## doggiedad

you should of given Narnia the go ahead flat out extreme
attack command when they asked you that.



Sunflowers said:


> I am thinking it is genetics, just as it is with people. You can have siblings of different sizes. My sons are so different in appearance and size that I was asked if they have the same father !


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## doggiedad

Maury does baby mama and daddy baby. now Shepherd maybe
is a total new twist besides i think it's genetically impossible.



Anthony8858 said:


> There's always the "Maury Show"
> 
> Just kidding





Sunflowers said:


> LOL! We always joked that we should call Maury


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## doggiedad

your dog is within the normal weight range and from a major
breeder so runt is good.



Anthony8858 said:


> Well.... Actually, I have what one would consider the "runt" of the litter,
> 
> >>> but in actuality, I have the one that's within a normal weight range.<<<
> 
> 
> These other dogs are not fat, they're just taller and longer.
> 
> I'm not worried. I love her size. She's a bullet
> 
> I'm really just wondering what would cause a runt. Is it always nutrition related prior to birth? Is it illness? Kira did have giardia until about 6 months.


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