Many people ask me who the runt of the litter is. I get this so often I decided to blog about it! Did you know that a runt is an actual condition? The puppy doesn't attach properly in utero and receives significantly less nutrition. We have only had 2 runt puppies in 13 years of breeding 100 puppies a year. They are born more than 1/2 the size of the other puppies. They often live and need extra attention when they are small, but end up growing normally after some help. The smallest puppy in the litter is not the runt of the litter. They are just the smallest puppy. Smaller puppies are because of genetics only. Normally, girl puppies are the smallest puppies in the litter and develop based on their experience when growing up. They often develop a better sense of strategy and are smarter because they are using their brains more to avoid bigger puppies running them over for food, mother or toys. I hope this helps you on your puppy journey! -April
