The heartwarming story of a tiny dog known as "Mouse" has melted hearts online, after he was born much smaller than his three siblings.
Aubree Bracknell of Fort Worth, Texas, has been documenting Mouse's journey since the pup's birth.
Despite being small and requiring extra attention, including supplemental bottle feeding, Mouse is showing promise. Bracknell has taken a hands-on approach, ensuring he stays with his mom and siblings to maintain natural interactions—crucial for his development.
"He was born last Wednesday," Bracknell told Newsweek. "He is in a litter of four. My reaction when I first saw him was absolute shock."
A runt is the smallest, and often weakest, puppy in a litter of dogs. By definition, a runt is a puppy that is significantly smaller than its littermates.
Despite potential challenges as a result of their small birth size, being a runt does not automatically mean the puppy is unhealthy. While some runts can have health problems, many develop normally with extra support.
In videos on TikTok, Bracknell shared footage of Mouse eating well and being held in her hand, next to his considerably larger siblings.
Alongside the video, Bracknell shared: "This has to be the smallest runt I have ever seen. He is eating, he is surviving, he is very loved. We are all cheering you on little buddy."
Online, people cannot get enough. "Omg, I love the runts! They usually are the strongest and live the longest just because of that desire to live!" said viewer Raymond.
While TikToker Erinks12forever wrote: "He will have the biggest heart. I always take the runt."
Others suggested an addition to his name, like FionaC66 who said: "Reckon he should be called Mighty Mouse... a real tough little pup."
Despite his small size and initial challenges, Mouse has been making progress under Bracknell's watchful care. "He needs to be physically latched, and bottle feeds in between, but I try to keep it as natural as possible, considering Mom didn't abandon him."
While he isn't out of the woods yet, Mouse's future looks promising. "He's a fighter, and I believe he's going to surprise us all," Bracknell said, adding that when he is older, he will work for her as a cowdog.
Online, Mouse's new adoring fans continue to wait for daily updates on his condition. "I can't stop thinking about little Mouse," said viewer Molly, while others continue to return to the TikTok page to see how he is getting on.
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