These days it seems like pets are getting smaller and smaller. Almost everywhere you go, you can see people with dogs in their purses, teeny-tiny dogs on leashes, or even being carried around like little babies. They're very cute, but not quite as cute as you might imagine the smallest dog in the world would be.
Meet Hope. The 4-month-old toy poodle in the below video was, at the time that the video was made, the smallest dog in the world. Introduced by Rodney Mclean of Montreal, Canada's K911 Animal Ambulance, Hope was only 31 grams when she was born (that's less than an ounce, folks) and at 4-months-old she was still only 11 ounces.
As Rodney writes in the YouTube video description, his veterinarian told him that Hope would be lucky to grow to even 13 ounces. Born with dwarfism, the poodle pup defied the odds. Rodney notes that most puppies born with dwarfism don't survive more than 48 hours, but Hope had far exceeded expectations at the time of the video.
As you can see in the video, the black-and-white pup is incredibly tiny. She fits right in Mclean's hands and has to be supervised at all times. He's very careful with her as she plays with a small purple ball, rolls around, and nips at his fingers.
It's absolutely amazing to see what a fighter Hope is in the video. Rodney even says that, "she doesn't realize how small she is," and that clearly shows in her rambunctious spirit and energy.
Sadly, however, this story does not have the happy ending we all would have hoped for. K911 Animal Ambulance's Facebook page reveals that Hope passed away on August 23, 2013, a mere month after this video was posted.
It's incredibly sad, but it's also amazing to think of how long the diminutive puppy fought and held onto life. What a beautiful puppy.
Please SHARE this adorable puppy video with all your friends and family!
