The secret, the team reports in the 17 August issue of Science, was that eggs laid by females in cooperative groups were 5 % smallerthan those laid by females who bred in pairs, and their yolks had 12 % less lipids and 13 % less protein.
The smaller dogs often come into their first heat before the larger dogs, which varies from 6 - 14 months of age, and ovulate fewer eggsthan the larger breeds.