Awesome JB, thanks for the update!
It could've just been VERY bad luck, I don't think I've ever seen any Gen 1s fail.
I recently started keeping a track of how many skill points my pets gain per level in a spreadsheet, varied by DNA and level. I wasn't able to find this data on the wiki or forums, so I'm trying to get to the bottom of it myself. Once I have enough data, I'll make a post about it!
I remember someone explaining to me in a conversation that the amount you gain is a range/level based on the DNA of the pet, so a Weak Pet gains 4-7 per level, a Common 5-9, etc etc. I don't know the actual ranges, if someone does, that would be amazing and I can abandon my spreadsheet project.
~Alexandra.