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| Country of origin | France |
|---|---|
| Use | Show, pets |
| Traits | |
| Face color | Black, Blue or Chocolate eyebands (Lilac is also possible, however not recognized by the American Rabbit Breeder's Association) |
| Color | White |
Dwarf Hotot is a breed of domestic rabbit characterized by an entirely white coat, except for a circle of another color around each eye.
The Dwarf Hotot is one of the more recent breeds to be recognized by the ARBA, gaining acceptance in 1983. It has never been without a strong following, but also has never been among the most popular breeds. [1] [ unreliable source? ]
The much larger Blanc de Hotot was produced in the early 1900s in an effort to produce a black-eyed white rabbit for meat and fur. In that era, large rabbits were valued for their commercial value. But in later years, big bunnies went out of style and people started pursuing dwarf breeds.
In the 1970s, one breeder in East Germany and one in West Germany started working on a Dwarf Hotot, completely independent of one another. One crossed a Ruby-Eyed White Netherland Dwarf to a Blanc de Hotot; the other didn't use a standard Hotot at all, but crossed a black Netherland Dwarf to a Dutch and bred out markings until only the eyebands remained. The two strains were eventually united in 1979 to produce the breed known today. [2]
The Dwarf Hotot was imported to the United States in 1980 by Elizabeth Forstinger, [2] a rabbit breeder also known for her work in importing and distributing the Holland Lop throughout the country. [3] Forstinger bred the Dwarf Hotot further, eliminating blue and marbled eye colors from the breed, and brought several Dwarf Hotots to show at ARBA conventions each year until they were officially accepted as separate from the Netherland Dwarf in 1984. [2]
The breed is of compact type and has a gentle rollback coat. Unlike the Polish, which as similar body type, the shoulders are supposed to be as wide as the hips, and not show any taper. The head set is not as high on the shoulders as that of a Netherland Dwarf, but should not rest on the table either. The head is bold and broad. Ears are carried in an upright V shape, and are disqualified if over 2 ¾ inches in length. The eyes are encircled with narrow bands of colored fur. Ideal eyeband width equals the thickness of two pennies, and the bands of color are even all around the eye. Weak or streaky eyebands are faulted, but a complete break in the band is disqualified.
For many years, the only accepted variety was white with black eyebands. In the year 2006, chocolate banded Dwarf Hotots were accepted by the ARBA. Blue banded were accepted in 2020. The black, blue and chocolate banded bunnies are shown together. [4]
The Dwarf Hotot is strictly a fancy breed. At 3 pounds max, they are too small to be of commercial value.
Cuniculture is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising domestic rabbits as livestock for their meat, fur, or wool. Cuniculture is also employed by rabbit fanciers and hobbyists in the development and betterment of rabbit breeds and the exhibition of those efforts. Scientists practice cuniculture in the use and management of rabbits as model organisms in research. Cuniculture has been practiced all over the world since at least the 5th century.
The Angora rabbit, one of the most ancient groups of domestic rabbit breeds, which is bred for the long fibers of its coat, known as Angora wool. They are gathered by shearing, combing or plucking. Because rabbits do not possess the same allergy-causing qualities as many other animals, their wool is an important alternative. There are at least 11 distinct breeds of Angora rabbit, four of which are currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA): the English Angora, the French Angora, the Giant Angora and the Satin Angora. Other unrecognized breeds include the German Angora, the Finnish Angora, the Chinese Angora, the Japanese Angora, the Korean Angora, the Russian Angora, the St Lucian Angora and the Swiss Angora.
The Netherland Dwarf is a breed of domestic rabbit that originated in the Netherlands. Weighing 1.1–2.5 pounds (0.50–1.13 kg), the Netherland Dwarf is one of the smallest rabbit breeds. Its popularity as a pet or show rabbit may stem from its neotenic appearance. The Netherland Dwarf is recognised by both the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Netherland Dwarf is often confused with the Polish breed of rabbit, but the latter has longer ears, a non-brachycephalic head and less cobbiness.
Dwarf rabbit refers either (formally) to a rabbit with the dwarfing gene, or (informally) to any small breed of domestic rabbit or specimen thereof, or (colloquially) to any small rabbit. Dwarfism is a genetic condition that may occur in humans and in many animals, including rabbits. True dwarfism is often associated with a cluster of physical abnormalities, including pituitary dwarfism. The process of dwarfing is used to selectively breed for smaller stature with each generation. Small stature is a characteristic of neoteny, which may account for the attraction of dwarf animals.
The Polish rabbit is a compact breed of domestic rabbit, most often bred by fanciers and commonly exhibited in rabbit shows. Despite its name, the Polish rabbit likely originated in England, not Poland. The breed known in the UK as Polish is the breed known in the US as Britannia Petite. The breed known in the US as Polish is unknown in the UK.
The Dutch rabbit, historically known as Hollander or Brabander, is a breed of domestic rabbit. It is easily identifiable by its characteristic color pattern and was once the most popular of all rabbit breeds. However, after dwarf rabbits were developed, the popularity of the Dutch rabbit declined. Nevertheless, the Dutch rabbit remains one of the top ten most popular breeds worldwide.
The Mini Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). It is different from the Miniature Lop breed that is recognized by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). The Mini Lop [US] and the Miniature Lop [UK] are different from the Dwarf Lop breed that is recognized by the BRC. The Mini Lop is similar to several other small rabbit breeds, such as the Dwarf rabbit.
The Holland Lop is a breed of lop-eared rabbit that was recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) in 1979. The Holland Lop, with a maximum weight of 1.8 kg (4 lb), is one of the smallest lop-eared breeds.
The American Fuzzy Lop is a rabbit breed recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). It is similar in appearance to a Holland Lop. However, the American Fuzzy Lop is a wool breed and will have wool similar to the Angora breeds although the wool will be shorter than that of a commercial Angora. The American fuzzy lop has to weigh up to four pounds in order to be shown.
The French Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit developed in France in the 19th century from the selective breeding of English Lop and Flemish Giant stock. The French Lop resembles the English Lop, but the French Lop is heavier in stature and does not have the exaggerated ear length of the English Lop. Weighing approximately 4.98 kg to 5.21 kg, it has an average lifespan of five to seven years. The French Lop is currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) and by the British Rabbit Council (BRC).
The English Lop is a fancy breed of domestic rabbit that was developed in England in the 19th century through selective breeding. It is believed to be the first breed of lop rabbit developed by humans, and it may be one of the oldest breeds of domestic rabbit. Averaging 5.5 kg (12 lb), the English Lop is characterised by its distinctively long lop ears, bold head, and large body size.
Plush Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit with two varieties: Miniature and Standard. There is also a Canadian Plush Lop breed in development. Similar in appearance, the Velveteen Lop breed is also in development. Miniature Plush Lops were the first to be developed. Devie D'anniballe began creating this breed in 1995 in the United States. She succeeded in developing them by combining the previously existing breeds of Holland Lop, Mini Rex, and Mini Lop. Her aim was to create the perfect pet by retaining the good qualities of these breeds, while "breeding out" all the problems existing in these breeds.
The Silver Fox rabbit is a rare breed of domestic rabbit developed by Walter B. Garland of North Canton, Ohio, and bred for meat, show, and its unique fur. The breed is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association.
Miniature Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit recognised by the British Rabbit Council (BRC). Confusion arises because, in the UK, the Miniature Lop is often commonly called the Mini Lop. It is, however, a different breed from the Mini Lop that is recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The BRC-recognized Miniature Lop is most similar to the ARBA-recognized Holland Lop. The Miniature Lop is also similar to several other small rabbit breeds.
The Blanc de Hotot is a medium-sized rabbit breed originally developed in France. It is a compact, thickset white rabbit with spectacle-like black rings around each dark eye. First bred in Hotot-en-Auge, Normandy, France in the early 1900s, the breed spread throughout Europe and into North America by the 1920s. Initially unpopular in the United States, it died out there, and suffered population decline in World War II-era Europe. It began to spread again in the 1960s and 1970s, and was re-imported to the US in 1978. Today it is recognized by the British Rabbit Council and the American Rabbit Breeders Association, but is considered globally endangered, with a listing of "threatened" status by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
The Miniature Lion Lop is a breed of domestic rabbit recognised by the British Rabbit Council. The breed is not currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. In addition to its lop ears, the distinguishing feature of this breed is its Lionhead-type mane and its small size: 1.5–1.6 kilograms (3.3–3.5 lb).
The Himalayan rabbit is a small breed of rabbit with similar markings to the Californian rabbit. The body is white with colored points, recognized colors are black, blue, chocolate and lilac.
The Velveteen Lop is a breed of lop-eared rabbit developed from Mini Rex and English Lop ancestry in the United States from the late 1980s through early 1990s. It is the first American rabbit breed to combine lopped ears and rex fur. Velveteens are known to have friendly, gentle personalities. They are medium-sized rabbits weighing 5 to 7 pounds when fully grown and come in a wide variety of coat colors.
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