# What are the differences between Holland and Mini Lops??



## Runestonez (Jul 15, 2006)

Can anyone tell me how to tell the difference between Holland and Mini Lops? Or know of a link that will tell me??

Thanx!


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## pamnock (Jul 15, 2006)

Very different confirmation structure and difference in size. (In this post, I am referring to the Mini and Holland Lop of the US).







Above is an excellent example of Mini Lop type. The rabbit sits down on the table, has a low head mount, the head is not rounded in all directions and the ears are longer. Due to the different pose, the topline is different. Ideal size: 6 lbs. Chestnut Agouti and Steel are the most common colors (in solid and broken).

Photo source: http://www.gotpetsonline.com/pets-images/mini-lops.shtml 

Below is a very good example of the Holland Lop. Top weight: 4 lbs. Hollands have a high head mount, sit up on the show table, have a head that is rounded in all directions, have a deep topline and shorter ears. The most common color is tortoise (in solid and broken)






photo source: http://www.thenaturetrail.com/Enter-Holland-Lop-Show.htm


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## Spring (Jul 15, 2006)

Hmm, I've wondered this. A rabbit I know that I've looked after, I've been trying to see what breed it is. I was told she was a holland lop, but she looks like a mini lop 

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c268/Ribbit2006/100_1408.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c268/Ribbit2006/100_1411.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c268/Ribbit2006/100_1416.jpg

She's 4 pounds, and a tad bit over weight.


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## Maureen Las (Jul 15, 2006)

My Jacques is a holland and my Babette is a mini-lop. Jacques has always had problems with his tear ducts being blocked. Could this be be cause the hollands faces are so pushed in ?


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## pamnock (Jul 15, 2006)

*Spring wrote: *


> Hmm, I've wondered this. A rabbit I know that I've looked after, I've been trying to see what breed it is. I was told she was a holland lop, but she looks like a mini lop
> 
> http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c268/Ribbit2006/100_1408.jpg
> 
> ...


 

May be a Holland that doesn't have good "show type". Some Hollands are large, and some are longer in type than show quality Hollands.

Pam


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## pamnock (Jul 15, 2006)

*angieluv wrote: *


> Jacques has always had problems with his tear ducts being blocked. Could this be be cause the hollands faces are so pushed in ?


 

Very possible.

Pam


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## Maureen Las (Jul 15, 2006)

Is it possible that breeders are creating a certain look in a bunny without concern for the health problems that can go with that...ex. I'm thinking how bulldogs have been bred with faces so flat that they have trouble breathing???


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## Runestonez (Jul 15, 2006)

One of the reasons I was curious was thatDandelion has a much longer face than Solembum. Solembum is larger than Dandi, and while they look similar they don't look the same. And of course since they are both rescues...they were given to us as mini lops.Our first bunn was supposed to be a Holland lop but she weighed 8lbs!:shock:


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## NZminilops (Jul 16, 2006)

Some pics of my mini lop Dodge, don't know if it will help you at all but you never know .

http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j10/a31cefiro/Dodge/


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## pamnock (Jul 16, 2006)

*angieluv wrote: *


> Is it possible that breeders are creating a certain look in a bunny without concern for the health problems that can go with that...ex. I'm thinking how bulldogs have been bred with faces so flat that they have trouble breathing???


 Yes, in some cases, inbreeding for certain traits may cause health problems in a strain of animals.

Pam


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## pamnock (Jul 16, 2006)

*minilops wrote: *


> Some pics of my mini lop Dodge, don't know if it will help you at all but you never know .
> 
> http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j10/a31cefiro/Dodge/


 

Remember that the Lops in other countries are different than the US, Canada, and Japan Lops. Australia/New Zealand generally use the BRC standard, soyour Mini Lop is different than ours.

Lops in Australia: http://members.iinet.com.au/~jabuck/WARCI/lop_breeds.htm#french

BRC:

http://www.thebrc.org/


Pam


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## SOOOSKA (Jul 16, 2006)

My goodness Pam, you are the smartest person I've come across that knows rabbits. How did you get so informed about rabbits.

Your knowledge fascinates me. I learn something new whenever I read what you write.


Soooska:apollo:


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## Cinnabunny (Jul 16, 2006)

So - is Cinnabunny an Mini Lop? And what color?











She doesn't seem to have the pushed in face of the Holland Lop.


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## pamnock (Jul 16, 2006)

*SOOOSKA wrote: *


> My goodness Pam, you are the smartest person I've come across that knows rabbits. How did you get so informed about rabbits.
> 
> Your knowledge fascinates me. I learn something new whenever I read what you write.
> 
> ...


 


LOL I'm always amazed at how much there is that I still *DON'T* know! :shock:

Over the years, we've hadmany different rabbit breeds and I also had rabbits when I was young.

I've been studying rabbits for years and have been in many rabbit clubs as well as having done extensive research for articles. 

I was a 4-H advisor when I lived in Ohio and had 50 youth in my club. My kids compete in rabbit royalty competition (which of course, involves yet more studying!)

I also wrote over 300 rabbit/cavy questions, which involved extensive research,for the Pennsylvania State Rabbit Bowl Competition.

I was a previous secretary for a local rabbit club when we first started showing rabbits and have been secretary/sweepstakes chairperson for a regional Holland Lop club for a number of years. I'm also a director in a regional Dwarf Hotot club.

I've been the editor for a few rabbit newsletters, and amcurrent editorfor the ARBA Judges News Release,am onthe ARBA JudgesTraining and Education Committeeand am also an ARBA Judge.

So -- ina nutshell, that's how I've learned so much about rabbits LOL

Pam

My Website:

http://www.geocities.com/pamnock/


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## pamnock (Jul 16, 2006)

*Cinnabunny wrote: *


> So - is Cinnabunny an Mini Lop? And what color?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Cinnabunny's color is tortoise. Since this is a very common color in the Hollands, and not in the Mini Lops, it is more likely that she's Holland. How much does she weigh?

Not all Hollands have good show type -- especially those that haven't inherited the dwarfing gene, which gives them the more desired, rounded head.

Pam


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## Cinnabunny (Jul 16, 2006)

*pamnock wrote: *


> *Cinnabunny wrote: *
> 
> 
> > So - is Cinnabunny an Mini Lop? And what color?
> ...


Cinnabunny is about 4 pounds (maybe a little less). Seeing as she was a petstore bunny I assume that she would not have a good show type. So is her head shape 'not good show' but her color is 'good show?'


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## pamnock (Jul 16, 2006)

Because of her size and color, I would say that she's a Holland. Yes, her color is an accepted variety. There's a wide variation in the tort color in Hollands because there are so few points on color. Therefore, breeders don't make much effort to improve color quality, but focus more on type.

Pam


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## NZminilops (Jul 16, 2006)

Yes Pam, I know the rabbits are different here - what you are refering to as a mini lop is called a dwarf lop here, and what you call a Holland lop is a mini lop here. To me my 'dwarf lop' looks and sounds just like your 'mini lop'. She is larger than a mini(Holland) with a longish nose, large lopped ears, different sort of body. I have both kinds of rabbits. Keep in mind she is just a pet rabbit and may not conform to the exact breed standards.

I'm sure that they are the same thing, I could try doing some research and find out? I would be keen to know anyway. I am 99% sure our mini lop is the same as a Holland. I will find out about the dwarf lop thing. One thing though is that the tort colouring you mention is pretty much common for any lop eared rabbit here so that differs a little from what you said, not sure if that means anything or not.


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## pamnock (Jul 16, 2006)

*minilops wrote: *


> I'm sure that they are the same thing, I could try doing some research and find out? I would be keen to know anyway. I am 99% sure our mini lop is the same as a Holland. I will find out about the dwarf lop thing. One thing though is that the tort colouring you mention is pretty much common for any lop eared rabbit here so that differs a little from what you said, not sure if that means anything or not.


 


The BRC standard for the UK Mini and Dwarf Lops are on their website that I posted. I've also posted extensive info on thecomparisons of the UK vs the US Lopson a thread a while ago. You should be able to do a search and find it.

Yes, you are right, the varieties in other countries differ widely by ours in how common they might be in individual breeds. 

Because the inquiry about the differences in the Mini vs Hollands Lops came from Canada (they use the ARBA standard), I was working in the context of the breed characteristics from our country (the same as Canada).

I also posted anAustralian link previously thatdescribes the UK lops:

http://members.iinet.com.au/~jabuck/WARCI/lop_breeds.htm#french



Pam


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## pamnock (Jul 16, 2006)

Found the thread where I posted the comparisons:

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=10870&forum_id=8&highlight=cashmere+lop

Pam


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## NZminilops (Jul 16, 2006)

Yep I took a look at that thread, didn't see any rabbits on it that look like the dwarf lops here but the USA mini lops do look a heck of a lot like them. I also wonder why our mini lops aren't called Hollands, as I think they used to be (not too sure on this), makes it very confusing when talking to owners or breeders from other countries. a mini lop here is the smallest lop, with short body, is posed sitting with head held high and also mounted high on body. Head is round in all directions and has the 'squashed' nose look with the grumpy jowely mouth.

I took some more pics of Dodge, don't know if they show what she looks like much better. Her ears aren't very good and kind of stick out the side a bit when she hunkers down. I couldn't get her to pose exactly like the picture at the top of this thread and she bit me when I kept trying so I let her back into the hutch. She's a bit of a grumpy bum when it comes to being picked up.



























 *Now that I actually look at all the threads, she doesn't seem to look much like any of the lops! Maybe she's a cross breed? She is pictured with 5 and a half week old babies here, they are half dwarf half mini (in NZ terms).*


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## Runestonez (Jul 16, 2006)

*Mini lops-*Boy! Dodge looks really miffed!!  She's a cutie though!!

*Pamnock*-I will post pics of our three lops so I can show you what I mean!! They all look different to me. Head shape, body shape and size...I am no rabbit judge and believe me if this is the sort of thing you have to do!!!:? Wow! I have been looking at different rabbitry's and looking to see what their bunns look like!! I am almost cross eyed now! :?

Here is a pic of our first bunn Butters. We were told she was a Holland Lop, but the receipt of sale said Dwarf Lop...<sigh> All I can agree with is the lop part!:?


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## Runestonez (Jul 16, 2006)

This is Solembum...


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## Runestonez (Jul 16, 2006)

And this is Dandelion...


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## Runestonez (Jul 16, 2006)

Maybe it's just me...but to me all my babies look different! Sorry about the pic of Butters...it is one of the best we have...she died shortly after that pic was taken. It was one of the last. Any of the others are on 35 mm instead of digital!

Are all the babies mini's just with different body shapes?? Butters was 8lbs, Solembum is 4.5 and Dandelion is 4lbs.

Thanks for any info you might be able to give Pam! It's nice having people who really know rabbits!!That can help the rest of us out!!:bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:


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## pamnock (Jul 17, 2006)

At 8 lbs., Butters is most likely a mix. It's possible that someone bred a large Holland to a French Lop to get the Holland's non-extension gene into their French Lop line to produce different colors. But, we can only speculate. (appears to be tortoise color)

Solembum is probably a large "brood type" Holland. (looks like a broken tort)

Dandelion is closest to Holland Lop "show type" in both body, head and ears. (a beautiful Harlequin color. Not showable, but used to breed showable tri-colors)

The appearance of individual rabbits can vary widely within a breed, and not all have the classic "show type" appearance. This is especially true in breeds such as Holland Lops and Netherland Dwarfs that have the Dwarfing gene. Individuals in those breeds that don't inherit the dwarfing gene can look very different from their "show type" counterparts.

Pam


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## pamnock (Jul 17, 2006)

*minilops wrote:*

*Now that I actually look at all the threads, she doesn't seem to look much like any of the lops! Maybe she's a cross breed? She is pictured with 5 and a half week old babies here, they are half dwarf half mini (in NZ terms).*



*I can't remember if you previously posted her weight. She could indeed be a mix. It can be difficult to tell -- the type on your Dwarf Lops (our Mini Lops) is different than ours in the US. Yours appear to have shorter, rounder, heads and shorter ears like your Minis (our Hollands). *

*Pam

*


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