# What Breed is He?



## funnybunnymummy (Nov 3, 2009)

I got Gus from a neighbour whohad no idea what breed he was.From searching the internet, I guessed he's a mismarkedEnglish Spot (full arch type body, long slim legs, narrower shoulders, long ears, and the colouring, of course). However, at 7-8 lbs (weighed on my bathroom scale), I've been told he's too big to be a Spot. I've had more than one person suggest he's a Checkered Giant!

What do you guys think?






















I have no pictures of him in that pose all the English Spots seem to be in, so I hope these picturesare okay.

Thanks!

Rue


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## pamnock (Nov 3, 2009)

Many breeds have a color pattern similar to the English Spot, so it's hard to venture a guess. One clue is that English Spots have a lot of guardhairs in their coat, giving them a quick "flyback coat". It's difficult to tell from the photos, but your rabbit's coat appears rather soft and thick.

Pam


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## Nancy McClelland (Nov 3, 2009)

Not big enough to be a "Giant". We thought Serena was an English Spot, but, she kept growing--17 pounds. He looks a lot like her except she has more checkering on her lower back than Gus. Enjoy!


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## funnybunnymummy (Nov 3, 2009)

Thanks, guys.

His harness does tend to fluff his fur out a bit. 

Here's another picture of him without it:





I'm not sure what constitutes "flyback" fur, but I tried rubbing him backwards and his fur flips rightback into position. His fur also has lots of guard hairs and it's kinda coarse (at least for rabbit fur!).

At the least, I figure one of his parents was an English Spot. He definitely has the personality! :inlove:

What other breeds (besides the Checkered Giant, Rhinelander and English Spot) have these markings?

Thanks!

Rue


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## Blaze_Amita (Nov 3, 2009)

He does look english spot, there are some really badly marked ones out there, a NY friend of mine breeds them and she's had ones marked like that.


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## pamnock (Nov 3, 2009)

*funnybunnymummy wrote: *


> What other breeds (besides the Checkered Giant, Rhinelander and English Spot) have these markings?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Rue



About 14 other ARBA accepted breeds, so the broken pattern in mixes is very common. 

Pam


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## Luken Messy (Nov 4, 2009)

Totally has some English Spot in him. I love this breed. =) He sure is a cutie!


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## funnybunnymummy (Nov 4, 2009)

Thanks, guys.

So you thinkit'd beokaycalling Gusan "English Spot mix"? (Though I'll always wonder what the "mix" is! )

Thanks!

Rue


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## DeniseJP (Nov 7, 2009)

I would say English Spot... maybe Gus inherited a more plush coat from his ancestors? I think they can be up to 8 lbs but I don't have my standard of perfection in front of me... and I imagine there are bunnies out there who may go oversize but I don't know enough about the breed myself. I know there are Hollands that can go oversize but I am not sure about English Spots.

I have an English Spot - she has a "tight" coat that "flies back" into place when I run my hand across her coat the wrong way... my Hollands are more plush with their "roll back coats." My Checkered Giants have a coat inbetween the two...

I like Gus - he looks like he has a lot of personality!

Denise


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## funnybunnymummy (Nov 8, 2009)

Thanks, Denise.

Yes, he has TONS of personality! Tonight he's been playing behind the curtains in the dining room. He keeps running back and forth and then poking his nose out, then running back and forth again. It's so cute!

I'm pretty sure the breed standard is 6-8 lbs. I've weighed him twice. The first time he was 8 lbs. The second time 7. Because it was on my bathroom scale, I'm guessing he'sactually closer to7 1/2 lbs?

The thing with his fur is itseemed less fluffywhenwe first got him (in August) and he had a major molt. I dunno if rabbits fur gets thicker in the winter or not, but his definitely seems fluffier to me than it was in the summer. And he seems even fluffier when we take him outside on his harness. (Can rabbits fluff up their fur like a bird does it's feathers? :biggrin2 I can tell you it's not as soft and fluffy as a Holland Lop's, though. Their fur is like silk compared with his!

Maybe he's an English Spot/Checkered Giant cross? 

Rue


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## DeniseJP (Nov 8, 2009)

Hi Rue:

My bunnies definitely get thicker fur in the winter...they have a barn they live in and they adjust well to the changing seasons.

I have not seen Juliette "fluff" her coat - she is always looking "tight". If I can find my camera, I will see if I can get close ups of everyone's coats here.

Denise


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## funnybunnymummy (Nov 9, 2009)

Thanks, Denise! I'd love to see some pics of Juliette!

I found some videos on Youtube of English Spot rabbits. (Much morehelpful than just pictures!) He's definitely got a lot of Spot characteristics. Especially theway he moves so fluidlyandhis cheeky personality! But his coat seems much fluffier and his legs aren't quite as long. Dunno if that means he's just poorly bred or if he's actually a cross.

Either way, I'm fairly convinced at least one of his parents was a Spot. Dunno what the other was!

Rue


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## Erins Rabbits (Nov 9, 2009)

*funnybunnymummy wrote: *


> Thanks, Denise! I'd love to see some pics of Juliette!
> 
> I found some videos on Youtube of English Spot rabbits. (Much morehelpful than just pictures!) He's definitely got a lot of Spot characteristics. Especially theway he moves so fluidlyandhis cheeky personality! But his coat seems much fluffier and his legs aren't quite as long. Dunno if that means he's just poorly bred or if he's actually a cross.
> 
> ...




NOT an English Spot... Sorry to burst the bubble, but from my POV, this rabbit doesn't even distantly resemble a spot. 

IF it was, you could be positive that it was a VERY poorly breed spot, at that. The markings are wrong, the body type is wrong... Lots of breeds come in broken black, and my guess is that your bunny is a mutt through and through. Not that it matters of course, since it's just a pet. Also, not even close to a checkered. The body type is way wrong to be either of those breeds....

ETA: Couldn't be an English/checkered either. They are full arch breeds and wouldn't throw something of his body type lol.


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## funnybunnymummy (Nov 9, 2009)

Thanks, Erin.

I'm obviously not a professional breeder or anything, but I think his front end looks like a Spot. (And unfortunately, most of these pics aren't the greatest examples as his fur is fluffed out by his harness.)His head, face, ears, shoulders, and chest look to melike the pics I've been seeing of Spots. However, I do think his backside is too heavy and his legs too short. So that's why I thought he was probably a cross. Mom's head, Dad's butt, kinda thing. :biggrin2:

It's beenmentioned a couple times thatother breedscome inthe same broken pattern, but aside from the lops and the rexes (which I'm sure he's NOT :biggrin2, I'm not familiar withany of them. Can someone please list them? Or at least direct me to a site that has a list of them?

Anyway, it's not like I plan to breed him or anything, being he's a pet, butit would still be nice to have an idea what breeds could be in his background.

Thanks!

Rue


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## Erins Rabbits (Nov 10, 2009)

Breeds that come in broken- American Fuzzy Lop, english lop, french lop, havana, holland lop, jersey wooly, mini lop, mini rex, netherland dwarf, polish, rex, and satin. 

Let us not forget the byproducts of broken breeding projects for breeds where it hasn't been accepted. There are many of these floating around. Frankly, you've definitely got a mutt and I still don't believe that rabbit has any english spot in him and you won't convince me otherwise. 

Also- there are plenty of broken mutts floating about. They DO come in the same colors, after all. I've seen many a black or broken black mutt rabbits at the feed store. Again, it's no biggy since he's a pet. Sure is a cutie, too, by the by.


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## funnybunnymummy (Nov 10, 2009)

Thanks, Erin! He is a cutie, isn't he? 

FWIW, I wasn't trying to convince anyone of anything. I was just trying to explain why I thought hewas an English Spot.

I've seen plenty of broken patterned rabbits, too. Especially on the rabbit rescue websites. But I haven't seen any with the same pattern as Gus. If they have the eye spots and butterfly, then they're usually so heavily spottedthey look blanketed, or if they're sparcely spotted, like Gus, then they don't have the eye patches or butterfly.

Actually, I take that back. I've seen some Blanc de Hotot x Satin babies with exactly the same pattern as him. But I very much doubt he'sgot anyBlanc de Hotot in him as they're so rare.

Anyway, I guess I may never know. But I'll check out the breeds you listed to see if any of them seem to match his characteristics.

Hahaha! I know: He's a Lionhead x Lop that got the Lionhead's ears and the Lops fur... :biggrin2:

Thanks again for the help!

Rue


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