# Breeding Netherland Dwarfs



## itstrist (Apr 19, 2014)

So this week I purchased a baby boy Netherland Dwarf from a breeder. I have his pedigree. 


I was just wondering if anyone could see any reason as to why I shouldn't breed him(DQ's, bad ears, things like that)? I do plan on buying a doe to breed him with and doing a breeding project through my local 4H. so my second question is, is there a specific color doe I should look for to breed him with or would any color be okay? 

I know he isn't posed in these pictures because I don't know how to, so if you need to see him posed to determine whether he is good or not please let me know how to do that. lol thank you!


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## squidpop (Apr 19, 2014)

I think he is a siamese smoke pearl martin? That's a shaded colour so you breed to other shaded colours. If you look at this color chart it recommends the colors to breed him to. http://www.amysrabbitranch.com/Color&Genetics/Color Breeding Chart 2011.pdf


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## woahlookitsme (Apr 19, 2014)

A rabbit needs to be properly posed in order to critique him. I just googled how to pose a netherland dwarf and this website came up. There's also videos on YouTube of judges posing dwarfs. 

http://dwarf_info.tripod.com/dwarfpose.html


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## itstrist (Apr 21, 2014)

can anyone judge this ND?


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## HototMama (Apr 22, 2014)

she is not posed, so i can not tell. but her ears are to long and her head is not shaped right.


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## HototMama (Apr 22, 2014)

you might try going to a near by rabbit show. often times people will sell showable rabbits at them. these people have some very nice NDs for sale. might be out of your price range tho. http://zwergeland.com/sale.htm


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Apr 22, 2014)

The rabbits posted should not be bred to each other. Both look long and low in body type, and their colors are incompatible. If you're interested in learning more about breeding rabbits, I'd recommend visiting a local show and talking to some breeders there, observing the judges when Netherland Dwarfs are on the table, and even talking to judges between classes. That is the best way to learn.  There is not a lot we can tell from the pictures.


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## itstrist (Apr 23, 2014)

what do you mean by the colors are incompatible?


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## itstrist (Apr 23, 2014)

I think I will look for a rabbit show close to me.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Apr 23, 2014)

itstrist said:


> what do you mean by the colors are incompatible?



There are specific colors accepted by the ARBA in each breed, which are listed in the breed standard. Some breeds are only recognized in one or a few colors, but Netherland Dwarfs are recognized in too many to list off the top of my head.

The doe you pictured is a solid tort, and the buck appears to be a smoke pearl marten. When tort is bred to a tan pattern color (smoke pearl marten is one), you have the possibility of producing a tan pattern tort - usually referred to as "fox" or "tort otter." These are not accepted/not showable and should also not be used in a breeding program unless you have a deep enough understanding of genetics to better control the recessives in future generations.


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## squidpop (Apr 23, 2014)

Here's a link with the breed standard if that helps. http://www.netherlanddwarfrabbit.co.uk/2.html

Also, do you know about the dwarf genes and peanuts and how that works?

When breeding netherland dwarfs many people advise getting a brood doe - some call them BUDs acronym for Big Ugly Doe. Then buying the very best buck you can afford from show lines.
This is so the brood doe will not have the dwarf gene and will be larger have more kits without having peanuts. The buck however should have the dwarf gene.


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## HototMama (Apr 23, 2014)

with your buck, you are going to want to stick with self colors.


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## itstrist (Apr 23, 2014)

I do know about dwarfs and peanuts. so what you're saying is that I should find a solid color dwarf like my buck?


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## HototMama (Apr 23, 2014)

self colors are blue, black, REW, BEW, chocolate, lilac. with your rabbit, a broken would be fine. but no otters or torts.


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## squidpop (Apr 24, 2014)

You are going to need to do a bit of reading to breed Netherland dwarfs, especially how the dwarf genes work. Its important to understand the dwarf gene because it can be lethal. If they carry 1 dwarf gene its not lethal, it is cute, they will have smaller ears, a pushed in face, and shorter body- they win the rabbit shows. But, if a baby gets 2 of the dwarf genes it is lethal and will be born a peanut which always dies. Having peanuts is a sad thing and makes breeding Nethies difficult and heartbreaking. If there are 2 peanuts in a litter of 3 and they die, leaving only 1 kit in the nest-- it is in jeopardy because it might freeze to death, because kits stay warm by snuggling together- because rabbit mom's will not stay in the nest with them to keep them warm. But there are ways to keep that scenerio from happening if you know about the genes. This explains a lot of what I'm talking about. http://www.raising-rabbits.com/dwarf-rabbits.html This explains more http://www.nhnetherlands.com/breeding-your-dwarf.html

Also, from the photos, your Doe looks like she might be a false dwarf- meaning she is a purebred Netherland dwarf but does not have the copy of the Dwarf gene which means she has a longer body and longer ears and her face isn't pushed in. This could all be a good thing!- she won't have any peanuts and she isn't as small as true dwarf would be so she won't have stuck kits. So she might make a good brood doe. If she was bred to a true dwarf buck the babies would have a 50/50 chance of inheriting the bucks true dwarf gene so half the babies could be true dwarfs and those are the ones that win in the shows. Also, you wouldn't have any peanuts. So if you could find a really typey buck for her in the right color - black otter, self black, or tort you could have some nice babies with her.

With your boy, I think he is a true dwarf so would want to find a false dwarf female for him- from a rabbitry that has nice typey rabbits in shaded colors compatable with his color.


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## squidpop (Apr 24, 2014)

Sorry--:blushan:

I just wrote that whole thing about true dwarfs and then posted it and realized that you said you do know about true dwarfs-- I tried to delete it but it won't delete-- sorry if it sounds patronizing

Embarassed - very sorry.


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## itstrist (Apr 24, 2014)

thank you so much for the info! not patronizing at all. I didn't actually know how peanuts were born, I just knew it was a possibility for a dwarf to have a peanut and also one that could very large. I will definitely read that article to educate myself more on the topic. Some people on this forum advised me not to breed the two together because their color combination wouldn't be an accepted dwarf color, but I have decided I will most likely be breeding them together as I already have 5 FOR SURE homes lined up for the kits.. plus more who want them but I doubt they will follow through. Most netherland dwarfs don't even have 5 kits and they will all be going to strictly pet homes so that is why I think I will breed them, but I have not gotten the doe yet I am scheduled to get her this weekend so I'm still contemplating if I will breed them or not.


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## itstrist (Apr 27, 2014)

would this doe be better to breed him to instead of the other one?


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## woahlookitsme (Apr 27, 2014)

A responsible pet breeder breeds toward some sort of standard and this is normally the breed standard for the rabbit. Even though pet breeders are not looking to show who knows if any of your buyers wish too. I think on here there is a thread that asks about pedigrees and she said she wanted a pet bunny to the seller but then said to us that she wants to show it at her county fair. This is a perfect example of why even pet breeders should look for animals that represent the breed standard as well. Otherwise it can be labeled as backyard breeding.

This is an ideal netherland dwarf and what you should be looking/striving for. You should first properly pose your buck and look at his faults. Make sure he has no structural faults like a dipped shoulder, pidgeon breast, or pinched hindquarters. Then find a doe that will give you offspring that looks like this. Ideally this is what your buck should look like.


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