**please note this was written on a desktop - left/right will appear as top/bottom on mobile**
These are the severe faults we will show examples of and go over: BODY: Low head mount; long or narrow body; flat shoulders; dip over shoulder.
HEAD: Narrow or long head; head too small to balance with body.
CROWN: Ear control.
BONE, FEET, AND LEGS: Long or fine bone; weak ankles.
It's important to know how to properly posed your bunny. A video on how to can be found here: https://youtu.be/XeEwtjh2PLs
NOTE: All rabbits in this article are posed to the best of my ability at the time the photo was taken. I'm always learning. I wrote everything to the best of my ability and knowledge.
**All pictures used in this are mine or used with permission**
Body:
Low Head Mount
Left: Low Head Mount
Right: Good head mount
The best way to identify a low head mount is the eye. The eye should be in line with the top of the top-line when properly posed. Rabbits with a low head mount, their eye will drop below like the rabbit on the left.
Long Body
Left: Long body
Right: Short Body
When viewed from the top, those with long bodies will have more of an oval shape. Where those who have short bodies will look like a round ball.
Narrow Body
Left: Narrow body (not terribly)
Right: Wide body
This is something that is hard to 'show' in pictures. You want a wide body, not a narrow one! Hopefully you can see the differences, but the best way to tell if narrow or not, is too feel it! Run your hand down your posed Holland Lops and see who feels wide and who is narrow.
Flat Shoulders
Left: Flat shoulder/long shoulder
Right: Good shoulders/short shoulders
"Flat shoulders" to me is a long shoulder - extra length. The BEW on the left has a flat spot after his head. Compared to the broken tort on the right who's topline starts right after her head.
Dip Over Shoulder
Left: Severe shoulder dip
Right: Good shoulder
Shoulder dips are the only fault/severe fault I would NEVER breed into my herd. They are a structural fault (like pinched HQ) and if severe enough can even cause pain to the bunny. Not all dips are as severe as the rabbit on the left shows. Below is a less severe dip.
Now this bunny doesn't have such a bad dip, but its still there. I drew on these pics to show the dip more.
You want the start of the topline to be the highest point. A dip is something you can feel more than tell sometimes on pics, as below the junior buck does not have a dip - its just the way he was posed. A true dip should never be used in breeding programs.
Head
Narrow Head
Left: Narrow head
Right: Wide head
You do NOT want to see the rabbits eyes when looked straight on. The head should be wide and massive. Juniors will have a smaller head for a bit, this is normal, and the head should 'pop' by the time they are 6 or so month (some lines take longer to mature). Does will overall have a small head compared to a buck, but it should still show some width.
Left: a good example of a BAD head on a junior
Right: What you want to see at 12 weeks, promising head.
Long Head
Left: Long head
Right: Ideal Head
The Holland Lop's snout should be short and wide, not long and pointy.
Head Too Small to Balance with Body
Left: Unbalanced head
Right: Ideal balance
The head should big enough that is appears to be half the size of the rabbits body. Does will overall have a smaller head, but you should still aim to have a 'balanced' rabbit.
Crown
Ear Control
Left: Ear control
Right: No ear control
Sometimes juniors will have ear control they grow out of, sometimes they don't. Although ear control can be undesirable, if rest of the bunny is nice, breeding to the right bunny can fix the ear control in coming generations.
Bone, Feet, and Legs
Long Bone
Left: Long bone
Right: Short bone
Long bone is determined by how long the front limb is when posed correctly. The rabbit on the left, her front limb is very long. Where the rabbit on the right has shorter limb.
Thin Bone
Left: Thin bone
Right: Thick bone
Thin bone describes how thick the rabbits front limb looks. The rabbit on the left not only has thin bone, but long bone. The rabbit on the right has thick and short bone. Though not always, short bone is often seen with thick bone. Flip your bunnies over, those with short and wide back feet or going to have better bone than those with long, skinny back feet.
Weak Ankles
Left: Weak Ankles
Right: Good ankles
Those with weak ankles more than often have thin and long bone (there are exceptions). Rabbits with weak ankles, their front limb will make an "L" where those that don't have "tree trunks" that hit the ground directly.
Just because a rabbit has severe faults, doesn't mean they shouldn't be bred. Only severe fault I'd never even consider breeding is a shoulder dip. Try not to pair two rabbits together with the same fault, and always aim to better the breed.
I hope you found this helpful! If any questions, please feel free to contact me. I'm always more than willing to help evaluate any Holland Lops, so if you need help feel free to send me posed pics and I'll give you my honest opinion.