Mini Lop Standard

For more information: see your ARBA Standard of Perfection.....

The Mini Lop originated in Germany, where it was known as the "Kliene Widder". The breed was brought over to the United States by Bob Herschbach and made it's first United States debut in 1974 at the ARBA National Convention held in Ventura, California. Though the two animals that Mr. Herschbach exhibited didn't receive much attention, the breed name was Americanized to that of Mini Lop. Through the tireless efforts of a gentleman known as, Herb Dyke, and several other breeders, the breed was finally recognized and accepted by the ARBA in 1980 as a new breed of rabbit. New colors for this breed originated in the United States from crosses of Broken French Lops and Standard Chinchillas; the originals were two agouties and a white.

Groups

Agouti - A hair shaft that has three or more bands of color with a definite break between each color. The head feet and ears commonly have ticking.Eye circles, belly, under jaws, underside of tail and triangle are much lighter and in some cases white. Agouti rabbits come in the following colors; Chinchillas (Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Sable, Smoke Pearl), Chestnut Agouti (Black or Chocolate basic colors), Lynx, or Opal.

Broken - Any recognized breed color in conjunction with white and carrying the breed pattern.Body patterns may be spotted, patches or a blanket. Head markings should show color on the nose, both eye circles and both ears.

Tri-Colored Tri - Colored group is to consist of the following colors in conjunction with white: Dense black and golden orange, or lilac and golden fawn. Colors must be evenly distributed. Blacks and chocolates should have brown eyes; Blues and lilacs should have blue-grey eyes.

Pointed White - Color is to be a white body, with points of black, blue, chocolate or lilac on the ears, feet, legs and tail. Their eyes should be pink.

Self - Self animals are to have the same color over the body, head, ears, feet, legs and tail. Colors are Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac and white.

Shaded - Shaded animals show gradual transition of a basic color, usally from dark to light. More than often darker colors appear on the back, head, ears, leg areas, feet and tail. Colors include: Frosted Pearl (Black, Blue, Chocolate or Lilac shading color.), Sable, Sable Point, Seal, Smoke Pearl, Tortoise (Black, Blue, Chocolate, or Lilac Shading colors).

Ticked - Ticked animals have guard hairs throughout the coat either solid or tipped, with a distinct color from the under color or surface color. Colors include: Silver/Silver Fox (Black, Blue, or Fawn Basic), Steel (Gold or Silver Tipping; Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Sable or Smoke Pearl).

Wide Band - Wide band animals show the same basic coloration throughout the rabbit, though they may show lighter coloration around the eye circles, inside the ears, under the tail, jowls or belly areas. Colors include: Cream, Fawn, Orange and Red.
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Points

General Type	80
Body	43
Ears & Crown	12
Feet, Legs & Bone	5
Fur	10
Color & Markings	5
Condition	5
Total Points	100

Body (43)- The general aspect of the Mini Lop is the massive, thickset body. Their shoulders are to be broad, well filled, with good depth and rising to a slightly heavier hindquarter which is deep broad, smooth and rounded; the lower hips should also be well filled. In general, Mini Lops are very muscular, compact and balanced. Does can have dewlaps but should remain balanced with the rest of the rabbit. - Shaped similar to a basket ball.	Faults - Flatness over the shoulders or hips, undercut or chopped off hindquarters, long narrow bodies & overly large dewlaps.
Head (20)- The head should be set close to the body, strongly developed and sturdy without being too narrow. The crown should be boldly arched and there should be a slight curvature of the skull from the base of the crown to the nose. -a Bull Dog type head	Faults - Long, narrow head, pointed nose
Ears & Crown (12)- The ears should hang down close to the cheeks, be in proportion and balance with the size of the head and body. They should be well furred and well rounded at their extremity's. - a bold, wide horseshoe shaped crown which make the ears lop, instead of winging out to the sides (air plane ears)	Faults - Narrow ears, very thick or thin ears, thinly furred ears, ear openings turned away from head, poor ear carriage.
Feet, Legs & Bone (5)- Thick, short, straight and heavy leg bones. Broken pattern group toe nails may be either light or dark; a difference in pigmentation between rear and front toenails is permitted; All front toe nails should match and all rear toe nails should match.	Faults - Extremely fine bone, Unmatched toenails in the broken group. Disqualification- General toenail color disqualifications apply on all solid pattern animals.
Fur (10) - Coat should be glossy and uniform in length, very thick and dense, with a good rollback.	Faults - Silky, long, harsh, thin or extremely shot fur.
Color & Markings (5)- Solid pattern is to include all recognized colors within the recognized groups. The broken pattern is to include any recognized color within a recognized group in conjunction with white. It is preferred for the brokens to have a butterfly like pattern on the face, solid color encircling the eyes and solid colored ears. The body color should be evenly distributed in patched or blanketed markings. The rear feet may be white, colored, or partially colored. Half of the color points for brokens go to color, the other half to their patterns.	Faults - Excessive white hairs in the solid pattern group, Brokens with few face markings or partial nose/eye markings. Disqualifications-Solids with excessive white hairs. Brokens with less than 10% coloration., no head markings