Different Lop Breeds

Lop-eared rabbit breeds are characterized by ears that droop down. Five lop-eared breeds are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association. They are the Holland, the larger English and French breeds, the fluffy Fuzzy lop or the mini lop -- which is not the smallest lop-eared breed but is a favorite with children.

  1. American Fuzzy Lop

    • The Fuzzy lop is a ball of fluff. It is one of the smallest lop-eared breeds and carries a dwarf gene, according the American Rabbit Breeders Association. Ideally he weighs no more than 4 pounds fully grown. He has a broad head and a compact, rounded body. A ridge of cartilage on his crown makes his ears flop against the side of his head. His long, fluffy hair is called wool. Although his wool coat measures only about 2 inches in length, it can be spun into yarn. Compared with the angora rabbit's wool it's pretty coarse. This coarseness has an advantage: the Fuzzy rabbit's coat doesn't tangle, so he's easy to groom.

    Holland Lop

    • The Holland lop breed originates, as you may guess, in the Netherlands. The breed appeared in 1949 and was introduced into the United States in 1976; the Holland was officially recognized as a breed in 1979. Since then, this small lop-ear has become a favorite pet rabbit. The Holland lop's ears hang below his cheeks. The Holland has a broad body and short, thick legs. He looks stocky, but actually he has a fine bone structure and should weigh no more than 4 pounds. The breed comes in a variety of colors: the most popular are fawn, white and black-and-white.

    English and French Lop

    • The English lop adult has a minimum weight of 10.5 pounds. This breed is differentiated from the others by having no crown; his ears flop down because of their weight and length, which should span 21 inches from tip to tip. The English is the original lop-eared breed according to ARBA, but the challenges involved in raising the breed has led to decreasing numbers. In the United States the English lop shares a specialty breeders club with the French lop. The French lop is a similar size, ideally a minimum of 11 pounds. ARBA places it in the "giant" rabbit category. He has a gentle personality, but his size makes him a challenge to pet owners as he's about the same size as a small dog.

    Mini Lop

    • The mini lop is the most popular lop breed. This cute, cuddly lop weighs between 5.5 and 6.5 pounds. He's been listed as a recognized breed in the United States since 1982. The mini lop has broad shoulders, short legs and a muscular build, somewhat like the Holland lop. The mini makes a good pet because he is lively, playful and can be trained to use a litter box. The breed comes in a wide variety of colors, but only seven color groups are recognized by ARBA; these include agouti, broken, shaded, white-pointed, wide-banded, ticked and self.