| Showing Tips |
| Double Dutch Rabbitry |
- Concentrate on just one breed, in only one or two varieties that are
compatible with each other. Don’t try to do everything and spread yourself out
too far.
- Learn as much as you can. Talk to breeders at shows, go to other breeders’
websites, etc.
- If you’re under the age of 18 join 4-H and/or FFA. This will teach you all about
rabbits, prepare you for the first show, etc.
- If you’re in 4-H or FFA, don’t stick to just their shows, go to ARBA shows also.
If you show well in open or youth, you usually do excellent in 4-H.
- Join ARBA. This is the AKC to the rabbit world. With membership to this you
will receive a Guidebook to Raising Better Rabbits and Cavies and a
subscription to the Domestic Rabbits magazine.
- Join your breed’s national specialty club. Most have guidebooks on their
breed. They also all have newsletters/magazines that they send out that has
more information on your breed.
- Join your State’s club, get involved with it.
- Join and become an active member in a local all breed club in your area.
These are the clubs that put on the all breed shows. Without them, there will be
no shows. Most only have a few dedicated members in it, so more members
are always welcomed. It's also a great way to meet the other breeders and
judges in your area.
- If they have one, join your breed’s state/local club, and become involved in it.
- Get a Standard of Perfection. Know your breed standard, this is what you’re
breeding your rabbit towards.
- Buy the best stock you can. Don’t start out with rabbits that won’t do good. Bad
rabbits will reproduce more bad rabbits and only cost you more money later
down the road.
- Breed your own rabbits and show them. There is no better feeling than
winning big with a home grown rabbit.
- Breed for quality, not quantity.
- Do not sacrifice quality just because it's a rare color.
- Don’t be afraid of Competition. Competition will only make you want to breed
better so your rabbits will perform better.
- Have good sportsmanship. Congratulate the winners.
- Clip the nails of your rabbits before you go to the show. The judge will
appreciate it.
- Don’t forget to bring a chair to the show. It’ll be a long day, and your feet will
appreciate it.
- Keep accurate records. This is so you remember due dates, weaning dates,
etc.
- Don’t be handling your rabbit before they’re to be shown, this will ruin their
condition. I usually do a quick groom to all my rabbits in the morning then leave
them alone until right before I take them up, which is when I do another quick
glance over to make sure they look good.
- And the biggest thing to know is cull, cull, cull!
(This means “To remove from the rabbitry”. Whether you sell or give it away to a
pet store, feed store, as a pet, or even to another breeder for show, whatever
you remove out of your rabbitry not to use anymore, that is culling.) A rabbit just
sitting around not being used to show or breed is just wasting you money. It’s
taking up money by you having to feed it, taking up your cages, etc. It’s fine to
have one or two pets in the rabbitry that you’re not able to part with, but to keep
a competitive edge you can not stay that way with every rabbit.
Copyright © 2001-2010 Double Dutch Rabbitry. All rights reserved.
http://doubledutchrabbitry.com
compatible with each other. Don’t try to do everything and spread yourself out
too far.
- Learn as much as you can. Talk to breeders at shows, go to other breeders’
websites, etc.
- If you’re under the age of 18 join 4-H and/or FFA. This will teach you all about
rabbits, prepare you for the first show, etc.
- If you’re in 4-H or FFA, don’t stick to just their shows, go to ARBA shows also.
If you show well in open or youth, you usually do excellent in 4-H.
- Join ARBA. This is the AKC to the rabbit world. With membership to this you
will receive a Guidebook to Raising Better Rabbits and Cavies and a
subscription to the Domestic Rabbits magazine.
- Join your breed’s national specialty club. Most have guidebooks on their
breed. They also all have newsletters/magazines that they send out that has
more information on your breed.
- Join your State’s club, get involved with it.
- Join and become an active member in a local all breed club in your area.
These are the clubs that put on the all breed shows. Without them, there will be
no shows. Most only have a few dedicated members in it, so more members
are always welcomed. It's also a great way to meet the other breeders and
judges in your area.
- If they have one, join your breed’s state/local club, and become involved in it.
- Get a Standard of Perfection. Know your breed standard, this is what you’re
breeding your rabbit towards.
- Buy the best stock you can. Don’t start out with rabbits that won’t do good. Bad
rabbits will reproduce more bad rabbits and only cost you more money later
down the road.
- Breed your own rabbits and show them. There is no better feeling than
winning big with a home grown rabbit.
- Breed for quality, not quantity.
- Do not sacrifice quality just because it's a rare color.
- Don’t be afraid of Competition. Competition will only make you want to breed
better so your rabbits will perform better.
- Have good sportsmanship. Congratulate the winners.
- Clip the nails of your rabbits before you go to the show. The judge will
appreciate it.
- Don’t forget to bring a chair to the show. It’ll be a long day, and your feet will
appreciate it.
- Keep accurate records. This is so you remember due dates, weaning dates,
etc.
- Don’t be handling your rabbit before they’re to be shown, this will ruin their
condition. I usually do a quick groom to all my rabbits in the morning then leave
them alone until right before I take them up, which is when I do another quick
glance over to make sure they look good.
- And the biggest thing to know is cull, cull, cull!
(This means “To remove from the rabbitry”. Whether you sell or give it away to a
pet store, feed store, as a pet, or even to another breeder for show, whatever
you remove out of your rabbitry not to use anymore, that is culling.) A rabbit just
sitting around not being used to show or breed is just wasting you money. It’s
taking up money by you having to feed it, taking up your cages, etc. It’s fine to
have one or two pets in the rabbitry that you’re not able to part with, but to keep
a competitive edge you can not stay that way with every rabbit.
Copyright © 2001-2010 Double Dutch Rabbitry. All rights reserved.
http://doubledutchrabbitry.com
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