Do you have to show to be a good breeder?

[whaleyk98]

I was just thinking, and I know this is probably going to be a matter of opinion, but do you have to show your rabbits in order to be a good breeder or can you be a good breeder without showing? What do you think?

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I think what qualifies a good breeder is responsible morals and principles...showing doesn't have anything to do with either. I know of more than one show breeder who I do not consider "good" breeders.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I think that you can be a good breeder without showing. However, doing well in shows does show that your rabbits conform to the breed standard. Some breeders do breed rabbits that have some faults, but not major ones. Some faults would be a non show able colour that would be ok to breed to another rabbit (colour genetics are important here). Some things can be evened out by breeding. A rabbit with a narrower head can be bred to one with a fatter head and the offspring should have a head closer to the standard.

I think that breeders should show some of their rabbits, usually the ones that are exceptional examples of the breed. If shows that they are working toward the betterment on the breed and not just breeding for the sake of breeding or to provide animals for pet stores or just the pet market.

I'm not sure I would go to a breeder who doesn't show, especially if I was looking for a rabbit to breed or show. They don't have to attend lots of shows, but a few a year should be good.
A breeder may not know what is show, breeding, and pet quality of they do not show themselves.

Just my :twocents

 

[TinysMom]

I don't think that it is showing that makes someone a good breeder...but it does say something about the quality of their animals.

We have only 2 shows per year that are within a 4 hour drive one-way. Another 2 are about a 6 hour drive.

I don't have the money for gas & show fees anymore.

I do tend to look at the quality of what others are breeding & their goals before I buy anything.

I've been at shows where people would snicker & make fun of breeders behind their back....usually because it was an inexperienced breeder working with 2 or 3 breeds but not knowing the standard for the breed...or just breeding substandard rabbits to see what they would get.

To me...those are a good example of backyard breeders to avoid.

 

[BSAR]

You don't have to but if you would really like to know that you have great rabbits and babies, who may be shown, then you might want to so that you can get an experts opinion before you breed that rabbit.

 

[whaleyk98]

My only issue is that I cannot go to shows on weekends and this is when they all seem to be. I dont know any way around this but I want to be a breeder thats taken seriously. I really want to enter a few shows to see "what I have" but I figured Id ask peoples opinions first on showing and not showing. I have a small rabbitry but I am aquiring good stock that has great lines and hasbeen shown (one of my bucks has 2 legs and is registered)so Iguess thats a start.

I appreciate everyone responses. =)

 

[Bunnymom,K]

I don't think you have to show to be a good breeder, but if you can I think it's a good thing to do. A good breeder only breeds animals (no matter what species) that conform to the breed standard, are healthy and have good temperaments. This is where showing can be a good thing- it's too easy to not be critical enough when judging the quality of your own animals. I know plenty of people who think their bunny or dog etc is just "ideal" and "of great conformation" when they are not really good specimens of their breed. But on the other hand I don't put a lot of stock into rabbits that win at shows unless they are competing against a large number of the same breed and sex. I have seen animals (dogs, rabbits and even horses) that win at a show just because of a lack of decent competition.

 

[pamnock]

whaleyk98 wrote:

My only issue is that I cannot go to shows on weekends and this is when they all seem to be. I dont know any way around this but I want to be a breeder thats taken seriously. I really want to enter a few shows to see "what I have" but I figured Id ask peoples opinions first on showing and not showing. I have a small rabbitry but I am aquiring good stock that has great lines and hasbeen shown (one of my bucks has 2 legs and is registered)so Iguess thats a start.

I appreciate everyone responses. =)

A successful show record is the breeder's best advertisement and promotion of thier stock.

Breeders have a tendency to be "barn blind", so it really helps to get out and have your stock evaluated by a judge.

Showing also helps you to fully understand the application of the Standard of Perfection.

To really be taken seriously as a breeder of quality showrabbits, you need a proven show record behind your rabbits. Top show breeders who don'texhibit much prove the quality of their stock by placing high at national conventions.



Pam

 

[murph72]

I'm guilty of not showing that often due to my schedule constraints with my job. However, I do realize that a lot can be learned from having your rabbits seen at shows. One thing that has helped me over the years is to keep in touch with people who bought my rabbits with the intent to show them. They let me know what the judges say, so I learn through them. Since my rabbits are often going out of state, I'm also learning from shows that I never would have traveled to.

I think the definition of a good breeder encompasses far more than how many shows they have attended. One of my favorite breeders only goes to about four shows a year. In comparison, another of my favorite breeders goes to far more than I even knew existed. Rather than just looking at the number of legs their rabbits have, I like to look at the number of legs in comparison to the number of times the rabbit has been shown...it tells a far greater tale. The ones with more legs are the ones that are far more devoted to showing. If that's your thing and you really enjoy it, that's fine...but I'm not going to discredit the breeder who wins a leg when she has the time to go to the shows. There are far more reasons why I think she is a great breeder than just her show wins.

 

[Erins Rabbits]

I think a good breeder breeds to improve the quality of the breed. Meaning, no purposeful mutts, keeping full pedigrees on breeding stock, no breeding to breed. No Novelty breeds (I've seen a Flemmie with a Mane- thouroughly ugly and unneccessary). No breeding because you think the babies will be cute. Not to see what a rabbit throws, to experiment with color. And, I personally don't like breeders who only breed for the pet market.

So, I think, to be a good breeder, you need to know what you're doing. A show here and there makes for good impressions, I think.


ETA: I don't meant to talk down those who don't show. Don't get me wrong, I know you can be good breeders without breeding to show. You have to be responsible and there is so much to it.

There is a big difference between good, responsible breeder and good responsible owner, though, you should be the latter to even attempt the first.

 

[Blaze_Amita]

I don't show much but, i write everything down on each rabbit when it's shown and when i breed out the does with bucks i do try to show at least one baby from the litter to see hwo they type out compared to their parents. I hate trying to type my rabbits, i'm afraid of being blinded by my own self. My favorite thing is raising my babies, playing with them and making them extremely friendly, most of my holland lop babies end up being sold as pets long before i can get them to a show table.
But like i said earlier, I get to three shows a year, I bring some babies to sell, my show stock(which is typically parents to the babies) and I let the people look at the parents and let them judge the babies on their own, so they know what they are getting