just going to ask this question to you breeders straight out.....

[farmerchick]

thank you everyone for your input! i hope i didn't ruffle anyones fur... we're still considering the pro's and cons of it but i will post pics if we end up going through with it. thank you everyone

 

[tamsin]

Breeding a rex with a heavier weight rabbit like a lop can increase the chances of sore hocks in the offspring as you mix thin fur with hocks that need to carry more weight.

Although, neither of the rabbits in the photos is actually a rex? If that's the rabbit you thought was a rex it might be an idea to post the actual weights of the two rabbits rather than people giving advice based on the breed standard weights as cross breeds often don't fall within guidelines.

 

[akane]

Breeders don't toss two rabbits together because they are pretty, have good personalities, and "just want cute babies!"

Pretty with good personalities would actually be 90% of the reason I know breeders of good animals do mix those 2. Preferably you also know the health of the lines, the percentage of inbreeding if you got them from the same area, and have a plan in mind for where you want them to go but really what is the point of a pet? The standards we often breed animals to no longer have much point besides a set of looks and being easy to handle. If the original purpose of your breed was for meat and you do not breed for meat then holding up the SOP as the only reason seems a little silly. With both dogs and horses performance quality animals and handling/halter quality animals are 2 different things in many breeds. Those animals that can do something are sometimes quite different then those animals who win in the show ring despite the fact the show ring was originally designed to prove they had the ability and personality for a physical task.

Since majority of the animals we breed are for pets and enjoyment personality should be one of the top goals followed by health and then whether you like the looks. Then I would actually look at whether an animal makes a certain set of traits that a group of people want. Looks and standards held by breed associations are greatly subject to the current trends, interpretations, and opinions. Even in my short lifespan I have seen the quarter horse world turn 180 degrees on what was considered the best halter and western pleasure horses. What you think an animal should look like, what everyone else thinks, and what meets their original purpose are all very different and very valid points of view. The SOP is not the bible (which is even less impressive to someone who is not religious like me) anymore than the AQHA standard can say my horses who are winning state in barrels or actually working cattle on a farm are not what a quarter horse should be. Their task is to be fast, agile, and powerful while being appealing to my eye not to look the most impressive to a group of people who are never going to set foot on my property or the back of my horses. I breed AQHA registered animals so I know their background and I can keep track of what my foals do later, not because it is required to make a good riding horse.

This is why in every other animal I have stopped showing in classes that are just for looks and concentrate on performance. The nastiest most useless critters can be made to slip by pretty regularly and tomorrow the same thing may not be held up as the standard of today. Also why I actually have great respect for those who manage to maintain a great breed without getting it added to one of the big associations. AIDogs (American Indian dogs) are a good example and a group of breeders who refuse to join the AKC so no one can dictate what is correct but them.