Middle Tennessee Rabbitry

NETHERLAND  DWARF  

Smaller than most rabbit breeds the Netherland Dwarf weighs 1 to 3 pounds.  Because of their small size they are not usually used as sources of meat or fur.  The are typically kept as pets or exhibition animals.  Their colors include Himalayan, Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Smoke Pearl, Sable Point, Tortoiseshell, Chestnut, Siamese Sable, Opal, Lynx, Squirrel, Chinchilla, Otter, Tan, Silver Marten, Sable Marten, Smoke Pearl Marten, Orange, Fawn, Steel, Blue Eyed White, and Ruby Eyed White.  The purebred Netherland Dwarf's ears are tiny and carried high on the head with rounded, shortened faces.  These features cause them to look infantile even as adults.

 HISTORY

As its name implies, the Netherland Dwarf was first bred in the Netherlands in the early 20th century.  Wild European rabbits of unusual small size were bred with medium sized rabbits of various breeds.  After several generations of selective breeding a small domestic rabbit evolved in a wide variety of colors and patterns.  Netherland Dwarfs were imported into the United Kingdom in the 1950's.  The United States didn't import them until the 1960's and 1970's

the picture shown above was found in google images