Dwarf Lop

What is a Dwarf Lop?

A medium lop-eared rabbit of 1.9-2.4kg, thickset and rounded, with ears hanging either side of a broad flat-topped head. In Britain the British Rabbit Council calls this the Dwarf Lop; in American naming the same animal is a Mini Lop, and what Americans call a Holland Lop we call a Miniature Lop.

The practical advice is to ignore the name and ask the adult weight.

History and origins

Descended from the French Lop, which came from the English Lop crossed with the Flemish Giant in 19th-century France. German breeders produced the smaller Klein Widder in the 1950s, which reached Britain as the Dwarf Lop.

They have been among the most popular pet rabbits in Britain for decades.

Appearance and size

1.9-2.4kg, 25-30cm. Thickset and muscular with heavy bone, a broad head with a well-developed crown at the base of the ears, and ears hanging close to the cheeks. Short, dense, glossy coat in a wide range of colours.

Temperament and personality

Placid and tolerant, noticeably easier to handle than most upright-eared breeds. They settle quickly, enjoy company and are rarely flighty.

The lop ear costs you a signal: a rabbit that cannot move its ears is harder to read, so watch the body position, the flattened posture and the thump.

Intelligence and trainability

Very trainable by rabbit standards. They litter-train quickly, learn routines and respond to clicker work. Food-motivated and patient - a good choice for a family that wants to interact rather than observe.

Children and other pets

One of the better breeds for a family with children, with the usual conditions: supervised handling, sitting on the floor, and never chasing or grabbing. They are solid enough to be held safely.

Keep in a neutered pair - a bonded pair is less work than a single rabbit, not more. Never with a guinea pig.

Health problems

Ear infections. The defining lop problem. Folded canals do not drain, wax accumulates and infection follows. Signs are head shaking, scratching, a head tilt or a bad smell. Chronic cases need long-term veterinary management. Check inside the ears monthly.

Dental disease. The shortened skull that produces the lop head crowds the teeth. Malocclusion, molar spurs and root abscesses all occur, and molar problems cannot be seen without a vet's examination.

Gut stasis - an emergency within hours. Myxomatosis and RHDV1/RHDV2 - vaccinate annually. Flystrike May to October. E. cuniculi.

Daily care routine

Unlimited hay topped up, water, litter tray, and a back-end check - twice daily in warm weather. Ears checked monthly, nails every six to eight weeks, annual vaccination.

Grooming and coat care

A weekly brush, more during a moult. Never bathe. Nails need regular trimming, particularly for a house rabbit that does not wear them down.

Exercise needs

3m x 2m x 1m permanent minimum plus daily time in a larger area. They need to run in a straight line, binky, and stand fully upright without touching the roof. A hutch is a bed.

Feeding and diet

85% hay, unlimited. A daily handful of leafy greens and a measured eggcup of single-component pellets. No muesli mixes at all - selective feeding out of a muesli is a direct cause of the dental and gut disease this breed is already prone to.

Price

£40-£90, more from a breeder with pedigree and health records. Rescues rehome neutered, vaccinated bonded pairs for around £50-£80 the pair.

Setup £300-£600. Running costs £600-£1,000 a year for a pair. Neutering £80-£150 each; vaccination £50-£70 a year each.

Buying advice

See the mother and watch the breeder handle her. Ask to look inside the kit's ears and at its front teeth, and ask when it was born - eight weeks is the minimum and many are sold at six.

Ask about ear infections in the line specifically. A breeder who has never had one and does not know what you mean is not paying attention to the main health problem of the breed they breed.

Buy a bonded pair if you can, and look at rescues first: they are full of Dwarf Lops, already neutered, vaccinated and paired.