History and information on the French Lop

FRENCH LOP BUCKS      FRENCH LOP DOES

History of the French Lop

The French Lop rabbit was first bred in France around 1850 by a Frenchman named Condenier.
There were several other breeders that bred the Lops during this time period, however the credit is given to Condenier as the originator
of this breed. The French Lop breed resulted from a cross between the English Lop and the Butterfly rabbit of France. The Butterfly
rabbit is still bred in France and can be seen at the Grand Prix Show in Paris. This rabbit closely resembles our Flemish Giant of today,
but is shorter in body and weighs approximately 15 pounds. Between the period of 1850-1910 there was great popularity of both the
French and English Lop on the continent of Europe and in England. In fact, they were referred to as the "King Of The Fancy".
Mr. Woodgate of England contributes the downfall of the French and English Lops due to the fact that they obtained such perfection
during this period that they lost their challenge to the breeders.

    Our American Standard has for years recognized both Lop breeds. Through the great efforts of many early Lop breeders,
the Lops have gained enormous popularity and recognition in this country. The original stock was imported from Switzerland,
Holland, Belgium and Germany during 1970-1971. The future of our French and English Lops in America looks bright and promising.
 

Appearance

The French lop has a stocky body with sturdy, fairly short legs.  The head is broad with a curved profile with thick ears that
hang down with the tips below the jaw.  The coat is dense and soft and slightly long and comes in many varieties.

• Shoulders & Body – Check for massive thick and broad shoulders.  Check for flatness over shoulders and hips, chopped
  off hindquarters. Top-line should start at base of ears.

• Head – wide and sturdy, set close to the shoulders, neck as short as possible.  Check curvature of the head from ear base
  to nose.

• Ears – Openings should be facing head, close to the cheek, ears should be well furred.

• Feet and legs – thick short and straight, parallel to the body, Toenails should be all one color (with the exception of
  Broken Varieties)

• Fur – Dense, thick and rollback. Underside of tail and stomach should match color as close as possible, no white hairs
  (on solid colored rabbits)

• Eyes – Depending on Color (most are blue-grey)

Size

The French Lop is a "Giant Breed" and should weigh:
SR Bucks~10 1/2 lbs & over
SR Does~11 lbs & over
6/8 Bucks~11 /12 lbs & under
6/8 Does~12 lbs & under
JR Bucks/Does~ 5 1/4 to 10 1/2 lbs

Character

The French Lop is generally very calm and docile, good natured and affectionate making it an excellent pet, but needs plenty
of space due to its large size

Lifespan

The Average Lifespan is 5 - 7 years (some have lived as long as 13 years)