If you ever ask Holland Lop breeders or owners why they picked their breed, you will likely get a lot of the same answers. Many will tell you that they picked them because of their looks, for they are truly an eye catching breed! Some breeders might say they chose the Holland Lop due to the high level of competition. Some might even say they chose the Holland Lop because of the wide range of colors that are recognized in the breed. However, perhaps even more frequently you will hear the answer that they picked the Holland Lop due to their temperaments. Ask most any Holland Lop fancier and they will tell you that a trademark of the breed is its charismatic friendliness and charm. It's what draws newcomers to the breed and what keeps them there for years to come.
However, interestingly enough, there seems to also be a percentage of people who claim that Hollands are not, in fact, all of these things (at least in terms of temperament). I've heard judges refer to Hollands as spunky, opinionated, stubborn, and even mean. They are known by many as a classic example of bad behavior and unwillingness to pose. How a Holland Lop performs on the show table is often blamed on a wayward personality rather than physical structure. A judge or breeder might work with a Holland Lop for hours before it finally extends itself high enough on its front limb to be deemed satisfactory.
I believe that the reason for these differing opinions lies almost exclusively in how the rabbits are handled. Those who complain of the behavior of the Holland Lop tend to be those with a rougher hand. Those who do not complain of these issues tend to be those with a gentle touch. It should go without saying that when handling any animal, one should employ the least amount of force necessary to achieve the desired behavior. While I am of the opinion that all rabbits regardless of breed should only require a light touch in order to pose correctly, the result of said handling is especially apparent in Holland Lops. How a Holland Lop behaves is quite telling of the skill of the handler.
A Holland Lop is a 3 lb prey animal that typically grows up with a lot more handling and affection than many other breeds. They are popular as pets and have very personable temperaments. This means that many Hollands come to expect gentle handling. They rarely, if ever, require a firm or rough hand in order to pose correctly. As such, harsh handling is rather unfair to the animal, especially in a show environment in which the rabbit will already be more stressed than normal.
Another consideration is that the overwhelming majority of those who handle Hollands over-pose them. The trouble with over-posing is that it entirely distorts the rabbit's appearance and gives a false idea of the animal's true type. It makes the body appear considerably better than it actually is by tucking and hiding hindquarter and midsection faults, pushing the legs underneath the animal to hide shoulder faults, and hyper-extending the animal on its front limb to give the illusion of false depth. In addition to giving an entirely false evaluation of the animal, it forces the Holland Lop into an extremely unnatural position. It is uncomfortable for any animal to be over-posed. This is because they are not physically built to sit in this position. Every Holland Lop on the planet is physically able to pose correctly, but none are built to over-pose. Many complain of Holland Lops taking a long time to show themselves off. In this case, the animal is rarely, if ever, being obstinate. Rather, they are in a state of discomfort while being over-posed until they eventually hyper-extend their front limb and over-tuck their rear end enough to be sufficient to the handler's desire. This is not natural, and it is not correct.
While many would argue that a Holland Lop is one of the more difficult breeds to pose, I personally don't see this as the case. Provided a light touch is used and consideration is given to correct posing of the animal with minimal effort, a Holland Lop should be as easy to pose as any other breed. To me, it all boils down to basic respect of the animal. Before blaming a Holland Lop for its behavior, it's important to be cognizant of your handling and how it might impact the animal. With a gentle touch and a solid understanding of correct posing, a Holland Lop will flourish in your hands!
However, interestingly enough, there seems to also be a percentage of people who claim that Hollands are not, in fact, all of these things (at least in terms of temperament). I've heard judges refer to Hollands as spunky, opinionated, stubborn, and even mean. They are known by many as a classic example of bad behavior and unwillingness to pose. How a Holland Lop performs on the show table is often blamed on a wayward personality rather than physical structure. A judge or breeder might work with a Holland Lop for hours before it finally extends itself high enough on its front limb to be deemed satisfactory.
I believe that the reason for these differing opinions lies almost exclusively in how the rabbits are handled. Those who complain of the behavior of the Holland Lop tend to be those with a rougher hand. Those who do not complain of these issues tend to be those with a gentle touch. It should go without saying that when handling any animal, one should employ the least amount of force necessary to achieve the desired behavior. While I am of the opinion that all rabbits regardless of breed should only require a light touch in order to pose correctly, the result of said handling is especially apparent in Holland Lops. How a Holland Lop behaves is quite telling of the skill of the handler.
A Holland Lop is a 3 lb prey animal that typically grows up with a lot more handling and affection than many other breeds. They are popular as pets and have very personable temperaments. This means that many Hollands come to expect gentle handling. They rarely, if ever, require a firm or rough hand in order to pose correctly. As such, harsh handling is rather unfair to the animal, especially in a show environment in which the rabbit will already be more stressed than normal.
Another consideration is that the overwhelming majority of those who handle Hollands over-pose them. The trouble with over-posing is that it entirely distorts the rabbit's appearance and gives a false idea of the animal's true type. It makes the body appear considerably better than it actually is by tucking and hiding hindquarter and midsection faults, pushing the legs underneath the animal to hide shoulder faults, and hyper-extending the animal on its front limb to give the illusion of false depth. In addition to giving an entirely false evaluation of the animal, it forces the Holland Lop into an extremely unnatural position. It is uncomfortable for any animal to be over-posed. This is because they are not physically built to sit in this position. Every Holland Lop on the planet is physically able to pose correctly, but none are built to over-pose. Many complain of Holland Lops taking a long time to show themselves off. In this case, the animal is rarely, if ever, being obstinate. Rather, they are in a state of discomfort while being over-posed until they eventually hyper-extend their front limb and over-tuck their rear end enough to be sufficient to the handler's desire. This is not natural, and it is not correct.
While many would argue that a Holland Lop is one of the more difficult breeds to pose, I personally don't see this as the case. Provided a light touch is used and consideration is given to correct posing of the animal with minimal effort, a Holland Lop should be as easy to pose as any other breed. To me, it all boils down to basic respect of the animal. Before blaming a Holland Lop for its behavior, it's important to be cognizant of your handling and how it might impact the animal. With a gentle touch and a solid understanding of correct posing, a Holland Lop will flourish in your hands!