Be sure to become familiar with the terms specific to your breed(s). Each has their own standard for showing, and each may be shown differently.
-Breeding Terms-
- Doe: Female
- Buck: Male
- Dam: Mother
- Sire: Father
- Kit(s): One or more baby rabbit.
- Nesting Box: A "box" that the mother has her kits in.
- Nesting: The mother has shown signs of labor by either pulling fur, or making a nest out of hay.
- Cull: Get rid of.
- Keep: Breeder is planning on keeping the rabbit.
- Brood: Breeding quality.
- Proven: Has proven s/he can breed by having a litter.
- POL: Pick of the Litter.
-Show Terms-
- BIS: Best in Show: The rabbit showed superior quality, and was the closest the the standard of their breed when compared to the rest of the rabbits of that show.
- GC: Grand Champion: Rabbit has earned at least 3 legs, and has completed the registration needed to be certified, and entered into the computers of the ARBA database. To be a GC, the rabbit must earn 3 legs in its lifetime, at least one of those legs earned as a senior. Rabbit must be registered by an ARBA certified registrar before Legs are sent out. Legs are not returned.
- BOB: Best of breed: The rabbit was the closest the the standard of perfection, of that breed.
- BOSB: Best Opposite Sex Breed: Rabbit that is the opposite sex from the Best of Breed. If BOB was a buck, BOSB would go to the best doe of that breed.
- BOG: Best of Group: Rabbit was the best in his or her group for that breed.
- BOSG: Best Opposite Sex Group: Rabbit is the opposite sex from the Best of Group.
- BOV: Best of Variety: Rabbit was the best representation of that variety within the breed.
- BOSV: Best Opposite Sex Variety: Rabbit is the opposite sex of Best of Variety.
- DQ: Disqualified: Rabbit had either a permanent, or a temporary flaw against the standard. Wrong nail color, classified as the wrong sex or color, dewlap in certain breeds, overweight/ underweight, etc. Each breed has its own set of faults, and are listed under the ARBA Stander of Perfection.
-Group Patterns-
- Agouti: Pattern has three or more bands of color. Must be distinguished. Chestnut, Chinchilla, Opal, etc.
- AOV: Any Other Variety: blue/black pointed white, also known as the Himalayan pattern in certain breeds.
- Broken: Pattern consists of a broken pattern. Colors much correspond with a recognized breed pattern, with white as the "base" color. Blue (broken blue), black otter (broken black otter), tortoise (broken tortoise), etc.
- Self: Pattern is consistant through the entire body, head, ears, tail, etc. Blue, Black, Chocolate, REW, BEW, etc.
- Shaded: Pattern includes a shaded color, usually from dark to light. Darker on the ears, head, feet, tail; lighter on the sides. Smoke Pearl, Siamese Sable, Seal, etc.
- Solid: In general, includes all patterns not including broken. Used in breeds such as the Holland Lop.
- Tan: A pattern that has more then one distinct pattern. See book of standards for specifics. All otters, All martens.
- BEW: Blue Eyed White. Rabbit has a solid white color throughout the entire body, with blue eyes.
- REW: Red Eyed White. Rabbit has a solid white color throughout the entire body, with red eyes..