06/04/2026
This is a great perspective worth thinking about ❤️
I'm seeing this float around again, and every time I do, I feel compelled to share my perspective.
Not every new breeder is breeding irresponsibly. Many have spent months researching before ever bringing home their first rabbit. Some have mentors guiding them every step of the way. Others don't. But every single experienced breeder was new once. There was a time when none of us knew what type was. A time when we couldn't identify faults. A time when we didn't understand pedigrees, genetics, posing, body condition, color projects, or why breeding for improvement matters.
Knowledge is learned. Experience is earned.
Yes, breeding should be done thoughtfully. Yes, we should strive to preserve and improve our breeds. Yes, education matters. But education is often most effective when it's offered with kindness. I am not encouraging careless breeding. I am not saying standards don't matter. What I am saying is that when we see someone who genuinely wants to learn, our first instinct shouldn't be to mock them, embarrass them, or make them feel unwelcome, It should be to teach.
The reason I became a breeder isn't some picture perfect rabbitry success story. I spent close to a year researching rabbit care because I wanted a couple of pet rabbits. That's it, just pets. Then life happened, and I ended up with a buck and a doe. They had babies and somewhere along the way, I completely fell in love with rabbits and with breeding. So yes, I am exactly the kind of story many breeders shake their heads at. My first litter was accidental. Iwas breeding mixed breed pets. I had very little guidance. Ididn't know what I didn't know. I look back at some of the things I did in those early years and cringe. I learned though, I asked questions, I researched, I made mistakes, I improved, and that's exactly why I believe so strongly in helping others do the same.
Imagine how much stronger this hobby would be if experienced breeders spent less time tearing down beginners and more time helping them understand why certain things matter. Most are simply at the beginning of the same journey we once started ourselves. Today my goals are very different than they were back then. I focus on improvement. Improving my lines. Improving type. Improving myself as a breeder. But none of that happened overnight. It happened because I chose to keep learning.
The rabbit community doesn't grow when we shame people for what they don't know. It grows when we educate them. So to the new breeders reading this. Ask questions, keep learning, stay humble, don't be afraid to admit when you don't know something, and don't let anyone convince you that making mistakes means you can't become a good breeder someday.
And to the experienced breeders. Remember where you started, remember the things you didn't know, remember the people who helped you or the people you wish would have. A little kindness and education can change the entire direction of someone's journey. My inbox is always open (though I may take a few business days to respond sometimes 😆). I don't know everything, and I never will. But if I can help, encourage, or share what I've learned along the way, I'm happy to do so.
If you are new or experienced with breeding, I believe in you, you for this, keep improving!
I also want to add that buying from an experienced breeder is a great idea as well. Especially if you yourself are new, because we are often times able to completely guide you every step of the way.
