Common Mistakes Guide

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Doing it wrong:  

Ears: Pinch and look in left ear, pinch and look in right ear.

Front Legs: Some showmen will pull the front leg and count the toenails of the left foot, then pull the right foot and count the nails.

Back Legs:  Some showmen will check the hock of the back leg and then count the toenails of the left foot and then check the hock of the right foot and count the nails

Proper way:  

Ears:  Pinch the base of the left ear, then pinch the base of the right ear.  Look in the left ear and then look in the right ear.

Front Legs: Pull the front left leg, then pull the right front leg.  Check the toenails of the left leg and then the toenails of the right leg.

Back Legs:  Check the hock of the left foot then the hock of the right foot.  Then check the toenails of the left foot and then toenails of the right foot.

Doing it wrong:  Some showmen will run their hand all the way to the table while holding onto the hind feet or pull up on the hind feet like the front feet.

Proper way:  Checking the straightness of the hind feet is done after checking the stomach for abscesses and tumors.  Continue your hand down to the hips but stop after pushing the back legs out.  Then proceed into checking the hocks. 

Doing it wrong:  Some showmen will poke the eye when checking it during the examination.

Proper way:  Get close enough to make the rabbit blink, but do not touch the eye. 

Doing it wrong:  Many exhibitors either do not touch the animal or just set the rabbit back in position by resetting one part of the body.

Proper way:  Pick the rabbit up and put it back on the table in the proper place.  Completely repose it. 

Doing it wrong:  Some showmen will simply place the rabbit in front of the judge.  Some will set the feet without covering the head.

Proper way:  To properly pose the rabbit, place it on the table facing the judge and then place the palm of your hand over its head, covering the eyes.  Place each one of the feet according to the breed standard.  Set the tail.  Set the fur by running your hand up the rump to the ears and back down to the rump.  Finally set the ears.  The order of these steps can change, but the steps still need to follow a logical flow. 

Doing it wrong:   When moving the rabbit across the table, some exhibitors will slide the feet across the table.

Proper way:  Fully pick the rabbit up off the table, making sure not to drag the toenails.  Only turn the rabbit 90 degrees at a time.  Set the rabbit down every 90 degrees that the showman is moving the rabbit.  They should do this to properly reposition their hands to move the rabbit.

Doing it wrong:  
1. Looking at the judge after or during every step.

2. Some showmen will not look up at the judge at all.

Proper way:  Some judges like much eye contact, while some don't want too much.  Finding the right balance can be tricky, but is very effective when accomplished. 

Doing it wrong:  Some showmen share questions with other contestants who haven't competed yet.

Proper way: Each exhibitor should keep the questions and answers to themselves. 

Doing it wrong:  Some showmen will take large amounts of time on each step or they will go extremely quickly. 

Proper way:  Go through the steps thoroughly, without taking too much time to complete the process.