Unfortunately, in my travels as a clinician and judge, I am often faced with repairing problems caused by adult breeders. Sometimes, the poor treatment is unintentional, but nonetheless devastating to the beginners involved. Most of the time, the breeder has seized an opportunity to dump his junk and make a few bucks in the process.

Let's look at some common occurrences:

· One of the biggest disappointments for beginning rabbit raisers is to find out that their animal did not meet the requirements for the project they chose. Sometimes, this revelation comes as late as during the judging at the fair.Of course, the club member is responsible to select animals that suit the project, but a few simple questions before the sale can avoid much discouragement and transform the seller into a hero in the 4-Her's eyes. Is this rabbit for a pet class, a breeder class, or a commercial class? Are there age or weight requirements for the project? Will the breed(s) that you have available match the purchaser's needs? A few questions asked by the breeder will provide a very satisfied customer and a greater possibility for later sales.

· Another common disappointment it finding out that the hefty price of the "pure bred" was wasted because the animal is seriously flawed and not truly representative of its breed. This problem runs the entire gamut of the standard -- poor type, poor or unrecognized color, bad markings, and disqualifications (pick one, I've seen them all). Talking with families after the judging, the comment I hear most often is, "The breeder said it wouldn't matter in 4-H!"

· Failure to give good advice about caring for the rabbit. Most of the persons who look for project animals are beginners. Some well-chosen comments about size and type of housing, basic sanitation, and a good feed program take only a few minutes, but will result in a satisfied customer and terrific advertising for the seller.

If you are one of those who practices the "let the buyer beware" attitude, you probably won't be arrested and sentenced to twenty years hard labor in a federal penitentiary. You probably won't even be chastised by your cronies in the hobby. You will have created ill will, disappointment, and another undeserved black eye on the hobby. If you do take the time to be helpful and provide the best possible solutions for beginners, is there anything to gain? Not much, just a good reputation for you, your stock, and your hobby. Add to that, respect from your customers and the possibility of new life-long hobbyists. Oh yes, one more thing; satisfied customers do two things. They come back to buy again. They send their friends.