Because NDs are a small rabbit breed, even unfixed does often live to be 8-10 years. True, personality is very important, but don't buy a rabbit with conformation of a mutt if you're planning on breeding or showing. Sometimes you have to compromise on a rabbit with medium personality and conformation. Do not buy the cheapest thing on the market. A good ND will run $40-$100... for a brood\show quality. These rabbits often have decent personalities. I do not mean to say that conformation is always a major concern, but from a showman's perspective, when I go buying rabbits, I'd rather see it conform to the ARBA standard than be able to hug it. As long as I can care for it, I can train out the nastiness.Unless you spay them, does tend not to live very long - most of mine have lived only about 4 to 5 years.
Though the maximum showable size for Netherland Dwarfs may only be 2 1/2 lbs, they do come larger. Dwarfs without the dwarfing gene can weigh 3 1/2 lbs or more; we call them false dwarfs.
Some of the sweetest, and some of the nastiest rabbits I have had have been Netherland Dwarfs. If a longtime breeder may make a suggestion, go for personality first. Horse people say that a good horse is never a bad color; IMO, that applies to rabbits, too.
