Chinchilla rabbits originated in France and were bred to standard by M. J. Dybowski. They were introduced to the United States in 1919. Apart from the Standard Chinchilla, there are two other breeds recognized by the ARBA: The American Chinchilla or "Heavyweight Chinchilla" is larger than the Standard Chinchilla but otherwise identical. The Giant Chinchilla is a result of crosses between Chinchilla and Flemish Giant breeds; it originates in the United States.