Gorgeous Purebred Poodle Colors

How Many Poodle Colors Are There?

The topic of Poodle colors is an ongoing discussion among breeders and those who show their dogs in competition.

Purebred Poodle coat colors can vary greatly and many are beautifully multi-colored.  Although, only solid-colored Poodles are recongnized by the Amercian Kennel Club (AKC) to show in the conformation show ring.

The most common of the Poodle colors are solid-colored and are what most people think of when the Poodle is mentioned.

Black is the most common color for Poodles of all sizes, with other solid colors including  apricot, brown, cream, red,  silver, white, gray, and the blue poodle.

Coat Color Genetics

Lets keep this very basic.  Each dog receives one coat color gene from each parent, thus each puppy will have a total of two.

With these two genes, a blueprint for a definitive color presents itself.

For example, one gene may be a black coat, while the other an apricot.  Even though there are two genes present, only one will be expressed as the true coat color when the puppy is born.

But, which one that is chosen to present itself isn’t random; there is some science behind it.

Recessive or Dominate Genes in Poodle Colors

Genes can be either recessive or dominate.  Dominate genes are exactly what they sound like, dominate.  They will always win the battle and be the color that is expressed.  As an example, if a dog has a blue dominant coat color gene and a silver coat color gene, the dog’s coat color would be blue.

If a recessive coat color gene to show, there can’t be any dominant coat color genes present.  In other words, two recessive genes need to there for a recessive coat color to show.

When digging into the science behind the scenes, there’s so many variables that can affect the overall coat color of the Poodle.

The Guide to Poodle Colors

It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for Teacup, Toy, Miniature or Standard Poodle coat colors…you’ll find all the breed standard colors here.

Apricot Poodle Colors

Apricot Poodle Standard

Apricot Poodles have a form of orange coloring.  The apricot coloring is a natural shade of red and can range from a dark apricot to an even lighter shade of orange.

Blue Poodle

The Blue Poodle looks the same color as a Black Poodle and is often mistaken as such.  In the right light, the Blue Poodle has a hue of blue to the coat color.  Some say the blue hue doesn’t start showing until the dog is at least 2 years old.  You can always differentiate them from a Black Poodle when checking the roots of the hair which will always be lighter in color.

Black Poodle

Black Poodles are always a dark black or ebony color.  They don’t fade or turn gray in color as they age.  Even when shaved, they remain truly black in color.

Brown Poodle Colors

The Brown Poodle has liver points, amber eyes and a very rich, dark brown coat.  They can almost look reddish when the sun glares down on them and they have no black points.

Cream Poodle

When looking at a Cream Poodle you might confuse them with a White Poodle because they’re so similar in color.  One way to determine the Cream Poodle, is they must have a black nose.

Gray Poodle

They Gray Poodle either is born as a Black Poodle and eventually turn gray or it’s born a gray.

Red Poodle Colors

The Red Poodle is very similar to the Apricot Poodle color.  It comes in a deep, rich hue of red and is a favorite among pet owners.

Silver Poodle

A Silver Poodle has a coat that is diluted from a black gene.  Puppies are born dark in color and lighten with age.  Silver Poodle color variation ranges from a dull pewter to a shiny platinum.

White Poodle

The White Poodle can have a creamy or brilliant shade of white.  The White Poodle can sometimes have apricot markings on ears but to adhere to breed guidlines, they cannot have any markings that make them look dirty or dingy.

A Rainbow of Poodle Colors

As you can see, you really have quite the rainbow of colors when it comes to coat color options.  If you aren’t limited due to wanting to show your Poodle in AKC conformation shows, the sky’s the limit.  There’s so many mixed colors out there that are beautiful including the notorius Parti Poodle.  Spots, blots, and striking markings make Poodles very unique.  In the event you can’t find the specific color you’re looking for….make it yourself.  There’s some very talented groomers out there that are doing incredible artwork with Poodle coats.  If you’d like some simple tips on grooming your Poodle, you can check out our Puppy Grooming page to learn a few simple ways.

Looking for an Amazing Poodle?

Whatever the color of Poodle you’re looking for, I’m sure we can be of some help. We usually have a couple litters per year that deliver some amazing Poodle colors for you to pick from.  To get things started, please fill out our Poodle Puppy Application and that will tell us the poodle colors you’re looking for.  If we can’t help you, we’ll try to find someone who can!