Miniature Poodle Colors Guide

The world of miniature poodle colors is a vibrant one! There are 15 officially recognized colors, each with its own unique charm.

The most common colors are black, blue, silver, and white, which are often considered the classic colors of the breed.

Miniature poodles can also come in a range of apricot shades, from a light golden apricot to a dark, rich apricot.

These colors are not just aesthetically pleasing, but they also have specific genetic roots that determine their expression.

Worth a look: Apricot Parti Poodle

Poodles come in a variety of solid base colors, including black, blue, silver, brown, cafe au lait, silver beige, cream, apricot, and red.

These colors can be caused by different genes, such as the greying gene that causes the color of the coat to clear over time, or the recessive red gene that gives dogs a range of red shades.

Blue Poodles, in particular, are often registered as black because they appear that way when firstborn, but they can take a year or more to develop their distinctive blue tinge.

As blue Poodles age, their color clears and becomes almost gun-metal grey, with some shading acceptable in the breed standard.

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Blue Poodles are often registered as black because they appear that way when firstborn. Some may take a year to develop the blue tinge to their coats, while others hang onto the vestiges of their puppyhood black for 24 months.

Experienced breeders can distinguish a blue puppy from a litter of black siblings immediately, based on its coat's brown tint. A quick examination of their paws may also reveal some silver or white hairs between the pads.

As a blue Poodle puppy ages, so its color clears, becoming almost gun-metal grey. Some shading is acceptable in blue Poodles, but to be true to the breed standard, they should, like the black Poodle, have black noses, dark eyes, and black toenails.

Blue Poodles have little impact on the dog's personality or health. It is an accepted Poodle color and, unlike silver Poodles, for instance, is "naturally harsh" rather than cottony.

For another approach, see: Blue Miniature Poodle

The white Poodle is a stunning color, and it's no wonder it's one of the most popular.

White Poodles have black skin, which is a key distinction from albinos, who have pink skin.

A white Poodle's striking appearance is due to its black nose, nails, and eye-rims, as well as dark-colored eyes.

In the past, a white Poodle with pink toenails or skin might have still made it in the show ring, but now the AKC requires black extremities.

The temperament of a white Poodle is similar to other colors, but some owners prefer its softer, cottony coat.

This color needs to be washed with a special shampoo for Poodles to stay bright and clean.

White Poodles may be more susceptible to congenital deafness, especially those with white pigmentation.

See what others are reading: White Toy Poodles

Poodles come in a variety of solid base colors, including black, blue, silver, brown, cafe au lait, silver beige, cream, apricot, and red.

Blue and silver Poodles are born black or brown, but as they mature, their coat clears to their final color, which can take up to 3 years to develop.

The greying gene that causes this color change is not yet identified, making it difficult to predict the likelihood of these colors in a litter.

Cream, apricot, and red Poodles are caused by the recessive red gene, which requires a specific genotype (e/e) to display any of these colors.

Brown Poodles should ideally be a dark mahogany or rich walnut brown color, but they often fade to stunning shades of cinnamon brown and coffee as they mature.

Sun, chlorine, and other environmental factors can bleach the brown Poodle's coat, making it unlikely to find a dark chocolate-brown Poodle over the age of 7.

The most sought-after brown Poodles have amber-colored eyes, a liver nose, and dark toenails, as per the breed standard.

Red Poodles, which were once considered brown, now stand out from the competition with their chestnut, auburn, and copper hues.

See what others are reading: Red Retriever Puppy

Some argue that blue is the rarest coat color in Poodles, but opinions vary.

Blue Poodles are indeed a rare sight, but let's look at some other unique colors.

Apricot Poodles are often said to be the rarest in the world, but it's hard to verify this claim.

Red Poodles are less common than some other colors, but their rarity can vary depending on the breeder and location.

The debate about the rarest Poodle color continues, with no clear consensus among breeders and enthusiasts.

Miniature poodles come in a variety of solid base colors, including black, blue, silver, brown, cafe au lait, silver beige, cream, apricot, and red.

The blue and silver colors are unique in that they're not caused by a dilute gene, but rather by a greying gene that causes the coat color to clear over time.

Puppies born with these colors can be difficult to identify, and may take 3 or more years to show their final color.

Silver Beige Poodles are born brown and subsequently fade to silver beige within the first six weeks of life.

Explore further: Silver Poodle Miniature

They can be easily mistaken for cafe au lait Poodles, which are born that color. To differentiate between them, you need to know the puppy's original color at birth.

Silver beige is a diluted shade of brown, making it a distinct color variation from cafe au lait.

It's much more popular than cafe au lait, but if you're unsure, look for the puppy's original color at birth to make a confident identification.

The Agouti pattern is characterized by a unique M-shaped marking on the forehead, which is a result of the interaction between the agouti gene and the black gene.

Agouti cats can have a variety of coat colors, including red, cream, and blue.

The Phantom pattern is created by the interaction of the black gene and the non-agouti gene, resulting in a silvery or smoky appearance.

Phantom cats often have a distinctive M-shaped marking on the forehead, similar to that of Agouti cats.

Black cats have a dominant black gene that masks the other colors, resulting in a solid black coat.

Some Black cats may have a small amount of red or cream color visible on their nose or paw pads.

Related reading: Red Poodle Standard

Miniature poodles come in a variety of solid base colors, including black, blue, silver, brown, cafe au lait, silver beige, cream, apricot, and red.

The blue and silver colors, as well as their brown versions cafe au lait and silver beige, are not caused by a dilute gene like in most other breeds, but instead by a greying gene that causes the color of the coat to clear over time.

These colors can be difficult to predict, especially blue and cafe, which can take 3 or more years to clear to their final color. Unfortunately, the gene responsible has not yet been identified, making it harder to determine their likelihood in a litter.

Cream, apricot, and red colors are all caused by the recessive red gene, which requires a dog to be homozygous for recessive red on the E locus, giving them the genotype e/e.

See what others are reading: Cream Parti Poodle

Poodles come in a variety of solid base colors, including black, blue, silver, brown, cafe au lait, silver beige, cream, apricot, or red.

Blue and silver Poodles, along with their brown versions cafe au lait and silver beige, are not caused by a dilute gene like in most other breeds, but instead by a greying gene that causes the color of the coat to clear over time.

These puppies are born black or brown, but silvers and silver beige puppies can usually be identified by 6 weeks of age as their muzzle will show significant lightening when shaved.

Blue and cafe puppies can be much harder to identify, and can sometimes take 3 or more years to clear to their final color.

Cream, apricot, and red Poodles are all caused by the same gene, recessive red. For a dog to display any of these colors, they must be homozygous for recessive red on the E locus, giving them the genotype e/e.

Red Poodles have a unique gene, sometimes called the Rufus gene, that darkens the more common apricot color. This is perhaps why red Poodles are so rare.

Red Poodles are particularly prone to color change, with some fading as they age and others darkening.

Let's start with the basics. There are three primary types of poodles recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC): Toy, Miniature, and Standard.

These breeds are listed from smallest to largest. The AKC guidelines set the standard for these three types.

Here's a quick rundown of each type:

The AKC recognizes these three breeds as the standard types of poodles.

Miniature poodles have silky waves that can be long, medium, or short in length. Their fur is a major part of their charm.

Poodles present style and substance with their fashionable types of colors, including ink black and smoke gray. These colors are truly enviable.

From warm chocolate to deep liver, as well as apricot and fawn, miniature poodles come in a variety of beautiful shades.