Goldendoodles can be quite the stylish bunch, and their appearance can vary depending on their coat color and style. With a mix of golden retriever and poodle in their ancestry, it's no surprise that they come in a range of shades and styles.
Their coat colors can range from cream to dark gold, with some having a black or red tint. The goldendoodle's coat can be straight, wavy, or curly, with some having a mix of all three.
Their size can also vary, with some goldendoodles being smaller than others. This is due to the varying sizes of the poodle and golden retriever breeds, as well as the amount of poodle ancestry.
Goldendoodle Colors
Goldendoodles come in a wide range of colors due to their Poodle parents, which can result in a variety of patterns and shades.
Apricot Goldendoodles are a popular choice, with a soft creamy red color that's slightly warmer than cream and lighter than red. They're also one of the American Kennel Club's officially recognized Poodle coat colors.
Black Goldendoodles are rare, requiring both parents to carry a recessive black gene to produce an entirely black offspring, including their eyes, paw pads, and nose.
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Red
Red is a beautiful and sought-after color in Goldendoodles, and one of the AKC's officially recognized Poodle coat colors.
Apricot, a soft creamy red color, is actually a type of red and one of the most popular Goldendoodle coat colors.
Apricot is slightly warmer than cream and lighter than red, giving it a unique and lovely appearance.
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Black
Black Goldendoodles are rare because to achieve this color, both the Poodle and Golden Retriever must carry a recessive black gene.
This means the offspring will have a solid black coat, including their eyes, paw pads, noses, and of course, hair.
To be entirely black, the parents must be carriers of this recessive gene, making it a unique and special color for Goldendoodles.
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Blue
The blue color on a Goldendoodle is essentially a combination of gray and black with a bluish hue. This rare color comes from breeding multiple generations of Goldens with blue Poodles.
It's a unique and striking color that's sure to turn heads. A blue Goldendoodle is a rare sight, making it all the more special for those who own one.
To achieve this color, breeders must carefully plan and execute their breeding strategies. They need to select parents with the right combination of genes to produce the desired blue hue.
The result is a truly one-of-a-kind dog that's sure to bring joy and excitement to its owners.
Champagne
Champagne is a rare color for Goldendoodles, which is a pale yellowish hue on a pale coat.
This color comes from a recessive dilute red gene, which can also have a light tint of apricot or gold.
Chocolate
Chocolate Goldendoodles come in a range of brown colors, from warm chocolate to dark cocoa. They are often born almost black, which fades as they age, and they might even take on a silver color.
The AKC recognizes brown as an official color, and it’s a popular one for Poodles.
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Cream
The Cream Goldendoodle is a stunning color variation that gets its unique hue from both parents. This color has many variations, and the Goldendoodles can have pink or dark noses and varying shades of cream. Cream is a recognized color in Poodles, which is one of the parents of the Goldendoodle. The touch of gold in the Cream Goldendoodle comes from the Golden Retriever parent.
Gray
Gray Goldendoodles are a result of a combination of the Poodle's genetics and the Doodle's color palette.
Gray is a versatile color that can range from a light silver to a dark charcoal.
This color is achieved when the Doodle inherits a diluted gene from the Poodle, which reduces the intensity of the black pigment.
Gray Goldendoodles can have a slight blue or purple tint to their coat, giving them a unique and attractive appearance.
Sable
The sable Goldendoodle is a stunning variation of this breed, and it's due to their Poodle parents that they have such a wide range of colors and patterns.
Sable Goldendoodles typically have a base coat that's tan or cream, but the tips of their fur are always black or dark brown. The darker color is usually more concentrated around the face and ears.
As they age, the hair closer to the roots fades, giving the appearance of two colors. This unique coloring is a result of the black-tipped brown fur that's characteristic of sable Goldendoodles.
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Silver
Silver Goldendoodles are a rare and beautiful variation of the breed. They are usually born darker and can be either black or very dark in color.
Their color fades as they age, and they typically acquire their full silver color by 2 years of age. This is a result of multigenerational breeding.
You'll notice the color change when they're about 6 to 10 weeks old, and it's a lighter variation of a blue or gray Goldendoodle.
Tan
The tan Goldendoodle color is a beautiful shade that's often associated with Golden Retrievers. Their tan coats are a result of a dilution of the red pigment.
You can expect to see shades of cream, white, or pale apricot mixed in with the tan color, giving it a unique golden tone. This color combination is a result of the genetic makeup of the Golden Retriever parent.
White
The White Goldendoodle is a beautiful sight to behold. This color is created when a Goldendoodle inherits the recessive gene for white, which can be found in both the Poodle and Golden Retriever parent breeds.
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The White Goldendoodle's coat is a result of the interaction between the genes that control the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for hair color. This interaction can result in a variety of white markings and patterns.
In the case of the White Goldendoodle, the coat is typically white with or without tan points, which are small patches of color on the face, legs, and chest. The tan points can range in intensity from a light cream to a dark golden brown.
The White Goldendoodle's white coat can also be accompanied by a black nose, lips, and eye rims, which can add a striking contrast to their overall appearance.
Dogs Come in Many Colors
Dogs come in many colors, and Goldendoodles are no exception. They can inherit a wide range of colors from their Poodle parents.
Goldendoodles can be born with a solid color that lightens as they mature, a process called "clearing." If the color stays the same, it's called "holding." Many Goldendoodles hold their puppy color on their muzzles and ears.
Some Goldendoodles are born almost black, which fades as they age. This can happen with Chocolate Goldendoodles, who can take on a silver color. The AKC recognizes brown as an official color, and it's a popular one for Poodles.
Cream Goldendoodles get their color from both parents, with the cream Poodle and the touch of gold from the Golden Retriever parent. This color has many variations, and the Goldendoodles can have pink or dark noses.
Gray Goldendoodles are born very dark or even black, which fades as they age. They usually acquire their full silver color by 2 years of age. This is a relatively rare color that can only occur after multigenerational breeding.
Red Goldendoodles are commonly sought after, with their eye-catching color ranging from deep ruby red to warm mahogany to cinnamon red. This color can occur when a dark Poodle mates with an average-colored Golden Retriever.
Sable Goldendoodles give the appearance of two colors due to the black-tipped brown fur. They're typically born chocolate or black, and the hair closer to the roots fades as they age.
White Goldendoodles get their color from their Poodle parents, but they're not typically pure white. You might see shades of soft cream mixed in, making them paler than Cream Goldendoodles.
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Patterns and Variations
Goldendoodles can display a range of unique patterns, making each one special.
The Brindle pattern is a rare and striking look, featuring a brown or black base with light red and brown stripes, giving the coat an almost tiger-stripe appearance.
Each Brindle Goldendoodle has a one-of-a-kind color and pattern variation, and in some cases, the striping may not be very noticeable.
The Parti pattern, on the other hand, is typically white and another color, with 50% white and 50% of another dominant color, most commonly apricot or tan.
This pattern results from a recessive gene and is also relatively rare in Goldendoodles.
Brindle
The brindle pattern is a unique and striking feature in some Goldendoodles, giving their coat an almost tiger-stripe look. This pattern is usually a brown or black base with light red and brown stripes.
Each Brindle Goldendoodle has a distinct color and pattern variation, and the striping may not be noticeable in some cases. This is a rare pattern that's a result of a recessive gene.
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Tuxedo
The Tuxedo pattern is a variation of the Parti pattern, but with a twist. The white fur is concentrated on the chest, belly, and hind legs, giving the dog a dapper appearance.
In a Tuxedo Goldendoodle, the white fur makes up a significant portion of the coat, typically 50% or more. This is because the Parti pattern is caused by a recessive gene, which is also responsible for the Tuxedo pattern.
The dominant color in a Tuxedo Goldendoodle can be any color, not just black, although that is a striking combination. This makes the Tuxedo pattern a versatile and interesting variation.
The Tuxedo pattern is similar to the Parti pattern in that it requires a specific genetic makeup to occur. This rare genetic combination is what makes the Tuxedo pattern so unique and special.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you tell if my dog is a Goldendoodle?
Check for a wavy to curly coat and longer hair around the tail, body, ears, and legs to determine if your dog is a Goldendoodle
Sources
- Samson the goldendoodle (instagram.com)
- cream goldendoodle named Gus (pauladeen.com)
- A post shared by GILSON DOODLES • KALEIGH (@gilsondoodles) (instagram.com)
- Goldendoodle Association of North America (goldendoodleassociation.com)
- History of the doodle — goldendoodles, labradoodles, bernedoodles & others (cosmopolitandogs.com)
- timberidgegoldendoodles.com (timberidgegoldendoodles.com)
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