POODLE COLOURS

There is a wide range of shades of poodle, from pure white to the darkest jet black, with many variations in between. Some poodles are born one colour and then change during the first two years of their life.

• White white poodles range from a brilliant snowy white to a creamy softer white.
• Cream  the coat of a cream poodle is a golden or off-white colour. Some cream poodles have tinges of white in their coat. Some breeders may refer to Ò£hampagneÒ as a variation of the cream colour, which is a previously recognised colour of the Kennel Club.
• Apricot  as its name suggests the apricot poodle is an orangey, deep golden colour, ranging from lighter hues to stronger, more pronounced colour.
• Red  the red-heads of the breed ranges from a deep reddish orange tinge through to a warm and rich mahogany colour. It is possible to get a combination of both apricot and red poodles.
• Brown  a brown poodle is dark brown, almost black. The brown is a rich shade of intense colour.
• Café lait  translated from French as silky coffee's this is exactly the effect the cafe lait poodle's coat has. It comes as a diluted form of a pure brown poodle.
• Silver beige  this colour is a dilution of brown with a silvery tinge. A silver beige poodle will have a silver coloured face and feet.
• Black  the black poodle is coloured a deep, dark and intense black with no other colours in the coat.
• Blue  an eye-catching colour that is similar to black, but with blue tones and is almost metallic in some lights. Blue poodle puppies are born black with brown highlights and turn blue by the age of two.
• Silver  A silver poodle puppy is born black and eventually changes to a shiny greyish silver colour.

Poodles for show standard are required to be all one consistent colour. It has been known for some unscrupulous exhibitors to dye their poodle's coat to meet the needs of the judges.

The changes in colour that take place as a poodle puppy grows to an adult are known as clearing.

Many poodles coats gradually fade over time, so the darker versions can end up looking sun kissed.

With so many colours to choose from you're sure to find the colour you're looking for. Some breeders specialise in particular colours. But ultimately it doesn't matter what colour your poodle is; they'll still be a loving and faithful companion.