Poodle Colors

The conversation has come up to qualify what the puppies will look like grown.  Following are examples to get more of an idea of what the colors of this litter will grow to look like.  For conversation sake, we will continue to call Grace a silver and samples of Hilde and her Mom, blues.  The blues are faded blacks, the silvers can be seen as silver before they are 8 wks old as Darlin can be our example, the blacks should show no other color than black.

Cream Poodles

Creams are almost white to a champagne color.  The Cream Poodles also have black stains or points with lightly tinted apricot ears. Between these poodles, you can find combination of cream and white and they look very beautiful.  Above is Everad's sire, Zivan.

Black Poodles

The Black poodle color should be a beautiful deep jet black. No hint of blue or silver in it. The face when shaved should be almost, if not as dark, in color as the main coat. A true black should never fade and they should never have white or silver guard hairs.  Blacks must have black points and dark brown eyes.  Pictured here is Everad's uncle, Zachary, Everad is exactly that color, same colored eyes.  Zachary is 20" tall.

Blue Poodles

The blue poodle is a dilute of black. It carries the fading gene. Blue poodle puppies are born black and turn blue by two years of age. This poodle color takes the longest time to clear. Puppies at a young age will have brown highlights showing they are a blue or silver puppy but not a black puppy.  By 2 years of age the dog will usually have it's adult color. Blue poodles should have black points and dark brown eyes.

Pictured here is Hilde's dam, she is a blue.  Eventhough the puppies are not related to Hilde, Grace's previous litter have puppies that didn't show any silver traits before they were 8 wks old, which makes them this blue instead of silver that Grace is.  The puppies with very few white hairs on the pads of their feet --at this point-- we will say they are "blues".  About 3-6 wks they should show quite a bit of change in color with the brownish/mahongy hue to their black coats.

Silver Poodles

This color is also a dilute of black and carries the fading gene. Silvers are born black and clear over time. Silvers should have a silver face and feet by the age of 6 weeks to be a real silver poodle.  As the blues, there are varying shades from silver to sparkling platinum that is almost white to a beautiful pewter colo.  (That's where Grace's color can get confusing, her grandmother is the pewter color and is called blue.)

The picture on the left is Darlin at 6 wks old, she has a silvery face and feet and a mahogony coat showing she is a silver puppy.  By 12 wks her coat is turning a metal gray color with very light silver feet and face with light silver coming up through as new hair.  The picture on the right is her grandsire, Aery's Preditorian, a silver adult male.  Grace, centered, is a combination of silver/blue, she has a silver face, feet and legs, brown and black running through her coat makes her darker than silver on the core of her body.

The puppies with lots of white on the pads of their feet we will say are "silvers" however they should show silvery faces and feet before they are 8 wks old to register them as silvers.  If they still look black with the mahogony hued coat and no silver feet and face, we will say they are blues.