# Color change in shepadoodle puppy



## Cbb1109 (Nov 14, 2020)

Hello everybody,

I’m new to poodles, and I’m just wondering if anybody has ever seen a black poodle change color? When we had gotten him he was jet black, now around his face, and back of all 4 paws are turning brown? He has highlights on his back as well. Sorry for the poor pictures he doesn’t like sitting still, lol, he is about 4 months old if that helps any.


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## Eclipse (Apr 26, 2010)

If he's a Sheepadoodle, he's not a Poodle, and you have the genetics of an Old English Sheepdog in play as well. OES start out darker on the non-white portions of their body and grey out to the color people are more familiar with as they age. I don't know what color the Poodle part of your mix was, but blue and silver Poodles start out black and blue or silver out as they age. A reddish/brownish tint is also commonplace in many blue Poodles when they are younger.....


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Poodle color genetics are a fascinating topic. Results can be unpredictable due to dominant/recessive/fading etc genes. Adding in the "shep" throws in an even wilder card since poodles are what we know best.

To strictly answer your question 


Cbb1109 said:


> I’m just wondering if anybody has ever seen a black poodle change color?


Yes, a black 100% poodle can change color if there are fading genes in the mix. If the face is shaved at a very young age and you see this light face, the pup is a silver









and will end up anywhere in the silver range, from platinum to a dark silver, possibly with shading








to









If the face remains darker but the poodle seems to be somewhat brownish in certain lighting, and the coat itself starts taking on a charcoal sort of cast when the pup is considerably older, then the pup might be a blue




















You can investigate whether running a DNA color panel will give you answers in a cross.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

They're so very squirmy at that age!

He's half German Shepherd? I wonder if he'll end up sable.


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## Cbb1109 (Nov 14, 2020)

He is half German Shepard, such a smart boy too and loyal as anything for a 4 month old puppy! I asked the breeder earlier today and she just wrote me back. Turns up there was one other dog with the same mother and father as mine that had changed colors. She didn’t think of mentioning it since it has only happened once. Looks like my little black and white puppy will look like this when grown lol! She said the dog below started changing colors around the same time of my little puppy. I know most other breeds colors, poodles are so weird how they change though! I never knew a dog could change colors at 4 months old 😂


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## Cbb1109 (Nov 14, 2020)

The mom was a standard colored German shepherd that carried Black and Tan and the dad was a black poodle that carried chocolate so lots of recessive genes in this guy 😂


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

In poodles, the blue may not kick in until 2 years or older.
There can be subtle signs prior, but unless you know them, you wouldn't necessarily expect what might be coming.


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## NaturalPoodle (Jun 13, 2019)

Welcome to the forum Cbb1109. Your Shepadoodle is of course adorable. Hopefully you'll continue to find some good info here regarding the poodle side of things, it's a wealth of information


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## Cbb1109 (Nov 14, 2020)

NaturalPoodle said:


> Welcome to the forum Cbb1109. Your Shepadoodle is of course adorable. Hopefully you'll continue to find some good info here regarding the poodle side of things, it's a wealth of information


Thank you! I’m super familiar with the shepherd side of things, but didn’t want the shedding (learned my lesson lol) so got a doodle. The downside is I know very little about the poodle side lol.


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## NaturalPoodle (Jun 13, 2019)

I had a Shepherd mix as well, a super intelligent breed like the poodle (who takes second place in intelligence after the Border Collie). I am new-ish to poodles as well but the more I learn about them the more I am hooked


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Cbb1109 said:


> Thank you! I’m super familiar with the shepherd side of things, but *didn’t want the shedding *(learned my lesson lol) so got a doodle. The downside is I know very little about the poodle side lol.


That's another roll of the genetic dice. Half poodle genes is not an automatic for non/low shedding.
How's that part so far?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Yeah, no guarantees of non-shedding coat or non-matting coat. I hope that works out okay for you. We have two poodles and a GSD. We also don't have carpets and just sweep up the GSD hair tumbleweeds as we go.


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## Cbb1109 (Nov 14, 2020)

Rose n Poos said:


> That's another roll of the genetic dice. Half poodle genes is not an automatic for non/low shedding.
> How's that part so far?


So far very little, just some fuzzies after a bath and blow dry lol!!


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## Cbb1109 (Nov 14, 2020)

lily cd re said:


> Yeah, no guarantees of non-shedding coat or non-matting coat. I hope that works out okay for you. We have two poodles and a GSD. We also don't have carpets and just sweep up the GSD hair tumbleweeds as we go.


I’m just hoping for less than a shepherd, we have mostly carpets 😬😂. The matting will be an issue though, he has the thick coat of a shepherd but the lower shedding from the poodle side. I brush him a few times a week to keep the no mats, and plan on getting him groomed next weekend to cut away his little beard and around his eyes feet and sanitary areas. I’m hoping he stays low shed and if not oh well he’s cute enough to get away with it lol. Thank you guys for all your advice and help!


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

No idea how this part works in crosses (depends on the genes of course) but most poodles go thru "coat change" during their maturing process, sometimes more than one change in texture. The timing varies depending on variety, toy, miniature, and standards. 

The coat changes from wavy and/or straight to the poodle curl. Matting becomes a major issue for many as the different hair types do not get along .

My miniature boys went from puppy fluff









to change in progress

















to adult coat. His coat is not an example of a good quality coat.but his light color is easier to see. His curls are fairly loose.


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## Laura LaRue (Jun 11, 2021)

Cbb1109 said:


> Hello everybody,
> 
> I’m new to poodles, and I’m just wondering if anybody has ever seen a black poodle change color? When we had gotten him he was jet black, now around his face, and back of all 4 paws are turning brown? He has highlights on his back as well. Sorry for the poor pictures he doesn’t like sitting still, lol, he is about 4 months old if that helps any.
> View attachment 471233
> View attachment 471234


ours did the same thing. when he has a summer cut, black, but it grows out brown or silver. just old long damaged hair like humans. Poodles are non shedding , but their hair keeps growing like humans and needs to be cut. the poodle gene keeps their hair growing and it just gets sun damaged and icky ends. very pretty, though


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