# Champion- what colour?



## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I think there is bias in all sizes. If it were me, I'd go with white if you are showing.


----------



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

All things being equal, go with the white. If silver has better conformation, go with her. Good luck!


----------



## peccan (Aug 26, 2014)

White, black, and brown are high-contrast and their shape will pop out. This can be remedied to a degree with careful choice of the handler's suit, but cannot be helped when comparing dogs to each other. The eye will be naturally drawn to the higher contrast.

In ideal pigment, blacks and whites also have a glamorous "wow" factor. A silver can look gorgeous but "the perfect silver" is not a universally, easily distinguishable shade in the way the perfect white and black are. Every judge will favour the brighter white, but opinions can differ on whether a silver should be slightly darker, pale steel, or perhaps a bright platinum shade. On the other hand, the exact shade of silver is not as much of a drawback than a variance from pure white.

Silver will take time to clear, whereas a true white will be born its final shade. Even if it had a bit of cream on the ears, the overall look will be much more solid than a silver can be under two[ish] years.

Whites are prone to wispier, more cottony hair, and this can't be fully averted due to the mechanism by which pigmentation works. Up here at least, silvers do not lose to blacks in terms of coat texture from what I hear.

All things considered, if you don't have a personal preference, go with whichever has the better conformation. A white is more likely to win an equally good or even slightly better silver, so as zooeysmom said, I too would advise to pick a white if you have two equally promising puppies.

You're showing under AKC right? FCI has separate categories for white/black/brown Poos and apricot/red/silver Poos in all sizes except Tpoos, so having to compete against the high contrast colours doesn't slow the others down so much in finishing.


----------



## Eliza78 (Jul 6, 2015)

Thank you Peccan and all the rest for the great advice. I will be showing under CKC for now. 
The parent of the silver puppies got Best in Group last year at Westminster so I don't have much doubt as to the quality and I trust the breeder. It does seem that whites have better odds though even taking into consideration that I want to breed in the future.


----------



## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Ya know if you plan on breeding in the future pick the color that pulls at your heart strings. If you adore silvers and whites leave you unmoved pick a silver, if you adore a beautiful ice white go for the white. Don't just look at how this dog will do in the show ring look at how this dog would help you obtain your breeding goals.


----------



## Kyran (Sep 1, 2013)

If you go for a white puppy than look for the one with great confirmation and gaits, but also with the darkest colour (cream). It will take longer to completely turn white but the coat texture will be much better (coarser).


----------



## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Kyran said:


> If you go for a white puppy than look for the one with great confirmation and gaits, but also with the darkest colour (cream). It will take longer to completely turn white but the coat texture will be much better (coarser).



But getting a cream with black, non- fading points can be difficult, and I don't believe that one can get away with coloring the nose in UKC the way that they can in AKC.


----------



## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Let us know which color you select. Better yet post pictures of the two. There are some knowledgeable eyes on the forum. I'm hoping you choose the silver since your breeder took a silver to The WKC and did so well.


----------

