Goldendoodles are simply one of the most in-demand designer dogs to date, which can be attributed to their easy temperament and almost hypoallergenic coat. What’s more, they come in a variety of shades thanks to their Poodle origins.
Currently, breeders have developed 13 Goldendoodle colors, including chocolate or brown, apricot, red, cream, champagne, black, black and white, gray, blue, silver, silver beige, tan, and white. These colors come in different patterns, such as sable, abstract, parti, tuxedo, phantom, merle, and brindle.
This article describes all of the colors and patterns of the Goldendoodle, along with some pictures so you can visualize each variety.
This way, you won’t get confused with identifying which color or pattern of Goldendoodle puppy you wish to take home.
Do Kennel Clubs Recognize Goldendoodles and All Their Colors?
Similar to other designer dogs, the cross between Golden Retrievers and Poodles isn’t recognized by major kennel clubs as a pedigree breed.
Therefore, there aren’t any published standards for Goldendoodles that state their acceptable coat colors.
Kennel club recognition is quite an arduous process and is often only available to purebreds.
As for now, let’s look at the recognized colors for Goldendoodle parents, which are genetically influential to the 13 shades of the Goldendoodle.
As you probably noticed, Golden Retrievers only come in three colors. What is greatly influential to Goldendoodles’ coat colors is their Poodle parent, which has 10 standard shades and 18 non-standard colors.
Let’s check out all the existing Goldendoodle colors in the next section.
What Colors Do Goldendoodles Come In?
This section discusses all 13 Goldendoodle colors for proper identification, including some of their charming pictures.
Chocolate
Image credit: the.w.doods / Instagram
Chocolate or brown Goldendoodles are very common. You probably come across one in your neighborhood as you take your morning walk.
They got their rich brown color from their dominant Poodle genes, but some of them experience silvering as they mature.
Black and chocolate dogs may exhibit “silvering,” where their coat clears or lightens. Chocolate or brown dogs may become silver beige depending on their genes.
The chocolate color in Goldendoodles is recessive, so you need two Goldendoodles that are either pure chocolate or have the chocolate gene in their lines to produce a chocolate Goldendoodle.
Apricot
Image credit: ginothegoldendood / Instagram
The apricot color in Goldendoodles is a variation of the red coloration and often fades to a lighter shade through time; that’s why they get confused with cream or tan pups.
Among all the colors listed here, apricot is probably the most sought-after because they resemble teddy bears. This is a trait they got from their Poodle parent, who also comes in the same tone.
Apricot is also the last registered Poodle color. This means that apricot Goldendoodles are also a new addition to the crossbreed’s many varieties.
Red
Image credit: shaythedood / Instagram
Red Goldendoodles look very classy with their mahogany tone. They are considered the brightest type because their coat simply stands out.
Similar to the apricot Goldendoodles, reds also have a dominant Poodle gene; that’s why they inherited this stunning coat color. This may fade into a lighter shade when they mature.
Cream
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A cream Goldendoodle is another variant of apricot and red. They are often thought to be white Goldendoodles because they are very light in color.
Creams have the largest variation when it comes to coat tones and points, so it is possible to see one with dark eyes, nose, and toenails and another with lighter features. Some are even pinkish under their coat.
Champagne
Champagne Goldendoodles exist, albeit rare. They possess a recessive red gene, which is also diluted to create a pale yellow to a cream tone.
The rarity of these dogs makes them quite pricey, but they are still one to consider if you want a teddy-looking dog.
Watch this video to see one up close:
Beautiful Champagne F1 Teddybear Goldendoodles<a href="https://youtu.be/lfsd2Y-2GTw" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.bubblypet.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Flfsd2Y-2GTw%2F0.jpg" alt="Beautiful Champagne F1 Teddybear Goldendoodles" width="1280" height="700" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>
Black
Image credit: cocotheblackdoodle / Instagram
Jet black Goldendoodles have beautiful, pure black velvety coats. Black Goldendoodle puppies may also eventually turn silver or blue due to the “silvering” process. However, their eyes, nose, and paw pads remain pure black.
Black and White
Image credit: lunagoldendoodledog / Instagram
Black and white Goldendoodles combine two colors on their coat. There are instances where white is more dominant, but those who are primarily black also exist.
Contrary to what most people believe, not all black and white Goldendoodles should be called tuxedo because it pertains to a specific coat pattern. This will be focused on once the tuxedo coat pattern is discussed.
Gray
Image credit: max_and_maverick / Instagram
Gray Goldendoodles are born with a dark color and only exhibit some noticeable gray color after six weeks.
When they reach two years old, their gray coloration even lightens to rustic silver, and there will be no more signs that they were once almost black.
Blue
Image credit: oodlesdoodlespuppies / Instagram
At first glance, blue Goldendoodles look similar to gray ones, but they have a different bluish-gray hue that is visible under certain lighting conditions.
These dogs are very rare and are only achieved through multiple generations of breeding Goldendoodles.
Just like the gray ones, their coat may “clear” as they mature, but there are a few who will remain blue. They also have blue noses and paw pads.
Silver
Image credit: doodle_mari / Instagram
Basically, silver Goldendoodles are lighter versions of gray and blue, even though they are also born with a dark color. Their hairs resemble that of an aged man, so you can easily identify them among others.
Most silver Goldendoodles show signs that they are indeed silver as they reach 6 to 10 weeks. The tone of their coat has varying degrees, from dark to light silver.
Silver Beige
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Silver beige Goldendoodles underwent silvering before achieving their coat. They are originally born chocolate, but because of certain genes, their color cleared, and they become silver beige.
They almost appear as sables, but they don’t actually have black-tipped hairs. What creates the effect that they are sables is the combination of silver to gray hairs and the beige coloration.
Tan
Image credit: jaxy_thedoodle / Instagram
Tan Goldendoodles got their coat color from a dilution in their pheomelanin, a pigment that is red in default.
They aren’t that common compared to reds and apricots, but some breeders prefer to develop them because of their subtle tone.
White
Image credit: venusthegoldendoodle / Instagram
As shown in the photo above, most white Goldendoodles are not entirely white. Some parts of their body appear cream-colored, and this is expected from this variety.
It is believed that this color is primarily inherited from their Poodle parents since Golden Retrievers don’t come in white coats.
If you get the chance to see a white Poodle in person, you’ll realize that they also have some cream tint on their coat.
What Are the Different Goldendoodle Color Patterns?
Aside from their impressive set of colors, Goldendoodles are even more unique because of their coat patterns. Let’s take a look at all of their seven varieties.
Sable
Image credit: fenn_doodle / Instagram
Sable Goldendoodles possess dark-tipped hairs which lighten closer to the skin.
Usually, novice pet owners confuse this with certain coat diseases, but this is typical for this hybrid. The base coat may be one of the 13 basic colors discussed earlier.
Abstract
Image credit: gilsondoodles / Instagram
Abstract Goldendoodles have touches of white on their coat. Usually, these are found on their face, chest, and paws.
Phantom
Image credit: littledoodlecharlie / Instagram
Phantom Goldendoodles are hard to find. Often, two colors make up their coat: one is the base, and the second is a lighter shade.
There is an exact location for the lighter points — above the eyes, along the sides of the muzzle, across the chest, along the legs, and under the tail.
Parti
Image credit: finleydoodledandy / Instagram
Parti Goldendoodles combine two coat colors which are equally distributed. 50% of their coat is white, while the other half is any color acceptable for the breed.
Most Goldendoodles with this coat pattern are developed through multi-generational breeding. This is why parti pups will have distinct appearances from each other.
Tuxedo
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Tuxedo Goldendoodles are named as such because the white markings on their body are concentrated on their chest and legs. This creates the impression that they are wearing a tuxedo.
Merle
Image credit: scaryannrn / Instagram
Merle Goldendoodles can either be classic or watercolor. Classic merle pups usually have some blue or chocolate patchwork or tickings on their body.
Meanwhile, watercolor merles which are harder to come across, also have some tickings on their coat. They are distinct from the former because their coat lightens as they age.
Brindle
Image credit: trooperandchewie / Instagram
Brindle Goldendoodles have dark patterns on their skin, which resemble tiger stripes. Most of them have light-base hairs, which makes their stripes stand out.
What Is the Most Popular Goldendoodle Color?
The most popular color for Goldendoodles is also the last color to be recognized for Poodles — apricot.
The fame it gained as the latest color for the breed is also reflected in its cross between the Golden Retrievers and Poodles.
This is followed by cream and red. Sables are also in demand even though they are not of the same level as the three shades mentioned above.
Since these colors are desired by many, expect that they are a bit more expensive than their other cousins.
What Is the Most Common Goldendoodle Color?
Image credit: winnie_goldendoodle / Instagram
Although apricots, reds, and creams are pretty popular, they aren’t that common as compared to black Goldendoodles.
Despite being common and easy to breed, these black pups are not highly sought after. They are not too popular with Goldendoodle enthusiasts because they don’t look like teddy bears which is the main selling point of this crossbreed.
What Is the Rarest Goldendoodle Color?
The rarest Goldendoodle colors are those that can only be achieved through multi-generational breeding.
This means that in order to produce these dogs, you have to breed together puppies beyond f2 or second generations. These are gray, blue, and silver.
Apart from these colors, two patterns are found to be rare. They are the phantom and parti Goldendoodle. Similar to the gray, blue, and silver dogs, they can only be achieved through multi-generational breeding.
Goldendoodle Coat Genetics: Why Do Goldendoodles Have Many Different Colors?
The color of every dog is a product of its two main pigments, eumelanin and pheomelanin.
Eumelanin is black in default, but it also produces certain diluted colors due to the genes inherited by the dog. This pigment is also the one responsible for the pup’s eyes and nose colors.
The second pigment, which is pheomelanin, is primarily red, but it can become apricot, cream, tan, and other similar shades when altered by dilution genes.
For a breeder to produce a certain Goldendoodle color, the parents must undergo DNA testing to determine whether they can produce the desired color for the litter.
Most of the time, these dogs carry the dilution gene; that’s why they tend to lighten as they age. Some others carry a recessive gene that makes them exhibit a very different color from their parents.
The Effect of Coat Color on Goldendoodle’s Health and Behavior
As of today, there are no studies or investigations that can prove the relationship of a Goldendoodle’s color to its behavior. There are some myths that aim to taint the reputation of some varieties but have no scientific basis.
For instance, the assumption that black Goldendoodles are aggressive simply because they are black colored. Make sure to look for pertinent data first before becoming influenced by mere opinions on the color and the breed of dogs.
In fact, a friend of mine who has two male Goldendoodles of different colors, a blue three-year-old, and an apricot 2-year-old, has observed that the two have very similar temperaments. Both are affectionate and love being with him all the time.
In terms of health, the most common health issues of this cross, such as hip dysplasia, subvalvular aortic stenosis, cataracts, and Addison’s disease, aren’t exactly linked to its color.
But if we are to consider the study of the University of Sydney, which investigated the life expectancy of dogs according to their colors, chocolate Goldendoodles may be prone to ear infections and various skin diseases.
Merles are also observed to be predisposed to deafness, blindness, skin sensitivity, and skin cancer, especially when the two parents used to breed the puppy both carry the merle gene. These are extreme issues, so you better consider this in buying your pet.
Do Goldendoodle Puppies Change Color as They Grow?
As is with other crosses and purebreds, Goldendoodles also experience subtle color changes as they mature. This phenomenon is brought about by their Poodle lineage.
Mostly, red and its varieties lighten when they reach two years of age. But other colors may also undergo lightening through a process called silvering or dilution.
This is more prevalent in black and chocolate puppies who turn out blue, silver, or silver beige, depending on their genes.
However, this may not be true for all Goldendoodle puppies. Some may not have any genes that will lighten their colors and will retain their rich color all the way to adulthood.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What Are the Three Types of Goldendoodle Coat?
Goldendoodles have three coat types: wavy or shaggy, curly, and flat or improper. The wavy or shaggy coat is the most common because it occurs in every single Goldendoodle generation. This is easy to maintain and only requires brushing once or twice a week.
The second type is the curly coat which exists because of the Goldendoodle’s Poodle lineage. This is seen in the f1b and some multi-generational Doodles.
The last variety, which is flat, is also considered improper for this cross. This looks pretty similar to the Golden Retriever coat and is therefore seen deviating from the desired teddy bear look most breeders strive for.
Is F1 or F2 Goldendoodle Better?
Although both the f1 and f2 Goldendoodle generations have many similarities, it is a well-known fact that first-generation crosses are genetically closer to both parents because they were directly bred from Golden Retrievers and Poodles.
However, the differences regarding appearance between an f1 and an f2 Goldendoodle aren’t that significant. Hence, this will be more of a preference of the owner.
Are Goldendoodles High Maintenance?
It might surprise you to know that Goldendoodles are low-maintenance hybrids. But this does not mean that you do not need to groom them at all.
Brushing them regularly to maintain their coat quality and remove their minimal hair shedding would be best. The standard rule of thumb is the longer or curlier their coat, the more often they need brushing.
Are Goldendoodles Hypoallergenic?
No dog is entirely hypoallergenic, but Goldendoodles are one of the many crosses that shed minimally. Therefore, it is tagged as less risky for people with allergies.
Recent data shows Goldendoodles that are backcrossed with Poodles are the most non-shedding type. In other words, if you have allergies or want to skip constant vacuuming, generations with “b” on end, like f1b, f1bb, f2b, and f2bb, are your best choice.
Final Thoughts: Which Goldendoodle Color Is Right for You?
If you are a current parent of this pup, I’m sure you have accurately identified by now what is the exact shade of your furry companion.
Similarly, if you are a Goldendoodle fancier and you are currently looking for the perfect variety, you can use what you learned in this guide to choose the perfect color for you.
Again, be very vigilant when dealing with breeders and ensure you don’t buy a Goldendoodle solely bred for color. Make sure to research the breed to have a puppy that fits your preferences, lifestyle, and environment.
What color of Goldendoodle are you most interested in? We would love to hear your opinion in the comments section below!
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