What Color Are Goldendoodles (with photos) Coat Color Guide
As a mix of the Golden Retriever and Poodle, the Goldendoodle breed is rising in popularity because of their mild temperament, non-shedding, and hypoallergenic fur. When looking for a new dog to bring home, you may have come across this breed and wondered: “What color are Goldendoodles?”
There are several different colors and sizes you can choose from breeders, ranging from cream to black. There are rare, multi-colored Goldendoodles like tuxedo or phantom. Goldendoodle breeders can use DNA tests to create a coat of virtually any color.
Though the breed is not officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), this designer dog is available from various breeders with overwhelming color options. (Our guide on where to adopt a Goldendoodle)
The AKC recognizes golden, light golden, and dark golden colors for the Golden Retriever. For the Poodle, the colors recognized by the AKC are apricot, cream, brown, silver, blue, gray, and cafe-au-lait.
With so many options, how do you decide on the best Goldendoodle fur color? Before making a decision, take a look at this color guide complete with adorable pictures to see which one you think is the cutest.
Apricot Goldendoodle
One of the most popular colors for the Goldendoodle is apricot. It gives Goldendoodles the appearance of a cute teddy bear. It is a common color to find among breeders since Apricot Poodles are recognized by the AKC as an official breed.
Apricot coats typically grow lighter over time and may sometimes be confused with cream or tan Goldendoodles. These Goldendoodles will almost always have black eyes, eye rims, noses, and toenails inherited from the Poodle breed.
Cream Goldendoodle
Commonly confused with white Goldendoodles, cream is a Poodle color formally recognized by the AKC. Cream Goldendoodles are commonly used to breed multi-colored coats, such as merle or parti Goldendoodles.
The physical features of cream Goldendoodles can vary greatly. Some have lighter attributes, while others have slightly darker noses or eyes. It is highly unlikely that you will find cream Goldendoodles with the same physical features. However, most cream Goldendoodles will have pinkish skin under their coat.
Red Goldendoodle
Like apricot-colored coats, red Goldendoodles also have a teddy bear look because of their color. The mahogany color is the most vibrant of the various coat colors. It is usually achieved by breeding a poodle carrying a darker coat with a yellow Golden Retriever. However, red is not an officially recognized color for Golden Retrievers or Poodles by the AKC.
It is one of the most popular colors for Goldendoodle coats and is somewhat common among breeders. The red coat does lighten over time as your Goldendoodle puppy grows.
Brown Goldendoodle
Another popular coat for Goldendoodles is brown. It’s often referred to as “chocolate,” “deep mahogany,” or “dark walnut.” This color is inherited from brown or cafe-au-lait Poodles, which the AKC recognizes as an official color for the breed.
Many brown Goldendoodles may also carry a recessive silver or black gene, so they may produce puppies of various colors or patterns. It is one of the more common Goldendoodle coat colors.
A Chocolate Goldendoodle is a brown Goldendoodle without lighter markings.
Tan Goldendoodle
Tan Goldendoodles are not as popular as other light-colored coats. This breed is a combination of the cream and apricot Goldendoodle. Their fur often has shades of light apricot and white, which come from the Golden Retriever dog breed. If you want a tan Goldendoodle, you may want to find a reputable producer that breeds apricot and cream Goldendoodles to find this variety.
Black Goldendoodle
Like brown Goldendoodles, black Goldendoodles also inherit their dark coat from their Poodle parent. It is not as sought after compared to the apricot or cream-colored coat. If they inherit curly fur, this breed could be mistaken for a regular Poodle.
Black Goldendoodles are a unique variety, and finding this type of color is rare. The black coat will often stay dark unless they carry the recessive gray, silver, or blue gene. Then the color will lighten as they grow older. Their physical attributes, like their paws, noses, and eyes, will almost always be black.
Gray, Silver, & Blue Goldendoodle
These three colors are rare because they are recessive genes carried by both Poodles and Golden Retrievers. As puppies, their coats first appear black but will lighten as they grow to a full coat of blue, silver, or gray. After about six weeks, your Goldendoodle’s coat color will be set. As they age expect some white markings.
If you have a gray Goldendoodle (grey Goldendoodle for our Aussie and UK readers) check our our mega list of actually good gray dog names!
Black & White Goldendoodle
Black and white is not an official Goldendoodle color, and they fall under the rare Parti category. Sometimes known as the Tuxedo Goldendoodle, this type usually has a black coat with a white nose and chest. It also carries a streak of white on its head.
However, Tuxedo Goldendoodles usually have slightly different markings, such as white hind legs, belly, and bib, with black extending down its back. It gives the impression that your Goldendoodle is wearing a tuxedo. You can achieve the black and white variety by breeding a parti Poodle with a Golden Retriever. However, it is very rare to find this type of Goldendoodle.
Sable Goldendoodle
One of the most unique Goldendoodle coats is sable. Their coat is dominantly a tan or lighter cream with the tips remaining black. As puppies, sable Goldendoodles are dark brown or black, but their puppy coat lightens as it grows out. However, those dark tips do not fade with time.
Patterned Goldendoodle Colors
In addition to the solid colors of the Goldendoodle, this breed can come with rare patterned and multi-colored coats. These coats are not always predictable before they are born or even when they are puppies. The rare varieties will also cost as much as three times more than a more common Goldendoodle. Below are some of the various color options that are rarer for Goldendoodles.
Parti Goldendoodle
Parti Goldendoodles must have a coat with two colors, one of which is at least 50% white. The other 50% can be another solid color, but it is commonly either tan or apricot.
Parti Goldendoodle coats happen when the recessive genes of the coat override the solid color. Rare recessive genes, therefore, need to be combined with other rare recessive genes. This variety is very difficult to predict before they are born. Parti Goldendoodles often come from multiple Goldendoodle generations with strong Poodle genes.
Merle Goldendoodle
Merle Goldendoodles are rare because their coat has patterns with random marks. Unlike Partis, merle Goldendoodles have dominant genes that override the solid color. Chocolate or blue Merles are born when the gene is carried by a chocolate or black Goldendoodle. Sometimes people refer to them as watercolor merle coats or chocolate merle.
Merle Goldendoodles are sometimes manufactured when a Goldendoodle is bred with a Border Collie or Australian Shepherd, technically making them an Aussiedoodle. Sneaky! . However, there are serious health considerations when breeding merle Goldendoodles. If you breed two merle Goldendoodles, their puppies may be born with deformities or be blind or deaf.
Phantom Goldendoodle
The Phantom Goldendoodle dog’s coat carries markings like that of a Manchester or Yorkie. To be considered a phantom breed, the Goldendoodle needs to have a primary color covering the majority of its body and a secondary color appearing on its eyes, muzzle, and lower parts of its legs. They are always born with those markings, so it is easy to tell right away if it is a phantom Goldendoodle.
The color combinations may vary, but the most common is black and tan. Their coat is very rare, and two phantom Goldendoodles will seldom have the same look.
Conclusion
Though the AKC does not recognize the colors of the Goldendoodle, the three Golden Retriever colors and seven Poodle colors create thousands of coat color possibilities. There is no one answer to the question: “What color are Goldendoodles?”
With so many varieties, it’s almost impossible to predict what color your Goldendoodle puppy will be just by looking at its parents. Extensive DNA tests are the only way to get an exact picture of how the puppies will look.
We’ve highlighted the different varieties out there for Goldendoodles. Look for a reputable breeder and choose the color that you like best. If you are looking for a specific Goldendoodle color, you may need to ask several different breeders and take a look at the parents and their litter.
FAQ
Here are the answers to some of the most pressing questions about Goldendoodle colors.
What is the most popular color for Goldendoodles?
The most popular color is apricot for Goldendoodle coats followed by cream. Red coats come in third. Sable is also a highly sought-after color for Goldendoodles.
What color is best for Goldendoodles?
There is no best color for Goldendoodles as it all depends on your personal preference. Whichever color you choose, make sure that it is one you and your family can enjoy. However, it is necessary to remember that your Goldendoodle’s color as a puppy may change as it grows bigger.
Will my Goldendoodle’s color change?
Your Goldendoodle’s coat is likely to change colors as it grows unless its coat is darker brown or black. However, even these darker colors may change if the dog carries the blue, silver, or gray recessive gene.
