What colours do Toy and Miniature Poodles come in?
Short answer
Poodles come in solid colours, including black, white, cream, apricot, red, brown, café au lait, silver, blue and silver beige, and in parti (white with patches). Several change a lot after birth: silver and blue puppies are born black and lighten over about two years, and café au lait and silver beige puppies are born brown.
Updated · By the PetBuddyHub breeding team
Poodle colours from puppy to adult
| Colour | At birth | As an adult |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Deep red | Can lighten toward apricot |
| Apricot | Apricot | Can lighten a shade |
| Café au lait | Brown | A milky, light tan |
| Silver beige | Brown | A silvery beige, by about two years |
| Silver | Black | Clears to silver, usually by about two years |
| Blue | Black | A slate blue-grey, slowly |
| Black, jet black | Black | Usually holds |
| Cream, white | Cream or white | Holds; shows tear staining |
| Parti | White with patches | Pattern stays |
Café au lait vs silver beige
Both are born brown. A café au lait lightens to a warm, milky tan and stays warm-toned. A silver beige carries the greying gene as well, so it clears to a cool, silvery beige, usually by about two years. The face and feet show which way a puppy is going first.
Are blue and parti Poodles rare?
Blue is less common than black, white or apricot, and a true blue cannot be confirmed until the puppy coat has cleared, often after a year. Parti is a pattern, white with solid patches; AKC conformation judging does not accept it, and it has no bearing on health or temperament. Some breeders price parti higher; colour alone should never decide the price over the parents' health results.
Every Poodle we have now is on our Poodle page, grouped by colour and by Miniature or Toy size.
Common questions
- What is the difference between a red and an apricot Poodle?
- Depth of colour. Red is the darkest, richest shade of the same colour family; apricot is lighter. Reds can fade toward apricot with age, so look at the parents' adult coats.
- Are parti Poodles more expensive?
- Often, at breeders who specialise in them, because buyers ask for them. A parti is not healthier or rarer in any meaningful way; the parents' health results matter more than the pattern.
- Do silver Poodles start black?
- Yes. Silver Poodles are born black, and the face and feet start clearing within weeks. The body usually reaches its adult silver by about two years.