The control of coat colors and patterns in Goldendoodles is complex and misunderstood. Much of what we have learned is from personal experience and from what we have researched. Genetics is complicated and not easily understood and I myself am NOT a geneticist or a scientist. I have taught myself much of what I have come to know through the creation of Goldendoodles and by pairing up particular breeding dogs in order to document achieved coat types and colors, not to mention sizes and personality traits. The biosynthetic pathways involved in the synthesis of the pigments and the genes involved in the development of the pigment-forming cells (the melanocytes), the hair follicle and the hair shaft, appear to be very similar in most species. This includes humans. Prior to the advent of modern gene-sequencing techniques, geneticists used this basic similarity to extrapolate from one breed or even one species to another. Because there are a large number of genes (over 85 have been implicated in the mouse), one often encounters mutations in different genes producing nearly identical phenotypes. Now that some of these genes are being cloned and sequenced, the opportunity is before us to settle some old controversies (while undoubtedly creating some new ones.) Pigmentation in mammals is primarily due to the presence of melanin, which is synthesized in specialized cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes come from a population of cells, called the neural crest, that is located on the dorsal mid-line of the early embryo. Because there are so many terrific sites that go into depths of genetics with regards to coat coloration, I won't delve into the specifics on this page; rather I will place links of some terrific websites I found that can better explain extensively how colors come about through genetics.
To understand the coat color genetics of the Poodle, CLICK HERE for extensive coat color genetic details. The gene responsible for MC1-R is more commonly known as the extension gene (E). This gene was recently cloned and sequenced. A mutation (e), leading to total loss of function in homozygous (ee) dogs is known in Poodles and several other breeds. Genetic testing for the e allele has shown that apricot, cream and white poodles are all homozygous for this allele. Other alleles include sable (as), where the black and yellow are found in the same hairs, and black-and-tan (at), where they are in different regions. Both are rare in the Poodle and are considered a fault in North America and many other countries. However, in Germany, there is a separate registry for black-and-tan (in addition to the one for black-and-white). I personally do not like to use the term "rare" because all things are possible and just because something occurs infrequently, does not mean it is "rare". When I think of the color "Sable", I think of colors I have seen in my LhasaPoo. (see photo below):
Photo to the left: Cream Sable LhasaPoo.
This coloring is a common color seen in LhasaPoo.
This particular sable will lighten as the puppy ages and is always darker when pups are young.
Photo to the right: A cream sable Schnapso puppy. This particular pup, Shayna, was just as dark as the pup to the left when she was just weeks old. As she neared 6 months of age, her coat lightened tremendously.
While sable may be a "rare" color with Poodles, it is quite a common color for LhasaPoo, Schnapso and the Lhasa Apso. Also, while black and tan may be deemed a "rare" color for Poodle fanciers in the United States, Black and tan Poodles are quite common in Germany (I lived there for several years and visited quite a few dog shows while there) and this color is the main color for Rottweilers and Doberman Pinscher dogs. Like Poodles, Goldendoodles come in all colors and can have a variety of markings. Goldendoodles who as adults turn silver are born black. We have even witnessed some doodles turning into a Silver "phantom" during the first year. This involves the gradual loss of pigmentation from about 90% of the inner coat (hairs become transparent or white, depending on thickness), but a substantial percentage of the outer, guard hairs retain some color. See photos below of two of our Goldendoodles, Molly and Roxy. Both are a 50/50 mixture:
Photo to the left: Molly. She is a silver phantom Goldendoodle and a 50/50 mix. This means that one parent is a Poodle and one parent is a Goldendoodle.
Photo to the right: Roxy. She is also a silver phantom born to our Goldendoodle World. Roxy had gold hues in her coat when she left us at nearly 8 months of age. She too is a 50/50 mixture.
Because we have so many pages showing various colors of Goldendoodles and doodles with various markings, we won't fill this page with tons of photos. Someone had emailed me awhile back telling me that 1. There was no way to achieve chocolate (or other colors for that matter) with a first generation litter and 2. That there was no such thing as a "green eyed" purebred Golden Retriever. For one thing, the email the sender sent to me annonymously through my website form (in such a cowardly manner) is completely inaccurate on all accounts. For one thing, YES, not only is there purebred Golden Retrievers born with lovely green eyes, we own several! They are NOT mixed with anything other than Golden Retriever. They not only have lovely green eyes, but they have a chocolate colored (liver) nose, eyetrim, liptrim and pawpads. The anonymous emailer told me that my dogs had to be mixed with a LAB! Surely they jest! I don't want to start some dog wars here, but NOT only do I NOT own a Labrador, I wouldn't give a breeder ten cents for a Labrador, ever in my life! That is one breed of dog I absolutely can not stand, nor would I ever own. I once took in a purebred Lab way back in 1996 as a rescue and I couldn't find that dog a home fast enough! I could not stand that dog and I am an avid dog lover. Thankfully through my vet, I found that dumb dog a home with a rancher just in the nick of time because it was on its way to the dog pound. That dog destroyed numerous kennel runs....had some how gotten itself on TOP of my canopy top that covered my kennel run and destroyed it by walking on every inch of it until we could get it down! The dog was a neurotic mess I could not tolerate. So, to jest that a Lab would live here at MY house and be bred to MY purebred Golden Retrievers makes me cringe just thinking about it. It would NEVER happen!
We have created the Goldendoodle since 1999. That is stated all over my website. Here are the colors we have witnessed since then with Goldendoodles:
1. Black
2. Apricot (both light and dark)
3. Cream
4. Red
5. Chocolate
6. Silver
7. Silver phantom
8. Chocolate phantom
9. Parti-color
10. Tri-color
11. Black/tan
12. Silver/tan/white
13. Apricot with black tips
We have witnessed some doodles have white markings within their coloration. We have witnessed all of our doodles with color to lighten by one shade. We have witnessed black doodles turning silver as well as stay black. We have witnessed a few of our dark chocolates to dilute to a lighter chocolate coloration that nearly resembled red or a diluted red. I also want to make a huge notation here. WE DO NOT BACKBREED OR INBREED ANY DOG, WHETHER HYBRID OR PUREBRED. EVERY GOLDENDOODLE IS A FIRST GENERATION DOODLE. Yes, we have achieved many various colored, first generation Goldendoodles through FIRST GENERATION. Not only can it be done, we've done it.
Using our Chocolate Standard Poodle to a purebred Golden Retriever, we witnessed the following colors:
1. Chocolate
2. Black
3. Apricot
4. Red
Using our Chocolate Standard Poodle to a solid chocolate Goldendoodle, we witnessed the following colors:
1. Chocolate
2. Chocolate w/white markings
3. Apricots (light and dark)
4. Chocolate phantom (that changed to a diluted red phantom)
Using our Black Standard Poodle to a purebred Golden Retriever, we witnessed the following colors:
1. Black
2. Black that turned silver and silver phantom
3. Chocolate
4. Red
5. Apricot (light and dark)
Using our red phantom Goldendoodle sire to an apricot Standard Poodle, we witnessed the following colors:
1. Apricot
2. Cream
3. Black and tan
4. Silver/white/tan
5. Chocolate phantom
6. Black
Using an apricot Poodle to a Golden Retriever, we witness the following colors:
1. Apricot (light and dark)
2. Red
3. Cream
On a very low occasion, we will see a mixture of apricot and chocolate if we pair up a Standard Poodle who has a heavy pedigree of colors including black and chocolate, to a Golden Retriever who comes from a lineage of green eyed Retrievers.
The majority of our Goldendoodles are apricot in color...both light and dark. The next common color we see is cream. Since 1999, I believe there has only been six Goldendoodles thus far born to us with blue eyes and they were cream and apricot in color. Every Chocolate doodle is born with green eyes, but we have had a handful of Goldendoodles born to us with green eyes who were either light or dark apricot in color. (See past doodle photos on our website.) There are no rare markings for the Goldendoodle.
According to one genetic website for Poodle coloration genetics here is what they had to say:
Red poodles are rare, generally appear in apricot lines, and appear to be the result of a separate gene. Willis, citing Robinson, talks about "rufus" genes, that are poorly characterized, but may act to darken an apricot or brown coat. As the poodle pedigrees for reds suggest only one such gene, I propose that it be called F (rufus; R is already used for roan). The recessive allele, f, produces red in an apricot (i.e. eeff), and may also affect brown, but is supposed to have no effect on black.
The development of coat color is a complex process. Understanding genetics, period, is not a simple task. Genetic canine laboratories are working daily with DNA to find answers that may help us all. To date, if you visit VETGENs' website, you will see that any breeder can submit their breeding dogs' DNA if they desire to know what colors their parent dogs will produce in their offspring.
Photo: Chocolate Phantom Poodle
Another interesting site has to do with the colorations of Lhasa Apso, but I found the descriptions interesting regarding genetics and coat colors. In particular the description of Sable which is very close to what we call "apricot with black tips" for Goldendoodles. We ourselves, since 1999, have only witnessed 4 first generation Goldendoodles to be apricot with black tips. Similar to the Sable coloration in LHasa Apso, but as the photos up above show (see the photo of the sable lhasaPoo and the Schnapso), the coloring is different and that is why we don't call our doodles who have these markings, sable. According to the Lhasa Apso coat color genetics page at http://www.lhasa-apso.org/health/coatcolr.htm (See below)
SABLE (red, gold, cream or grey): This is the commonest Lhasa coat color. It is composed of a mixture of light and dark hair in varying proportions. The color of the light hair can vary from red to light cream or white. The dark hair is usually black, but can be liver or grey, depending on the genetic modifiers present. Any red, gold or cream dog, born with any degree of dark tippings or overlay, is a genetic sable. There are at least eight distinct coat color gene loci in the Lhasa Apso. Thus far, I have not yet done a coloration study (something I will look into) for the Goldendoodle and even if I did, because there are varying methods breeders are using to create their Goldendoodle, the coloration study would only pertain to my own breeding dogs and Goldendoodles and would not be a universal study, I do not know how many distinct coat color gene loci can be found where Goldendoodles are concerned. With Goldendoodles being a hybrid dog and being created through a variety of ways by various breeders, it would be nearly impossible to conduct an all around coat color study that would pertain to the Goldendoodle as a "whole". Because purebred dogs have been refined over an extensive amount of years, there is a closer genetic handle on various breeds where genetics is concerned. With hybrids, there is no standard per se. Many breeders can fool the general public by boasting the Goldendoodle is "X" size; That the Goldendoodle Standard is "Y"; That Goldendoodles are typed to be "G", "H" and "S" but that just isn't so. Goldendoodles can look similar if breeders are following similar breeding methods of others and Goldendoodle colors can be achieved in the same manner if breeders have similar pedigrees, but there is no across the board standard to follow and there are no "required" testing for breeding dogs in order to create Goldendoodles as one breeder suggested on a website where I was the founding author for a very long time until I had the owner of the site remove my content because she allowed a link to a dog forum and I absolutely refuse to have my content associated with a dog forum due to the fact so many forum site owners improperly moderate the site or they don't moderate the site at all, which allows devious people to enter and post ridiculous smear campaigns towards breeders they have a vendetta against. The content now on that site is absolutely a joke at best and is clearly written from someone who believes they are better than everyone else. At any rate, as I have said before, the information placed upon this website is based on personal experience as well as from some terrific sites I have come across and we hope it has been of tremendous help to those who sincerely desire to learn about the Goldendoodle dog.
So what have we learned here? Basically that if you would like to know how many coat color genetic loci can be found within your Goldendoodles' ancestry, just submit the DNA of the parents to VetGen and let them analyze it for you. Yes, there is a fee to do this, but for what its worth, could be an invaluable tool for the breeder for future pairings. You would NOT want to take deposits for a particular coloring if you didn't know for sure that particular coloring was going to come out, now would you? What we have also learned is that a true dominant black Poodle bred to a purebred Golden Retriever will throw a high proportion of true blacks but if your black Poodle does NOT have a true dominant black pedigree (a long history of black ancestors) expect to see light apricots, possibly a chocolate or two and even a red and its possible to get silvers and silver phantoms. A true dominant black Poodle bred to a Goldendoodle that is also black will also throw a high proportion of true blacks, but if your black Poodle does NOT have a true dominant black pedigree and your Goldendoodle is black but came from a litter of various colored offspring, your litter will have a few surprises in coloration. When a Goldendoodle does not come from a lineage of one dominant color and nor does your Poodle (regardless of color) come from a true dominant particular color, the offspring can be of various colors and you'll have to wait for them to be born to know unless you had VETGEN do a DNA color analysis for you. Because it is believed that the color RED is a "rare" color for a Poodle, ending up with a full litter of reds is nearly impossible unless the breeder HAS a true dominant red Poodle and has bred it to a very dark Golden, Golden Retriever. While some breeders have achieved the color "Silver Frost" in Goldendoodles, this is not a common color seen in Goldendoodles and is a pretty coloration, in my personal opinion. WE have not, to date, achieved a Silver Frost but we have achieved Silver phantoms and silver in general. We have only seen a handful of "RED" Goldendoodles since 1999. It is not a common color for us. Just as blue eyes is extremely difficult for any breeder of Goldendoodles, we have seen this eye color thus far, six times since 1999.
The best way to continue to achieve particular markings and colorings is to document and photograph the colors as you see them occur and know which pairings they came from. Regarding blue eyes, we NOW know which dogs will give us either one or two blue eyed doodles and because we have kept the majority of our blue eyes to further incorporate the blue eyed recessive gene, it is our hope that we can achieve the blue eyes at a higher rate than we are use to. When green eyes occur in colors other than chocolate, we document which dogs were paired up so that we know for the future how to achieve the green eyes in colors OTHER than chocolate. It is very important for a breeder to document everything if they desire to achieve similar markings, colors or patterns for the future.
About the color Chocolate - B gene
This gene has a lightening effect on eumelanin only. I.e, it has no effect on red-based colors.
In the dog there are two alleles for this gene, with symbols B and b respectively. When B is present (BB or Bb) the brown/black eumelanin is its normal, unlightened, color. But when a dog is bb the brown is lightened to Chocolate. All chocolate Goldendoodles have green eyes, lip/eye trim that is chocolate as well as chocolate pawpads. We have witnessed chocolate colored Goldendoodles come from the pairings below:
1. Black Poodle that does NOT have a true dominant all black pedigree bred to a purebred dark golden, Golden Retriever who comes from a dominant pedigree of dark Goldens.
2. Chocolate Poodle that does not have a true dominant all chocolate pedigree bred to a solid chocolate Goldendoodle who also does not come from a true dominant all chocolate pedigree. (Notation: The Poodle in the Goldendoodle is NOT closely related to the chocolate Poodle partner which allows the offspring to be a first generation.)
3. A chocolate phantom (that diluted to a red phantom as an adult) Goldendoodle to an apricot Poodle who had come from a pedigree of chocolates and blacks not to mention other colorations. Many breeds adopt a new term for a pattern that exists in other breeds. "Phantom" is the term used in smaller poodles to describe the black-and-tan pattern common in many other breeds. Phantom poodles such as the one shown above, must have a k/k genotype plus an E or EM, and also be at/at. So, it is quite feasible that our chocolate phantoms have a similar genotype.
4. Apricot Poodle that came out of a pedigree full of chocolates, blacks and other various colorations bred to a dark Golden, Golden Retriever with green eyes. (This pairing did not offer us a complete litter of solid chocolates, but included some apricots as well.)
More about canine coat color genetics to include some downloadable software can be found by clicking here.
Photo above: Chocolate first generation Goldendoodles
Photo above: Suri is a tri-color first generation "TOY" sized Goldendoodle whose Toy Poodle father comes from a strong lineage of parti-colors. Although her colors were much stronger when she was a young pup, they have since diluted.
Photo above: Penny. This first generation "TOY" sized Goldendoodle is the sister to "Suri" (see above). She is an apricot with black tips and was much darker as a young puppy. Because the apricot with black tips dilutes extensively, it can not be considered as a "sable" coloring. Apricot with black tips is an actual color for the Toy Poodle and we decided to use it for doodles that turn out this color. We have only seen this color 4 times since 1999 using different parent dogs with different pedigree histories.
B gene (Chocolate):
Chocolate dilution of eumelanin(black) pigment. Has no effect on phaeomelanin(red) pigment. Also affects eye color, nose leather and paw pads. (all chocolate doodles have green eyes). Tyrosinase Related Protein 1 (TYRP1) is the gene responsible for brown coat colors in dogs (and mice and cattle and cats). Three different mutations in this gene all can produce brown. An example of a brown Standard Poodle is shown on the left. All dogs with b/b genotypes also have a brown nose. The nose and pad pigment, sometimes called "points" in Poodles. is caused by the B versus b alleles. CLICK HERE TO SEE ONE OF OUR GOLDENDOODLES THAT HAS A CHOCOLATE NOSE/GREEN EYES. Both of his parents were chocolate and who have the b/b genotype.
- B: Black - No effect.
- b: Chocolate - Dilutes eumelanin (not phaeomelanin) from black to chocolate. Also changes nose pads and paws in a similar way.
Default genotype for mating predictions and phenotype deduction: BB
Photo to the left and right: "Pippin" is an example of Poodle that is k/k but he has an ay allele (Just as we have seen in 6 Goldendoodles born to us since 1999.) As a young pup at the left the black tips on his hairs are very evident.
(Pippin is an apricot with black tips) By 10 months of age he has lightened over most of his body (just as we have witnessed with our 4 Goldendoodles who were apricot with black tips) but still has apricot ears with black fringe because of his EM allele.
Photo to the left: Are two of our Goldendoodles who (see photo below with coat fully extended) are approx. 35 pounds and are both sisters. One is slightly darker than the other but both are apricot with black tips. As with what happened to "Pippin's" coat (purebred Poodle), we saw the same occur with all of our Goldendoodles who were apricot with black tips. (See Penny up above with bows and with her nephew Teddy.). With the coat fully extended (see photo down below), the black tips are more evident throughout each strand of hair. When shaved down, the black strands on each tip of the hairs can be slightly seen.
Photo to the right: Is one of the doodle sisters (see photo above of the larger doodles) when her coat was fully extended. More of the black tips on each strand of the hairs was more pronounced before this doodle turned one year of age. The doodle sister who is still maintaining more of the black tipping with her coat trimmed short (see photo up above) is the same doodle to the far right when the coat is fully extended. Rare Colors of the purebred Poodle are seen mostly in smaller Poodles. Some rare patterns (such as phantom markings) to include rare colorations, are not recognized for showing purposes by AKC. They are presented here for educational purposes and are acceptable "pet" colors. The coloration "apcicot with black tips" is quite beautiful on a Goldendoodle.
WHY BUY FROM THE REST WHEN YOU CAN BUY FROM THE BEST???
Canine Coat GeneticsUnderstanding Canine Coat and Color Genetics
Since 1999 and creating Goldendoodles, we saw that Goldendoodles can be a complete contradiction to the norm when it comes to coat color and genetics. Below you will see a chocolate phantom Goldendoodle named Nala. She was a deep chocolate with tan markings from birth and she was the same color when we sold her as a young puppy. To the right, is a photo of Nala the owner sent to me and I never would have guessed this was the same doodle that left us as a deep chocolate/tan phantom! As you can see, she's lost all her markings and her coat is nearly white.
In all the years I've been a dog owner and a breeder, I've never seen a dog completely lose its entire markings and the owner's vet agreed that this was a rare occurance that he had never witnessed either. Had this particular Goldendoodle not been micro-chipped, I never would have believed it was the same dog. As it were, we have witnessed just how contradictory these dogs can be when it comes genetics, coat color, sizes, etc; We take nothing for granted when it comes to the Goldendoodle. This notation was updated on November 21, 2008. As time passes, we are constantly having to update our information as we come to know it and we advise all doodle breeders to do the same so that those who seek actual, factual Goldendoodle information can obtain accurate info that will be of help.
