The colours of the Poodle: Which ones are recognized in Italy?
The colours of the Poodle: Which ones are recognized in Italy?
Written by Silvia Capelli
September 4, 2023
The breed of the dog Poodle, or more commonly called Barboncino, or Poodle (English name), is one of the most beloved small-sized apartment dog breeds in the world.
It is a very widespread dog breed, and not only is it recognized in 4 different sizes, but it also comes in many coat colors, both solid and multicolored.
But among the colors of the poodle, which ones are recognized in Italy, and which ones only outside Europe or are not recognized at all?
Let's try to clarify the subject, considering that no one, except breeders, should care about the color of the dog compared to the fact that it is healthy and happy!
And if you want to know more about the Poodle, read our article with all the information about the breed and how to keep it healthy.
Which colors are recognized in Italy?
In Italy, only the following are recognized by ENCI:
White
Fawn (or red fawn, in various shades including the color called apricot)*
Brown
Grey (recognized in 1964)
Black
*Red was recognized only in 2004, but due to some confusion generated by the birth of puppies with lighter or darker shades of hair, in 2016 apricot and red were unified into a single color and classified under the name of color FAWN.
Eyelids, nose, lips, gums, palate, natural orifices, scrotum, and pads must be well pigmented and of intense color.
Puppies born from the mating of Poodles of different colors (or sizes) cannot be registered with ENCI and therefore cannot obtain a pedigree, unless the mating is approved by the Companion Dog Club.
This regulation applies to Poodles of all sizes, namely:
Teacup Poodle (or Minitoy, an unrecognized variant)
Toy Poodle
Miniature Poodle
Medium Poodle
Standard Poodle
Which colors of the Poodle are not approved by ENCI?
Among the solid colors, those not approved by ENCI are:
Blue
Cream
Silver beige
Café au lait
Description of the Poodle's colors
Black
It is one of the most common colors, even if not the most requested. The coat must be a solid ink black, without white or silver hairs, and should not lighten with age. The nose, lips, nails, and eyes of the black Poodle must be very dark.
Some puppies that are born black undergo a kind of fading called "clearing" and become silver or blue.
Brown
The brown color should be a nice mahogany or dark walnut tone, but it is present in a wide variety of lighter shades.
Even coats of this color lighten with age, shifting from a warm and intense tone to shades tending towards cinnamon. The nose is brown, the nails are dark, and the eyes are a dark amber color.
White
It is one of the most popular colors and the coat is a beautiful pure white, while the nose, lips, nails, and eyes are a nice dark color. White individuals with pink extremities and orifices are not accepted.
The white Poodle has pink skin, whereas if the skin were white, it would be a case of albinism.
Fawn
Fawn was classified as a separate color from brown in 2004, as a result of an attempt to unify all the variations of shades ranging from red, chestnut, and copper to apricot.
The red color is derived from a gene called Rufus, a recessive allele that darkens the more common apricot color.
The red coat is particularly prone to both darken and lighten with age. Nails, eyes, nose, and gums are dark.
Grey
Some Poodles are born grey, while most lighten up around two or three months of age.
This process is due to a gene called Progressive Graying found in some Poodles of black, blue, and brown colors.
When this gene is dominant, it is transmitted from the parents to the puppies and is present with a probability of 50%. The nose, nails, and eyes are black.
What are the other colors of the Poodle?
Blue
The blue Poodle is often registered as black at birth, as that is how the puppies are born, and the fur only lightens later. In some cases, it takes about 12 months, but it can be up to 24.
In fact, an experienced eye can quite easily distinguish the blue puppy from the black one thanks to a slightly brown shade of the coat, and the presence of white or silver hairs among the toe pads.
The blue coat also lightens, becoming an anthracite grey tone. The nose, eyes, nails, and pads are black.
Silver
Another variant born black, the Silver Poodle begins to lighten around six weeks of age. The color will start to change on the muzzle and paws, and then unify over the rest of the body.
Since this color is due to a recessive gene, for puppies to be born silver, both parents must also carry the same color.
The shade must be silver, not grey, and the most sought-after shade is the lighter one, referred to as platinum. Births are uncommon, and the extremities and orifices of this hair tone are black.
Cream
This is a tone between white and light apricot, and the nose is usually liver-colored.
In some cases, the cream coat is merely the evolution of a light or medium brown coat that has lightened with age. It is in this category of shades that the Champagne Poodle also falls.
coffee with milk
Darker in tone than cream, the café au lait Poodle also has amber eyes and liver-colored extremities.
The color tones can range from a light red to a dark cream. It's not a very popular color as it is not very defined. Puppies are born this color, which does not result from the lightening of red or brown coats but is a natural color.
Silver Beige
This shade does not exist at birth. The silver beige color results from the lightening of brown which generally occurs around six weeks, initially appearing on the muzzle and paws.
The color is often confused with café au lait, and to know the exact tone of the animal, it is necessary to know its color at birth.
What are the bi-colored coats of the Poodle?
The Poodle is often crossed to obtain bi-colored or multi-colored coats. It should be noted that originally the Poodle was not solid-colored; paintings and drawings from the past clearly show that Poodles had bi-colored fur.
Over time, consumer preferences shifted predominantly towards solid-colored coats, which ended up being the only ones approved.
However, there are some very beautiful, albeit very rare, variants.
Classic Parti-colored Poodle: the coat has a white base, which should be pure. The spots can be brown, apricot, black, grey, red, or brindle, a pattern with tiger-striped markings of various colors. The arrangement should be harmonious, and the spotting should be aesthetically pleasing (the specific part of the body is not important). The spots must not cover more than 50% of the total body surface.
Tuxedo Poodle: The Tuxedo Poodle has spots positioned in a very specific way, and the coat must resemble a tuxedo. The upper part should be solid-colored and uniform, while the lower part, starting from the neck to the abdomen, should be pure white. The legs should also be partially white, and a white blaze on the head is acceptable.
Brindle Poodle (or sand, or sable): This variant is very rare; the base color is rather dark with markings similar to a tiger-striped pattern, in various combinations of fawn color. But that's not all: the brindle sable Poodle changes color. The puppy is born very dark, but the fur gradually lightens with age (in some cases, it can be light-based with dark stripes).
Mismark Poodle: This is a rather common variety, and all solid colors are accepted. The spots are few in number and are mainly located on the chest area, throat, tip of the tail, and feet.
Phantom Poodle (or Black and Tan, or tawny Poodle): This variant has distinctive markings in specific spots, namely above the eyes, on the sides of the muzzle, under the tail, and on the feet. The markings should also be prominently displayed against the base color. Accepted variants include grey/cream markings, black/brown, grey, apricot and cream markings, brown/apricot markings, and red/apricot markings.
What are the coat coloration faults in the Poodle?
The following characteristics are considered faults:
Non-solid or non-uniform color
Non-single colored coat
White spots on the coat
Nose only partially pigmented or without correct pigmentation, or totally depigmented
Lack of correspondence between the coloration of the nose, eyes, gums, pads, and orifices and that of fur and skin.
Which color is the rarest in the Poodle?
The rarest color in Poodles is often considered to be the true silver color, as it is not only unique but also because silver Poodles are born black and their color changes over time. The rarity is also due to the specific genetics required for this coloration. Another rare color can be the brindle or sable pattern, especially in its changing shades. However, rarity can vary based on geographical location and breeding trends.
There are three colors that contend for the title of the rarest:
If you found this article helpful and want to learn more about the Poodle, you will find other useful and interesting articles in our archive on dog breeds.
Author's Note
NB: In this article, we describe the standards set by FCI and ENCI and therefore valid for Europe. Different standards for size, color, or coat may be accepted by AKC or other federations. For more information, check the standards of the country that interests you.
