In addition to genetically testing our dogs for congenital diseases, we also test our dogs for their coat traits (colour(s), patterns, furnishings, coat type-curl, wave, straight). This allows us to predict what coats we will have in our planned litters. The study of genetics has always been a passion, so part of the excitement of breeding is planning out what colours, patterns and coat types we will have in our future litters! Our first and foremost priority when breeding is always health and temperament but we also carefully select our breeding pairs based on their coat traits and map out the colours/patterns/coats in each of our breeding pairs.
Coat Colours & Patterns
The Importance of Genetic Testing
Aren’t Goldendoodles supposed to be “golden”?
Yes and no actually! It is true that Golden Retrievers only bring shades of cream, apricot and red into genetic mix, but since Poodles come in a multitude of colours and patterns, Goldendoodles can also be many different colours and patterns as well!
Poodle colours include: Cream/Apricot/Red, Black, Café au lait (muted brown from birth), Silver beige (chocolate at birth turn to muted brown), Brown/Chocolate, Blue (muted black), Silver (black at birth, turn silver/grey), Brindle, and Sable. There are also several patterns to their coats: parti, abstract, tuxedo, merle.
What colours and patterns do we offer at Ridge & Valley Farm?
- Cream, apricot, red with black points
- Cream, apricot, red with brown points
- Chocolate
- Black
- Abstracts and Tuxedos
- Phantoms
- Blue Merle
- Chocolate Merle
- Parti
Light Cream
Molly (F1)- Ridge & Valley Farm
Cream
F1 from Daisy & Rudy's Litter
Apricot
F1B from Molly & Rudy's Litter
Red
F1 from Daisy & Rudy's Litter
Black and Brown- Black is possible in any generation of Goldendoodles as long as one of the parents is black or brown. Two cream/apricot/red dogs cannot produce black or brown. Chocolate (or brown) however, is ONLY possible in F1b generations or beyond. There are no chocolate F1 Goldendoodles since Golden Retrievers do not carry the brown gene (and it is recessive, so you need two copies of it to express it). If a chocolate fades to a muted brown colour then they are considered a Silver beige.
Colours
(please note that some of these colour examples were provided by the generous families from the Goldendoodles Rock & Goldendoodle Owners Facebook Groups)
Cream, Apricot and Red- All three of these shades are all genetically considered the same colour since it is the same gene. The exact colour/shade of the puppy will depend on the intensity of the expression of this gene. Typically, if both parents are red, you can expect red in the litter, otherwise puppies are typically cream or apricot.
Silver Beige
Photo Credit: dreamydoodles.com
Chocolate
Oaklan (F1BB)- Ridge & Valley Farm
Chocolate
Hazel (F1B)- Ridge & Valley Farm
Black
Puppy from Paisley & Rudy's litter
Sable
Photo Credit: Deedle's Goldendoodles
Brindle (parti)
Photo Credit: Suzanne Phay- Goldendoodles Rock
Silver (parti)
Photo Credit: Ashley Garrard- Goldendoodles Rock
Blue
Photo Credit: Lisa McMillan
Sable and Brindle- Sable and brindle are mixed colours. Sable puppies start off as a mix of a base colour with black tips. The base colour can be cream/apricot/red or blue/silver. The black tips will grow out and by the time they are an adult they will look completely different with only darker ears/head. Brindle means stripes. This pattern is often seen in boxers and several other breeds. We do not offer these colours here but they also stunning!
Patterns
(please note that some of these pattern examples were provided by the generous families from the Goldendoodles Rock & Goldendoodle Owners Facebook Groups)
Parti- Two copies of the parti (or piebald gene) results in a mostly white dog with patches of colour (cream/apricot/red/black/brown). Rudy is an example of a red parti. So genetically he is red but his two copies of the parti gene makes him mostly white. He will pass on one copy of this gene to all of his offspring making them abstracts or tuxedos. The colour of the patches on the dog will depend on the genetic colours and other patterns the dog carries. It is possible to have merle partis for example meaning that those patches of colour would be merle patterned.
Blue and Silver- Blue dogs are born black and fade to an ashy charcoal colour (too dark to be silver but too muted to be black). Silver (or grey) also starts out as black and gradually fades to silver over several years. With a silver dog you will see silver at the roots if you shave the hair. We do not offer this colour here but they also stunning!
Apricot Parti
Photo Credit: Cindy O'Dell Boling- Goldendoodles Rock
Red Parti
Rudy (Moyen Standard Poodle)- Ridge & Valley Farm
Chocolate Parti
Puppy from Hazel & Rudy's Litter
Black Parti
Puppy from Hazel & Rudy's Litter
Tuxedo- A dog that is solid in colour but has its white markings in specific locations making it look like it is wearing a tuxedo. These white markings appear as a mostly white chest, belly, legs and sometimes face/muzzle. The main colour of the dog can be any colour/pattern.
Apricot Abstract
Daisy and Rudy's F1 Litter- Ridge & Valley Farm
Apricot Tuxedo
Photo Credit: Rose Lengacher Graber- Goldendoodle Dog Owner's Group
Red Tuxedo
Daisy and Rudy's F1 Litter- Ridge & Valley Farm
Chocolate Tuxedo
Photo Credit: Amanda Leblanc- Goldendoodle Dog Owners Group
Abstract- These dogs are solid in colour but will have white markings on them. These markings are usually on the feet, forehead, chest, chin and tip of the tail. These markings are not as widespread as a tuxedo. All puppies that get one copy of the parti gene will have white markings. The main colour of the dog can be any colour/pattern.
Apricot Abstract
Molly and Rudy's F1B Litter- Ridge & Valley Farm
Chocolate Abstract
Hazel F1b- Ridge & Valley Farm
Merle- Think of merle as marbling. Merle makes the solid colour of the dog lighter in areas resulting in a marbling effect. Merle is a dominant gene so it only takes one copy of this gene to have merle patterning. There are two types of merle patterning, blue merle and chocolate merle. (Two merles are never bred together)
Blue merle is the result of a black dog with merle patterning. The dog will appear black with silver/grey marbling throughout. Paisley and Cosmo are examples of Blue Merles. They are genetically black but carry the dominant merle gene. Merle dogs will pass this pattern on to half of their offspring. Since chocolate is only possible in F1b generations and beyond, chocolate merle follows this rule. Blue merle however is possible in any generation.
Chocolate merle is a brown dog with merle patterning. The dog will appear brown with tan marbling throughout. The chocolate/brown colour often mutes as the dogs gets older to a silver beige colour.
Blue Merle
Paisley- Multigen- Ridge & Valley Farm
Blue Merle
(with phantom markings)
Paisley & Rudy's litter
Blue Merle
Paisley & Oaklan's litter
Chocolate Merle
(with abstract markings)
Paisley & Rudy's litter
Phantoms- Phantoms have a specific location and colour of markings. Think of the Doberman or Rottweiler pattern of markings with eyebrow patches, chest markings, muzzle, under tail and down the legs. This pattern is rare since it depends on a few genes being present to produce it. We have several dogs who carry the genes responsible for phantom patterning!
Black/Tan Phantom- Black body with brown markings above eyes (like eyebrows), on chest, muzzle and legs.
Brown/Tan Phantom-Brown body with tan markings above eyes (like eyebrows), on chest, muzzle and legs.
Black/Tan Phantom
Photo Credit: Teal Lauren
Brown/Tan Phantom
Paisley & Oaklan's litter
Black/Tan Phantom
Photo Credit: Carol Heller
Brown/Tan Phantom
Paisley & Oaklan's litter
