The Australian Labradoodle Association

The Australian Labradoodle

COLOURS

These days you can find
the Australian Labradoodle in a number of different and beautiful colours. We hope that you find the below colour information informative and useful. Thank you to all the Breeders and Owners who supplied the photos depicting this wonderful rainbow of Doodle colours.

Chalk

This colour should be a white colour but when compared to white is rather a chalkywhite in colour. Nose pigment to be Black or Rose.

Coat patterns in the Australian Labradoodle include the following:

All solid colours
Colours of Parchment, Lavender
Cafe’ and Chocolate
may have dark amber eyes; liver noses, eye rims and lips; and dark nails
Colours of Caramel
may have dark amber to pale hazel-green eyes; liver noses, eye rims and lips; and self coloured to dark nails.
Colours of Gold, Red, Black, Blue and Silver
must have very dark eyes; black noses, eye rims and lips; and black or self-coloured nails
Colours of Chalk and Cream
may have either pigmentation of dark amber to pale hazel-green eyes; liver noses, eye rims and lips; and self coloured to dark nails or very dark eyes; black noses, eye rims and lips; and black or self-coloured nails.

These colours may appear in one of the following patterns:

Solid
Colour is solid and preferably even, preferably with no white markings.
A small white flash no larger than 2.5cm in diameter can appear on the chest, feet or tail and is permissible. Even colours are preferred but natural colouration of the coat is not considered a fault.
Parti
Colour is fifty percent white, with spots/patches of any other solid colour. No set pattern is required but symmetrical markings on the head are preferred. Freckling of the solid colour in the white of the coat is acceptable but not encouraged.
Phantom
The body colour must be a solid colour with defined markings of a second colour as follows: above each eye, on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheek, on the underside of the ears, on the throat to forchest, or in a chin and forechest pattern, with a minimum second colouring on the feet preferably up the legs, and below the tail. Second colour in the inside of the leg and flank is also acceptable and should not be penalized. Markings are preferred to be clear and defined. Face markings of the second colour with the entire face coloured is acceptable, though not preferred, if the other required body markings are present. Any of the solid colours combination is acceptable.
Abstract
Any solid colour with the second colour being white, must have less than fifty percent white.
Sable
Black-tipped hairs on any solid colour, preferable even but no penalty for uneven pattern of ticking.
Brindle
Should have an even and equal distribution of the colours with layering of black hairs in regions of lighter colours (usually, chalk/cream/gold/red, cafe/lavender/parchment, or silver) producing a tiger-striped pattern.
Multi
Multiple colours or patterns, as in a phantom with large white Abstract markings, or a Parti pattern with Sable ticking etc...

Cream

This colour should be a creamy colouring sometimes with apricot/gold tinting, all shades of cream are acceptable. Nose pigment to be Black or Rose.

Gold

This colour has also been referred to, as “apricot” should be the colour of the inside of a ripe apricot to varying shades of rich Gold in colour. A true Gold should not have a lighter root than the outer coat and preferable have an even colouration over the entire body. This colour may fade as the dog grows older. Nose pigment to be Black in colour.

Caramel

This colour ranges from a rich gold through to a deep red the preferred colour is very much the same colour as its namesake 'caramel' with even colouration over the entire body. Nose pigment to be Rose in colour.

Red

This colour should be a solid even rich red in colour. A true red should not be lighter at the root than the outer coat. Reds can fade as the dog grows older. Nose pigment to be Black. [Rare colour group]

Black

This colour should be a solid black in colour with no sprinkling of any other colour through the coat. Nose pigment to be Black.

Silver

This colour can range in shades from very light pewter in colour to a dark charcoal in colour it is preferred to see an even colour through the coat but acceptable to see uneven layering of colour in the coat. Silvers are born Black with the coat colour developing over time (1-3 yrs). Nose pigment to be Black.

Blue

This colour should be a dark to medium smoky blue in colour. Blues are born Black but will have a Blue/Grey skin pigment. The blue coat colour will develop over time (1-3yrs) but as a developed adult should have an even coat colour. Nose pigment to be Blue/Grey [matching the skin pigmentation]. [Rare colour group]

Chocolate

This colour should be a dark rich chocolate in colour. True chocolates are born almost black in colour and maintain the rich dark colour throughout their lifetime. Colour should be even. Nose pigment to be Rose in colour [matching the coat colour]. [Rare colour group]

Café

This colour ranges from a milk chocolate to silver-beige in colour and will develop over time (1-3yrs). Nose pigment to be Rose in colour [matching the coat colour]

Lavender

This colour has a definite smoky lavender chocolate colour giving an almost pink to lilac appearance. Lavender dogs are born chocolate and will develop over time (1-3yrs). Nose pigment to be Rose in colour [matching the coat colour]. [Rare colour group]

Parchment

This colour is a creamy beige chocolate colour reminiscent of a cup of coffee with a generous addition of milk. Parchment dogs are born milk chocolate and will develop over time (1-3yrs). From a distance adult dogs can be mistaken for a dark or smoky cream. Nose pigment to be Rose in colour. [Rare colour group]

Parti

At least fifty percent white, with spots or patches of any other above solid colour. The head can be of a solid colour but white muzzle, blaze, or white muzzle/blaze combination (preferably symmetrical) are equally acceptable. Full or partial saddles are acceptable, as long as they do not exceed the colour proportion, but are not preferred. Ticking in the white of the coat is acceptable but not preferred. Nose pigment to match the solid colour requirements as listed above.

Phantom

Solid base colour with sharply defined markings of a second colour appearing above each eye, on the sides of the muzzle, on the throat and forechest, or in a chin and forechest bowtie pattern as well as on all four legs and feet, and below the tail. A phantom without clearly defined face markings or one that presents with its whole face coloured in the second colour is acceptable, as long as it maintains all the other specified body markings. Any combination of acceptable colours is allowed. Nose pigment should follow requirements listed above based on the Solid base colour.

Abstract

Less than fifty percent white, with the remaining percent any other acceptable solid colour.

Sable

A coat represented by black-tipped hairs on a background of any solid colour, with no particular pattern/location designated for such hairs.

Brindle

Should have an even and equal distribution of the composite colours with layering of black hairs in regions of lighter colour (usually, chalk/cream/gold/red, cafe/lavender/parchment, or silver) producing a tiger-striped pattern.

Multi-Patterned

A dog that clearly exhibits more than one of the acceptable colour patterns,such as; a Parti with full or incomplete phantom markings (facial markings with or without presentation of the diamond under the tail), or a Phantom with additional abstract markings, etc. (photographed is a Silver Brindle-Phantom with Abstract markings.)