13 Cockapoo Coat Colors + Pictures
Cockapoos are often considered one of the first designer breeds, as their history goes back to the 1960s. Two of the most popular dog breeds in the United States, the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle, were bred together, and the rest is history!
One of the many amazing traits of Cockapoos is how diverse their coat colors can be. There are at least seven main colors that can comprise their coat. The coat can be a completely solid singular color or one of dozens of different potential combinations. There are so many different looks a Cockapoo can have, all while still maintaining its loving, easygoing, and fun-loving temperament and personality!
Because of their poodle parent, they are considered hypoallergenic and low shedding.
Breed History
Cocker Spaniels are believed to have originated in Spain, where they were then introduced to England. From there, they took off in popularity, making their way to the United States. The English Cocker Spaniel, one of the parent breeds for the Cockapoo, has long been an incredibly popular dog in the United States. In fact, it was ranked number one with the American Kennel Club from the 1930s to the 1950s and again in the 1980s! Lady from Walt Disney’s Lady and the Tramp was actually a Cocker Spaniel!
While the Poodle is the national dog of France, some may be surprised to know that the Poodle actually originated in Germany. Like the Cocker Spaniel, they have only increased in popularity with two other variations deriving from the original Standard Poodle. Standard Poodles were bred down in size to become the Miniature Poodle, and from there, they got even smaller with the Toy Poodle. All of which are exactly the same in features except for size!
There are three different types of Cockapoos. The first is what made the Cockapoo come into being in the first place. And that is the F1 or the first cross Cockapoo! The F1 Cockapoo is made when a purebred Cocker Spaniel and a purebred Poodle (toy, miniature, or standard) are bred together. An F2 Cockapoo is made when two F1 Cockapoos are bred together. And finally, an F3 Cockapoo is made when two F2 Cockapoos are bred together. The F type really doesn’t play as much of a factor in the looks of the dog as much as the genetics of the parent dogs.
Cockapoo Coat Colors
As we mentioned, a cockapoo’s coat can be very different from one to the next. There solid colors you may see are:
There’s also the phantom, merle, sable, tuxedo, and parti-colored coats that consist of more than one color.
Apricot
Apricot is one of the most common colors seen in cockapoos. It is sometimes mistaken for a red cockapoo, but it is a much lighter shade and typically has a bit of an orange hint to it, hence the apricot name. Though some can be so light in color that they nearly look cream or white.
Beige
Often also called a champagne-colored cockapoo, cockapoos with this coloring are a bit harder to find than most. Like many of the different cockapoo colors, their ears also seem to get a little bit darker in color towards the bottoms and tips. Beige Cockapoos are often born a darker color and then fade into a lighter color as they get older, depending on their genetic makeup.
Brown
Brown is another standard color for Cockapoos, but it can vary between a light caramel color to a rich chocolate brown or even a dark, nearly black brown. Similar to apricot-colored cockapoos, some brown Cockapoos can be so dark that they are mistaken for a black Cockapoo or so light that they are mistaken for a tan or beige Cockapoo.
Cream
The cream-colored Cockapoo, similar to the white, is a popular one for fans of the breed. They can be a little bit harder to find. They often have a slight tinge of a light tan or buff color on the muzzle and ears.
Merle
The merle coat of a Cockapoo combines lighter and darker patches, spots, and patterns of the same color. Merles are, without a doubt, one of the rarest of the cockapoos to find. Dogs with merle coats actually have their distinctive look because of a merle gene. While the merle gene results in a striking coat color, it also has been associated with various health problems. Breeding intentionally for the merle coat can result in puppies with serious health issues. It should only be done by experts with extensive knowledge of the process. For example, if two merle dogs of any breed are bred together, the puppies will almost certainly be born blind, deaf, or with any other possible health issues.
Red
Red is one of the standard colors for Cockapoos. They may not be as red as Clifford, the Big Red Dog, but still red nonetheless! The red gene can come from both the poodle and the cocker side. The color can also vary from a rich copper color to more of an auburn shade and anything in between.
Parti-Colored
Another name for parti-colored cockapoos would be bi- or tri-colored Cockapoos. Typically, though, with the parti-colored Cockapoo, we see colors in threes. There is usually one color that is more dominant and then two additional colors that cover the rest of the fur. Often the dominant color will be white, cream, or apricot.
Phantom
A phantom cockapoo usually has red, chocolate, or almost black colored fur as its dominant color. In certain areas like the tail, legs, chest, paws, chin, and eyebrows, the dog will have a lighter color fur like a lighter brown, for example. Interestingly, if you move away some of the darker-colored dominant fur, you’ll be able to see some lighter fur hiding closer to the skin.
Sable
A sable cockapoo is typically born with a red coat, and the tips of the fur are a darker shade. This contrast in coloring is more noticeable when they are puppies but nevertheless provides a stunning ombre effect.
Tan
Tan is one of the standard colors for cockapoos and can come in several different variations of lighter and darker tan. Like some of the other colors, tan cockapoos may start out as a darker color but eventually fade into a lighter tan color.
Tuxedo
A tuxedo cockapoo looks like it’s wearing a tuxedo! They usually have dark black fur and then a white patch on their chest hence the name tuxedo. However, some may show off a red tuxedo with a white patch on their chest!
White
White is another one of the standard Cockapoo colors. It can be an entirely solid pure white color, or it could look more like a light champagne color. There are some cases where it is not always a solid color and will have either gold or cream accentuating the muzzle and ears.
Black
Obviously cockapoos with a black coat are solid, and are actually one of the most common coats you will see.
Common FAQs About Spaniel Poodle Mixes
There is no foolproof way to tell if a Cockapoo puppy will grow to have a curly coat at a young age. It is not until their adult coat starts to come in at around the six to eight-month mark that owners will find out if their puppy will have curly hair. However, there are ways to increase the odds of getting a curly-haired adult. Some breeders will breed with a larger gene pool from the Poodle side of the equation to increase the odds of curls over straight or wavy fur.
Cockapoo puppies’ coats can and do change color as they continue to grow. The wide range of colors and possibilities is one of the things that is so exciting about the breed. You never know exactly what you are going to get until you’ve already fallen in love with the dog!
For some cockapoos, as they grow, the color may fade due to a factor commonly referred to as the poodle fading genes. Certain genes, like the graying gene (the G Locus) and the silver (v) gene, can cause a dog’s fur to fade to a lighter color. For example, a rich chocolate-colored coat may fade to a more medium light brown. This change usually happens within the first two years of life but sometimes can take up to three years. Fading can happen all over the body, or the dog may retain some of the original color it had when it was a puppy. Not all dogs will have this, though, and some will retain their original color.
The most commonly seen Cockapoo color is black, with the other solid colors coming in close behind. Both the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle are known to have solid black coats, so it is easy to see why this would be a common color. Black is also a dominant gene, so it is more likely to occur as opposed to other colors.
There are a couple of reasons why a black Cockapoo’s coat may fade to a more gray color. Though it doesn’t happen for all Cockapoos, those with the fading gene will likely experience their coat fading from black to gray as they grow up. The process is usually complete between two and three years of age. The other reason it may happen is simply because of old age. Dogs can visually age just like humans do.
Final Thoughts
Cockapoos have a wide range of colors and coat patterns. From solid blacks, whites, and reds, to parti-colored, phantom, and merle, there are limitless options for a Cockapoos coat. While there is no way to perfectly and accurately predict what color a Cockapoo puppy will grow into, that can just be part of the fun of owning the breed!