Choosing a new Aussiedoodle puppy can quickly become overwhelming because there are oftentimes several different coat colors in each litter. Most pet owners will choose their dog based on the coat color, we’ve created a comprehensive list of the different types of Aussiedoodle colors.
When you start looking at pictures, you can become enamored with the different colors and blends of colors and find yourself struggling to make a decision. There are several common colors among Aussiedoodles that are well-known and you may even see some more rare coat colors.
In this guide, we will share with you the various common colors of the Aussiedoodle breed and give you an explanation of each one in turn.
Prefer to watch a video? We made a guide to various different Aussiedoodle colors to help you choose. Watch it below:
Common Aussiedoodle Colors
If you’re at all familiar with the Australian Shepherd, you know that they can have some unique color blends. This breed is famous for tri-color and merle colored coats which translates into the Aussiedoodle breed as well. This is not even considering the fact that Poodles come in 10 standard coat colors! As you can imagine, there’s virtually an infinite amount of coat colors that you can create with for an Aussiepoo.
Here are some of the most common colors of Aussiedoodles that you might find.
- Tri-color
- Black
- Blue merle
- Red merle
- Black/white
- White
This does not limit you to these colors but they are some of the most popular and known colors. The most popular Aussiedoodle colors are labeled are blue merle, red merle, black, and chocolate. These are the ones that we will primarily focus on.
Blue Merle Aussiedoodle
Typically, to get a blue merle Aussiedoodle, a Poodle is bred with a blue merle Australian Shepherd. The best way to achieve this look is to pair a Poodle that is like in color like cream or white with a blue merle Australian Shepherd. You might even be successful with an apricot or light grey Poodle as well.
This blue merle coloring from an Aussiedoodle is always a dominant trait. When you breed with a blue merle Australian Shepherd, you will most likely see this color pattern pull through as the dominant color in puppies. Since this trait is dominant, it will typically surpass the Poodle color.
If you’re not familiar with blue merle, this color is typically a mixture of white, tan, and blue/gray colors that are intermittently in patches over the dog’s coat. There is no guarantee at all how or where the coloring will be spread.
This is the most sought after coloring for Aussiedoodle puppies and it is one of the easier ones to guarantee if you use an Aussiedoodle that is blue merle in the breeding process. Another thing that could be affected by this is also the dog’s eye colors.
Finally, if you decide to breed your Aussiedoodle with another Aussiedoodle, there are strict recommendations to never breed two merle Aussiedoodles as this can often lead to severe health issues, including deafness and blindness.
Red Merle Aussiedoodle
The next popular Aussiedoodle coat color is the red merle. Again, this color is typically accomplished by breeding with a red merle Australian Shepherd and using a light-colored poodle for the other half. Cream or white is the recommendation but apricot Poodle could be used for breeding as well.
Just as with blue merle puppies, red merle coloring is a dominant trait that typically surpasses any Poodle coloring and passes to the Aussiedoodle puppy for coloring. Red merle Aussiedoodles are a combination of red, white, and tan colors.
There is no guarantee of how they will be patterned or how these colors will present themselves in the process for the puppies, but you can typically assume that puppies will have red merle coats when a red merle Australian Shepherd is part of the process. However, not all the puppies in the litter will have a red merle coat coloring. You’ll oftentimes see solid color Aussiedoodles, double red merle Aussiedoodles, or tri-color red merle Aussiedoodles.
Interestingly, red merle Aussiedoodle can have a wide range of eye colors as well. You might find blue, brown, or green most often. On a rare occasion, you can also find Aussiedoodles that have two different eye colors, which is another winner if it happens. This is considered to be genetically rare. The red merle Aussiedoodles is the 2nd most popular color of this breed.
Chocolate Aussiedoodle, Black Aussiedoodle, or White Aussiedoodle
We don’t feel as though it is necessary to break down singular colors for you as the description will remain the same across the board, but there are some varying factors. Black Aussiedoodles and chocolate Aussiedoodle colors are the 3rd and 4th most popular colors for an Aussiedoodle.
What you should know is this does not necessarily mean that is their only color. These colors may have a mixture of colors but the chocolate, black, or white will be the dominant color. For example, a chocolate Aussiedoodle may have some white or even tan on their chest and chin but they are still considered a chocolate Aussiedoodle.
This coloring typically happens when you breed a dark-colored Poodle with a dark-colored Australian shepherd that does not have a merle pattern. For the most part, this coloring is considered rare for Aussiedoodles but that may be because the coloring is not as popular or demanded so breeders don’t try as hard for these colors.
For white Aussiedoodles, you’ll typically have a lighter colored Poodle bred with a mostly white Aussiedoodle. Oftentimes, you’ll also see White Aussiedoodles that are bred with lighter Poodles and merle Australian Shepherds. White is a more genetically rare color for an Aussiedoodle as their bodies aren’t typically all white.
Bi-Color Aussiedoodles and Tri-Color Aussiedoodles
Bi-colors and tri-colors can also be popular in the Aussiedoodle breed. They often don’t get enough credit because the merle blends are so sought after.
However, it is possible to have Aussiedoodles that are two or three colors without a merle pattern. In this case, you might find splotches of white or the 2nd or 3rd color in places like the head, neck, paws, or across the body of your Aussiedoodle.
With bi-colored Aussiedoodles and tri-colored Aussiedoodles, it’s impossible to predict just how their coloring will be affected. Most of the time, this is done by pairing various colors of Poodles with different color shades of Australian Shepherds, apart from the merle shepherd coloring.
However, most people will consider their merle Aussiedoodle with three colors to be a tri-colored Aussiedoodle. They technically wouldn’t be wrong, but it’s worthwhile to note that Aussiedoodles can be three colors without the merle pattern.
Various Aussiedoodle Color Terminology
We’ve broken down these categories into standard colors and sections, but you might hear a lot of different terms that are specific to Aussiedoodle colors and of course, you will be expected to know what each one translates to, right? We’ve got you covered!
Here are a few more color terms you might come across with a brief explanation. These colors are rare but worthwhile to note.
- Black Tuxedo Aussiedoodle – This color refers to a black Aussiedoodle that has a patch of white on their chest and neck area. The name is somewhat self-explanatory. The dog’s black and white coloring is such that it almost looks like a tuxedo!
- Black Phantom Aussiedoodle – The black phantom is an interesting look that is gorgeous. The dominant color is black with phantom tan color on the legs, stomach, chest, and around the eyes.
- Red Tuxedo Aussiedoodle – Picture the same illustration of the black tuxedo but with red as the dominant color and white as the shirt underneath the red tuxedo.
- Red Phantom Aussiedoodle – This is again a variation of the black phantom color. This is yet another gorgeous combination. Red is the dominant color but then there are tan highlights on the legs, chest, and around the face. There might even be a touch of white on the paws or chest.
- Teddy Color Aussiedoodle – If you see this description, it is referring to a teddy bear effect that is typically a dominant black coat with some phantom tan and white mixtures as well as a tan/white collar. The colored area is the chest and neck.
Why So Many Aussiedoodle Colors?
If you’re wondering why you can possibly have so many color combinations for an Aussiedoodle, you’ve come to the right place.
First, consider the colors of an Australian Shepherd, which will be one of the parents of an Aussiedoodle. This breed in particular is known for having multi-colored coats. They have merle, red merle, blue merle, and several different tri-color variations.
Australian Shepherds are incredibly unique in color combinations so it stands to reason when you breed one of these puppies with another breed, those color combinations are going to be inherited to some degree.
Now, if you look up the AKC Poodle coat colors, they name over 10 different standardized colors. Most Poodles are a single color, although it is possible to have some bi-color Poodles as well. The typical Poodle colors include black, white, apricot, cream, sable, blue, grey, silver, brown, red, or black, and white.
When you take this combination to create an Aussiedoodle and you can imagine that this leads to some unique color variations as well.
Conclusion for Types of Aussiedoodle Colors
Aussiedoodle dogs can come in a wide range of colors. If you consider the merle patterns as a basis and then consider how many other colors can be spun together, there’s virtually an unlimited amount of Aussiedoodle coat colors.
You see just from our pictures and examples a dozen different color options are named. This is not even considering how many bi and tri-color Aussiedoodle color combinations you could potentially come across as well.
The thing to know here is that no matter what color your Aussiedoodle is, they will be gorgeous. There are so many options! Which will you choose?
Check out our YouTube video on Aussiedoodle colors below:
Other articles you might like:
Dr. Sabrina Kong graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in England in 2016 and has been working at a small animal clinic in Northern California since then. She grew up in the Bay Area and got her bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She also became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner through a program at the University of Tennessee.
When she isn’t in the clinic taking care of her four-legged patients, she enjoys traveling and trying new foods with her friends and her three-legged dog, Apollo. She adopted Apollo from her clinic when he was a puppy with numerous health issues. Dr. Kong truly cares about taking care of animals.