Black, white, red maltipoo: colours and why they fade

The black maltipoo is one of the most searched-for colours, but this cross also comes in white, cream, apricot, red, chocolate, silver, grey, sable and parti. A puppy's colour isn't always the adult's: black can turn silver and red can lighten to cream, usually by 18–24 months.

Below: where these changes come from and how to predict them before you buy.

Black maltipoo: will it stay black?

The black maltipoo is one of the colours people search for most. It's worth knowing, though, that many poodle lines carry a fading gene. In such a dog, a black coat can turn bluish or silver with age.

You can't predict this from a puppy photo. Ask the breeder what colour the parents and grandparents were at 2–3 years, not at 8 weeks.

White and cream maltipoo

White and cream are the colours closest to the Maltese. They look great but have one practical downside: tear stains under the eyes and dust after walks show more.

The stains come from pigment in tears (porphyrins). Wiping the skin under the eye daily with a damp cotton pad and trimming the fringe usually help.

Apricot, red and chocolate

Apricot and red are warm colours that often lighten to pale apricot or cream with age. Brown, or chocolate, can turn café-au-lait.

My maltipoo is a light cream that leans towards champagne: her ears and paws are a slightly warmer beige, and she has a white patch on her chest. I rarely see this shade. Her colour hasn't changed since she was a puppy.

Why maltipoo colours change

The change is caused by a fading gene that's common in poodle lines. On top of that, the puppy coat usually changes to the adult coat between 6 and 12 months. Not only the shade changes then, but also the hair texture, and mats form fastest.

Parti, phantom and other rare colours

Parti is a patched coat: white with large patches of another colour. Phantom is a base colour with lighter markings above the eyes, on the muzzle, chest and legs, like a Doberman's. Sable means hairs that are lighter at the base and darker at the tips, so a sable dog often looks very different after its first haircut.

Rare colours can cost more. But a price for colour says nothing about the dog's health. If a breeder charges extra for a "unique coat" but has no parent test results, that's a red flag.

Colour, coat and grooming

Colour doesn't change grooming needs. Every maltipoo needs daily brushing and a groomer every 6–8 weeks, because the hair grows constantly. The difference is what you see: on a light coat, stains and dirt; on a dark one, you'll spot mats sooner.

If you're choosing a puppy, make colour the last criterion. The parents' health tests matter more; ask about them using our 12 questions to ask a breeder.