Black sheepadoodle Guide

Black sheepadoodle Guide

As a mixed breed dog, Sheepadoodles come in a wide range of coat colors from solid colors to complex multi-colored markings. Old English Sheepdogs come in many coat colors including: grey, blue, black, white and grizzle. Poodles come in 11 colors including black, black & white, brown, white, sable, silver, apricot, grey, red, cream and blue. As a result of the many different colors the parent breeds can be, Sheepadoodles can come in a range of these colors.

What is a Sheepadoodle?

The Sheepadoodle is a cross between the Old English Sheepdog and a Poodle. It is not a purebred dog but instead considered a Doodle or designer dog. These dogs are intelligent, energetic, and fun-loving. They inherited the best traits from each parent – the athleticism and obedience from the Poodle and the sturdiness and temperament from the Old English Sheepdog. Sheepadoodles make wonderful emotional support dogs because they have a natural ability to read human emotions.

What color Sheepadoodle is the most expensive?
What color Sheepadoodle is the most expensive?

Wonderfully obedient, these dogs are great for families as well as single-person households. The Sheepadoodle has a sturdy and solid build for a medium-sized dog. They usually have a soft thick furry coat that is either straight, wavy, or curly. Their coat is considered mostly hypoallergenic and doesn’t shed as much as other dog breeds. The standard sizes typically weigh 60-80 pounds, but there are also toy and mini Sheepadoodles. This dog breed typically lives between 12-15 years and cost between $1000 to $3000.

Sheepadoodle history

Although this dog breed may have existed naturally, it was likely crossbred and gained popularity in the 1980s. They became popular among allergy sufferers due to their low shedding. This dog originally got its start in the 1960s as an experiment for the U.S. Army. They wanted a military dog that had the athleticism and intelligence of a poodle but the sturdiness of an Old English Sheepdog. They then became more popular among households for their family-friendly temperament and allergy-friendly coat.

Are black Sheepadoodles rare?
Are black Sheepadoodles rare?

Poodle Coat Colors

Since a Sheepadoodle is half Poodle, it can inherit its coat color from the Poodle genes as well. Poodles come in a variety of colors such as black, white, sable, apricot, cream, black and white, grey, brown, blue, silver, and red. The Poodle coat is typically curly and known to be hypoallergenic. Therefore, most breeders want more Poodle in their ‘doodle’ genetics so that the offspring can potentially have the Poodle coat.

Old English Sheepdog Coat Colors

A Sheepadoodle is half Old English Sheepdog and half Poodle. This means it has the potential of inheriting its color from the Old English Sheepdog side of the spectrum. Old English Sheepdogs come in blue  , blue, grizzle, or gray. Their coats are usually straight-haired and shaggy. They are not hypoallergenic and shed quite a bit.

Sheepadoodle Coat Colors

The main colors of a Sheepadoodle are a mix of black and white. They also come in solid black and occasionally grey. Most Sheepadoodles fade to grey as they age. There is the occasionally solid white Sheepadoodle as well.

Black Sheepadoodle

Black Sheepadoodles typically have a solid coat however they can have patches of other colors mixed in. Black Sheepadoodles inherit their coat color from the Poodle and not from the Old English Sheepdog. This means that breeders need to mix a solid Black Poodle with an Old English Sheepdog to create this coat color. For every litter of puppies there will be one or two dogs that have a solid black coat.

Are Black Sheepadoodles Rare?

Yes, Black Sheepadoodles are relatively rare as the black coat can only be inherited from the Poodle side. There will be no Black Sheepadoodles in the litter if the Poodle parent does not have a black coat.

Black Sheepadoodle Names

  • Jet
  • Squid
  • Onyx
  • Noir
  • Ash
  • Inky
  • Cinder
  • Poppy
  • Scout
  • Dakota

Black and White Sheepadoodle

Black and white Sheepadoodle color is one of the most well-known Sheepadoodle colors out there. It’s very much inspired by the Old English Sheepdog parent with its signature black and white pattern all across the body.

The black and white Sheepadoodle color can come in with either solid white color and black patches or solid black color and white patches on the fur. Most commonly, the majority of the body is covered in white, including their chest and paws.

Black and white Sheepadoodles are sometimes also called parti or tuxedo, depending on the pattern that’s on their body. Parti Sheepadoodles have two colors in their coat, where both colors take up about 50% of the body. Tuxedo Sheepadoodles usually come in a black base color with white markings on their face, muzzle, neck, chest, and paws.

What’s more, the black may fade into lighter gray, blue, or silver tones as the pup grows older. This usually happens when a Sheepadoodle has inherited the fading gene.

Grey Sheepadoodle

Grey Sheepadoodles are another common coat color for the breed. While they can inherit this coat color from the Poodle, they are most likely to inherit it from the Old English Sheepdog as it is one of their common colors.

Sheepadoodles are hardly ever solid grey. They most commonly feature white patches on their chest, paws and muzzle which gives them the appearance of wearing a tuxedo.

Tri Color Sheepadoodle

Tri Color Sheepadoodles are a relatively rare coat color that features a mix of black, brown and white. Unlike other breed’s tri-color coats that feature distinct patches of three different colors, the three colors of a Tri Color Sheepadoodle tend to mix together somewhat similar to the patterns of a merle coat.

Tri Color Sheepadoodles are mainly black and white with hints of brown throughout the coat. There is usually more brown in their coat if the breeder has bred a Red or Chocolate Poodle with an Old English Sheepdog.

Red And White Sheepadoodle

Now we’re entering the territory of rare Sheepadoodle colors. Red Sheepadoodles are relatively difficult to find, but there are some pups who flaunt this beautiful coat. Similarly to other Sheepadoodle colors, those very rare red Doods usually come with white or cream patches on their face, neck, chest, or paws.

As red isn’t common in Old English Sheepdogs, the Poodle used in the mix should have a red coat. In addition to that, red Sheepadoodles often fade into lighter fawn or cream tones as they grow up.

Phantom Sheepadoodle

Phantom Sheepadoodles have a two-toned colored coat that features a solid background with patches of another color in specific areas such as across the chest, on the sides of the muzzle, above the eye, on their throat or legs. The solid background color is usually a dark shade while the patches are a lighter color Most commonly Phantom Sheepadoodles are black and white however they can be a different color combination.

Chocolate Sheepadoodle

Chocolate Sheepadoodles have a coat that features dark brown. Solid Chocolate Sheepadoodles are extremely rare. You are much more likely to find a Chocolate Sheepadoodle that features white patches on their chest and paws.

Cream Sheepadoodle

Cream Sheepadoodles sport a diluted brown coat color, which is lighter compared to fawn Sheepadoodles. Again, they tend to have white markings on their face, muzzle, chest, and paws.

Oftentimes, cream Sheepadoodles are born with a richer colored coat, such as brown, red, or fawn. On the other hand, some Sheepadoodles are born with a cream coat and they might not change color as they age. This is why it’s especially tricky to predict how a puppy might look once they’re fully-grown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do All Sheepadoodles Turn Gray?

Many, but not all Sheepadoodles turn gray as they age. Like many other Doodles, Sheepadoodles often inherit the fading gene. Most commonly, darker Sheepadoodles fade as they grow up and reach adulthood.

For instance, Sheepadoodles who have black in their coat often fade into various tones of gray, silver, or blue. Similarly, Sheepadoodles with brown tones in their coat might fade into lighter, creamier shades.

What Is The Rarest Sheepadoodle Color?

The rarest Sheepadoodle colors are solid black, solid brown, solid gray, and solid white. These are typically the hardest to come across, as even mostly black Sheepadoodles tend to have white markings on their chest and neck.

Other rare Sheepadoodle colors are merle and sable. For example, the merle gene is very rare in Poodles and Old English Sheepdogs, but again, not impossible to come across. If you’re after very rare Sheepadoodle colors, be prepared to pay a little bit extra.

What Is A Blue Merle Sheepadoodle?

A blue merle Sheepadoodle has a mix of different shades of blue, gray, and white all over the body. A blue merle Sheepadoodle is fairly difficult to find, but not impossible. Typically, you’ll have to pay extra for rare Sheepadoodle colors like blue merle, as they’re extremely sought after.

Can A Sheepadoodle Be Brown?

Yes! A Sheepadoodle can absolutely be brown, but solid brown Sheepadoodles are relatively rare. Typically brown Sheepadoodles also have other colors in their coat, such as white markings or some black patches. To achieve a brown Sheepadoodle, the Poodle parent used in the mix should have either a red or apricot colored coat.

On the other hand, it’s not uncommon for brown Sheepadoodles to fade into lighter tones as they reach adulthood. Brown Sheepadoodles may fade into cream, cafe au lait, silver beige, or even silver.

Are All Sheepadoodles Black And White?

Although the black and white Sheepadoodle color is very common, not all Sheepadoodles come in this color combination. As the Sheepadoodle’s genetic pool is so diversified, there are various color combinations that these pups may inherit. In addition to that, many black and white Sheepadoodles can fade into lighter tones like gray, blue, and silver.

Edward Hollon is an avid dog lover and writer, knowing all there is to know about our furry friends. Edward has been writing for petdii for three years now, wanting to use her knowledge for good and share everything she can with new dog owners. Edward has two dogs herself - a German shepherd called Banjo and a chocolate labrador called Buttons. Edward knows more than anyone how adjusting to new life with a puppy can turn your life upside down, and she wants to ease some of the burdens through her articles.