As a mixed breed dog, Schnoodles come in a wide range of coat colors from solid coats to complex multi-colored markings. They can inherit their coat color from either parent breed – the Schnauzer or the Poodle. Schnauzers come in three AKC recognized coat colors including solid black, black & silver as well as salt & pepper. They can also come in which is recognized by the World Canine Organization but not the AKC. Poodles on the other hand come in eleven colors including black, black & white, brown, white, sable, silver, apricot, grey, red, cream and blue.
What Colors Do Schnoodles Come In?
Schnoodles come in a wide range of coat colors including:
Black and White
Apricot
White
Black
Blue Merle
Chocolate
Phantom
Red
White Schnoodle
White Schnoodles feature a solid pure white coat. It can also be more of a cream or off-white color. Tehy have jet black noses and dark brown or black eyes. White is the second most common Schnoodle coat color.
White Schnoodle
White Schnoodles are created by breeding a white or cream Poodle with a white Schnauzer. Schnauzers can come in white however it is not an AKC (American Kennel Club) recognized coat color meaning that they can’t be shown. Nevertheless, white is a recognized coat color by the World Canine Organization.
White Schnoodles are almost always toy or miniature sized as White Schnauzers are virtually always Miniature Schnauzers. White Standard and White Giant Schnauzers are extremely rare. You can get larger sizes of Schnoodle in white coats however they are usually later generations or cross back generations that have a higher percentage of Poodle genes as they would have to inherit the white coat from the Poodle.
One draw back of having a white Schnoodle is that you have to constantly wash them as their coats can get dirty really quickly. They are also likely to get food stains around their mouths and tear stains around their eyes, turning the fur in those areas a light brown color.
Black Schnoodle
Black Schnoodle
Thanks to solid black being one of the 3 AKC recognized colors of the Schnauzer, black Schnoodles are very common! Both the Schnauzer and Poodle parent breeds can contribute to your Schnoodle puppy having a black coat.
While this color is adorable, many pet-parents express frustration that this is the hardest color to photograph. Sometimes it can be hard to capture your dog’s eyes due to their dark hair color.
Not only is a solid black Schnoodle an option, but there are many bi-color options that black is often a part of that we’ll discuss later in this article!
Cream Schnoodle
Cream Schnoodle
Cream Schnoodles are a rich off-white color with a hint of yellow. From a distance, you may even mistake a light cream Schnoodle for a white Schnoodle, especially as they age and potentially fade.
This color comes from the Poodle side and is often associated with Goldendoodles or Labradoodles.
Black and White Schnoodle
Black and White Schnoodles feature a mainly black coat with white patches on their paws and chest. They can also have white patches on their muzzle, eyes and above their eyes giving the appearance of eyebrows. Compared to solid black Schnoodles, the black sections of a Black and White Schnoodle’s coat are much lighter. It’s better described as a pepper or dark grey color.
Black and White Schnoodles are much rarer than solid black or solid white coated Schnoodles but that doesn’t mean they can’t be found. They’re created by breeding a black & white Poodle with a black & silver or salt & pepper Schnauzer.
Black and White Schnoodles are sometimes also called Parti Schnoodles. This is the case when they have a white base coat instead of a black one and it covers at least 50% of their body with a secondary color marbled through it.
Salt and Pepper Schnoodle
The salt and pepper combination comes from the Schnauzer, where it’s one of the 3 AKC recognized coat colors.
More of a pattern than a specific color itself, salt and pepper refers to the “banded” colors of a Schnoodle’s coat. This means that in any given strand of hair, it can have three colors present in it instead of just one solid color.
Because the shades of gray differ at various lengths of their coat, a salt and pepper Schnoodle can look significantly different after getting a haircut!
Typically, lighter shades of gray will be visible in specific areas of your Schnoodle’s body including their eyebrows, legs, and beard.
Apricot Schnoodle
Apricot Schnoodles have very light red coats with a peachy tone. They usually have black or dark brown noses and dark brown eyes. Apricot Schnoodles are much rarer than black or white Schnoodles as Schnauzers are famous for having darker colored coats. They’re usually found in later generation or back-cross generation litters as the gene for Apricot needs to be inherited from the Poodle side.
Don’t confuse an Apricot Schnoodle with a Red Schnoodle as Red Schnoodles have much darker red coats.
Chocolate Schnoodle
Brown Schnoodles have a classic teddybear look to them that is simply adorable. This color is very general in nature and there are many similar colors that people associate with brown such as tan, beige, and cream.
If you hear someone use the term “chocolate Schnoodle,” they’re likely referring to the brown color as many breeders use them interchangeably. Chocolate is typically used to describe darker shades of brown.
Black and Tan Schnoodle
As we discussed earlier, sometimes slightly different colors are used interchangeably by owners and breeders. That’s the case with the black and tan Schnoodle which is essentially the same as the black and brown Schnoodle.
No matter what you call it, this combination is rare in this breed. When you see it, it’s often in phantom Schnoodles which we’ll talk more about below.
Gray Schnoodle / Silver Schnoodle
A gray or silver Schnoodle is a rare color for puppies to be born as. However, black Schnoodles sometimes “silver” or fade to a gray color as they age.
Thanks to the gray color being more commonly found in Schnauzers than Poodles, it makes this color a bit more likely than some of the other rare options here.
Tan Schnoodle / Beige Schnoodle
While tan and beige may have slightly different interpretations when choosing paint colors, when it comes to dogs they’re often used interchangeably. In fact, what make tan Schnoodles and beige Schnoodles so “rare” is that they’re often categorized as cream-colored or brown-colored.
Phantom Schnoodle
Phantom Schnoodles have a coat with a solid background and patches of a secondary color in very specific locations. These locations include the chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes or on the sides of their muzzle. Phantom Schnoodles are different from Parti Schnoodles as Parti Schnoodles can have patches anywhere on their body whereas the phantom coat is clearly defined.
In most cases Phantom Schnoodles have a black background with tan patches on their muzzle, legs, chest, tail and above the eyes.
What is Blue Merle Schnoodle?
A Blue Merle Schnoodle has a blue, grey, white and tan coat in a distinct mottled pattern. They would have originally had a solid black coat but the merle gene diluted it into other shades. The merle gene also affects eye color and skin pigmentation on the nose and paws. This means that Merle Schnoodles often have light eye colors like blue and often have pink patches on their nose and paws.
Blue Merle Schnoodles are extremely rare as it is not an officially recognized color for the Schnauzer or Poodle. Merle was not originally in the gene pool of either parent breed but it has been introduced from other breeds which is how the Schnoodle can get this coloring.
Red Schnoodle
Red Schnoodles have a dark red or ruby coat. They have dark brown eyes and dark brown or black noses. Red Schnoodles are very rare as the coat color can only be inherited from the Poodle and red Poodles are rare to start with. It’s very unlikely that you’d find a Red Schnoodle from your local breeder. You are much more likely to find red coats in other Poodle mix breeds such Cavapoos or Goldendoodles.
What is a Sable Schnoodle?
A Sable Schnoodle is characterized by having a black-tipped coat with a base of any solid color. Many people describe this unique pattern as looking like burnt toast.
While this pattern is very bold and distinct as a young puppy, a sable Schnoodle will “clear” or fade in color significantly as they age.
Do Schnoodles Change Colors?
It’s common for the color of your Schnoodle to change as they age. This is a completely normal occurrence! When this happens, a Schnoodle’s coat will usually fade from a darker color to a lighter one. A few examples include an apricot Schnoodle turning cream or a black Schnoodle turning silver.
Some color patterns, such as the sable Schnoodle, are known for fading or “clearing” over time.
Your breeder will be able to give you a good idea of what color your puppy’s coat may become as they grow older.
Which Schnoodle Color is Best for You?
At the end of the day, what color of Schnoodle you choose is almost entirely based on personal preference. There really is no right or wrong answer! However, there are a few things to be mindful of.
First is price and availability. Like purchasing any other item, Schnoodle puppies are subject to supply and demand. For rarer, exotic color combinations you’ll likely pay a higher price and have to search around for a breeder selling them. For more common colors, they’ll be easier to find and less expensive.
Second is health concerns—this means for both you and your pup. Color patterns such as merle Schnoodles sometimes are created by including a third breed of dog into the mix. Technically, they’re not Schnoodles at all. This is fine, but it’s good to be aware of it!
Keep in mind these exotic color pattens not only make your dog more susceptible to triggering allergies and shedding, but they could predispose them to future health problems.
My advice is to worry about choosing a color last. In my opinion, it’s hard to go wrong with any color of Schnoodle—they’re all adorable!
