Will My Red Cockapoo Fade?

Cockapoos are incredibly popular, and one reason is their beautiful coat colours. For example, deep chocolate, jet black, apricot, and solid deep russet red are highly sought after by Cockapoo owners. So let’s examine the question, “do cockapoos change colour?”.

Below is an image of a cockapoo fading before and after. The difference in this dog is only slight, but you can notice a difference.

However, it’s a phenomenon with Cockapoos that their coat colours fade as they enter adulthood. So if you own a beautiful russet-red Cockapoo, you might well be asking yourself will my red Cockapoo fade? The answer is it’s highly probable, and I’ll explain why.

My Cockapoo, Luna, came home as a puppy with a champagne colour; now she’s older, and her coat has faded to a lighter colour. Why does this happen in Cockapoos?

Above is an image of 2 cockapoos from the same litter. One has faded a lot, while the other has not faded as much. There’s no doubt that they both have the cockapoo fading gene, but it’s affected one dog more than the other. It’s not quite a cockapoo fading gene before and after picture, but it gives you a good idea.

Why Does The Cockapoo Coat Colour Fade? Do Cockapoos Change Colour?

Unfortunately, because of the Poodle parent half of the mix, a Cockapoo’s coat fades as they age. A Cockapoo needs one copy of this fading gene to lose its colour. In contrast to Poodles, Cockapoos of any hue are susceptible to the fading gene.

Cockapoos with Poodle parents who have faded coats are more likely to suffer from faded coats as adults.

Coat types and colours can be a huge deciding factor in the dogs we choose. It’s reasonable to say that potential Cockapoo owners love the idea their dogs will retain the coat colour they had as a puppy throughout their lifetime. Unfortunately, this very often will not be the case.

This should be considered when choosing your puppy because if coat colour is essential, then a Cockapoo might not be the best choice.

How Old Are Cockapoo Puppies When Their Coat Begins To Fade?

You’ll notice your Cockapoo’s coat starts to fade from around six months of age. It will initially be relatively subtle but will gather pace as they grow older into adulthood. Typically the process is over by the time the dog reaches two years. I prefer the term dilution of colour rather than fading because that implies that the coat colour somehow becomes dull or lifeless, which isn’t the case.

Do Red Cockapoos Fade?

If the Poodle parent has the fading gene, your red Cockapoo will likely fade. If you’re in the throes of choosing a Cockapoo puppy for your family, try to see the Poodle parent first. If the coat of that dog is a diluted colour, then the odds are any puppies will be the same.

As mentioned, many potential Cockapoo parents are drawn to the beautiful red coat colour and can be disappointed when they end up with a dog with a much lighter shade of cream or white colour. As I say, my Cockapoo Luna is now a champagne colour; however, I don’t mind.

Can Colour Fading Be Prevented?

There’s no possible way to reverse the process because it results from your dog inheriting the fading gene from the Poodle half. The only way to prevent yourself from having a Cockapoo with fading colour is to thoroughly check out the parents and ensure the Poodle’s father or mother has maintained their proper colour.

How do you know if your cockapoo has the fading gene?

Most cockapoos will fade, and it’s hard to determine if your cockapoo has the fading gene. It will always be more noticeable in red and black cockapoos.

At what Age Do Cockapoos Start to Fade?

Most cockapoos will start to fade in their first year. Usually, their puppy coat goes, and their adult coat starts to come through. However, like humans, all dogs are different; some will fade faster than others.