Labradoodle Colors: Rarest to Most Common

Written by Katelynn Sobus
Updated: August 10, 2023
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A Labradoodle is a Labrador and Poodle crossbreed. These pups are super cute and have grown a lot in popularity as “designer dogs.” Today, we’ll talk about their coat colors, from rarest to most common.

The rarest Labradoodle coat color is red, while the most common is black. Labradoodles can have any coat color or combination of colors that are possible in their parent breeds (Labradors and Poodles).

Let’s dive into 14 Labradoodle coat colors, from the ones you may never see in person to ones you’ll recognize immediately!

#1 Red

Labradoodle

Red Labradoodles have deep reddish-brown fur.

©iStock.com/EvgeniiAnd

A deep red color in Labradoodles is the rarest out there! It’s especially rare for the red to stay dark throughout the Doodle’s life. Often, it fades as they age.

#2 Lavender

Lavender is a light brown color that can appear to have a purple tinge in some lighting. Like blue is a dilute black, lavender is a dilute brown shade. Puppies may appear to be darker brown and fade into lavender as they age.

Dogs with lavender coats may be prone to color dilution alopecia, which is a skin condition.

#3 Abstract

Australian Labradoodle close-up

Labradoodles with less than 50% of white in their coats are called abstract.

©Sophia Granchinho/Shutterstock.com

Abstract Labradoodles have patches of white on an otherwise solid-colored coat. They may be any color and are less than 50% white.

#4 Phantom

Phantom is another “color” that actually describes markings. Phantom Labradoodles may be any color, with a secondary hue above their eyes, along the outsides of the muzzle, on the chest, below the tail, and on all legs and feet.

#5 Brindle

Brindle describes a striped coat which, in Labradoodles, is usually in shades of brown.

#6 Silver

Grey labradoodle isolated on grey background. Studio shot.

Silver Labradoodles are gray in color.

©Ysbrand Cosijn/Shutterstock.com

Silver, or gray, Labradoodles are uncommon but not incredibly rare. This coloring comes from the Poodle parent.

#7 Parti

Labradoodle bitch (parti) laying down in a courtyard in front of flower bed

Labradoodles with parti coats are over 50% white.

©Flyby Photography/Shutterstock.com

Parti coats are common in Poodles and also in Labradoodles. Parti Doodles are at least 50% white alongside one or more other coat colors.

#8 Parchment

Labradoodle, 5 months, snow

Reddish-brown noses are a requirement for tan Doodles to be considered parchment-colored.

©Tom de Jong/Shutterstock.com

Parchment Labradoodles have tan coats and reddish-brown noses. If a dog has a black nose, they don’t count as parchment-colored.

#9 Blue

Frontal portrait of a grey labradoodle

Blue Labradoodles are a dilute, or light, black color.

©Yvonne60/Shutterstock.com

Blue is a dark grey with a bit of a blue tinge. It’s also described as dilute black. While they aren’t as common as black Doodles, they are seen fairly often.

#10 Chocolate

brown mini labradoodle

Chocolate is a dark brown color.

©KariDesign/Shutterstock.com

A deep brown color in Labradoodles is called Chocolate. This is similar to a chocolate lab or brown Poodle. Both parent breeds can carry this color, so it’s fairly common to see–though chocolate is the least common Labrador color.

#11 White

Large adult labradoodle on leash, walking in the sand

White Labradoodles are very common.

©lyrandian, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons – License

White dogs with dark noses (not albino) are fairly common to see in Labradoodles. They may also be an off-white color.

#12 Cream

Cream Australian Labradoodle puppy playing in the garden with a football in the mouth on the green grass

Cream is also common coat color as its seen often in both parent breeds.

©Angeline Dobber/Shutterstock.com

Cream is darker than white but lighter than apricot or chocolate. It’s a very light tan similar to a light yellow lab, and just as common.

#13 Apricot

Mini Labradoodle

Apricot is an orange-brown color that can range in hue.

©jadimages/Shutterstock.com

Apricot is also sometimes called golden or caramel. These dogs have orange-brown coats that are in-between cream and red. They’re very common.

#14 Black

Black labradoodle labrador poodle dog pet sitting outside watching waiting alert looking hot happy excited white panting smiling and staring at camera

The most common Labradoodle color is black.

©Lindsay Helms/Shutterstock.com

Lastly, black is the most common Labradoodle color! This comes as no surprise since black labs are so common.

Black dogs also tend to be the hardest to adopt out, but they’re just as loving and adorable as dogs of other colors! Some reasons people avoid black dogs include superstition and that they’re not as easy to photograph as lighter colors.

Should You Adopt a Rare Labradoodle?

Unfortunately, “designer dog” crossbreeds like Labradoodles are almost never ethically bred. The person to create this mixed breed has actually spoken out and said he wishes he never crossed the breeds in the first place due to the issues with them today.

Though they were originally meant to be hypoallergenic service dogs, Labradoodles ended up being sold at high price tags by backyard breeders and puppy mills who don’t have these good intentions.

This is even more true of rare coat colors, as the added profits are a huge motivator to inbreed, breed without health testing, or overbreed rare-colored dogs.

Standard Poodle coats are actually more predictable, tend to be easier to manage, and can be styled to look the same as Doodles! You can also more easily find a reputable Standard Poodle breeder who completes genetic health testing, cares for their dogs properly, and ensures they end up in good homes–and are never placed into shelters. Of course, it’s still vital to do your research if you want to purchase any dog from a breeder.

You can also commonly find Labradors, Poodles, and even Labradoodles in shelters. In this case, you don’t have to worry about supporting unethical breeding.

Thank you for reading! If you have feedback on this post, please contact the AZ Animals editorial team.

Summary of Labradoodle Colors: Rarest to Most Common

RankLabradoodle Color
1Red
2Lavender
3Abstract
4Phantom
5Brindle
6Silver
7Parti
8Parchment
9Blue
10Chocolate
11White
12Cream
13Apricot
14Black
Summary Table of Labradoodle Colors: Rarest to Most Common

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/EvgeniiAnd

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About the Author

Katelynn Sobus is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on pets including dogs, cats, and exotics. She has been writing about pet care for over five years. Katelynn currently lives in Michigan with her seven senior rescue cats.

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