The silver poodle breed.

Silver is a one of the most appealing colours in the Poodle breed. It may vary from a glistening light platinum to a light gray flannel, but a silver Poodle should be the same colour all over with no markings or shadings. Silvers should have black eyes, nose and toe nails. When people see a pair of jet black eyes set in a frame of silver hair its almost irresistible. In Miniatures, silvers have existed from the very foundation of English breeding and for this reason have also been present in Toys. But until very recently silver Standards were extremely rare.

Silver puppies are almost always born jet black except for a glaze of white on the under pads of their paws. It is nearly always possible to tell the colour of a silver puppy at six/eight weeks of age when its first clipped. The lighter the colour of face the lighter the puppy will be when it matures. The coat of the puppy lightens slowly from dark to medium and its lightest mature colour at about 18 months of age.

It has been known on occasion for two silver mates to produce silver/beige, cream or white. Those colours bred to each other respectively will breed true. Very occasionally a puppy is born pure silver, but not often. Silvers have existed in small breed from nearly the beginning. Silver Toys have inherited the silver colour factor through their Miniature ancestors.

Silvers are known dilutants of black, as their genetics are recessive so they will breed true. They are stunningly beautiful dogs, however none of the other colours are as difficult to get correct in colour, properly modeled in head, and sound of structure. Even now they are not the equals of the blacks in Poodle type.

Silver, which I am told is the furthest dilution of black, should, in many peoples opinion, be as near pale platinum as it can possibly be and with very few shadings. There is no more of a popular colour than that of the silver.

If I have missed out anything please just let me know.

Thank you to Michelle Winters for providing the photos for this post, What beautiful babies she has.

 
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