# Fur color change



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I think they can get darker as they age. Bentley was a very light color when he was 6 weeks old, he's a much deeper golden color now.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

They generally darken to about the color of their ears at the 7-8 week age, although I have seen some European bred dogs who remain quite light while their ears are pretty red.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

I've always heard that they darken a little with age. One thing that I've noticed with Cookie is that her coat color seems to vary so much depending on the environment - for example, she looks almost dark red when we are outside in the snow, but much lighter she she is laying on the our hardwood floor.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

She's old enough that she probably won't get much darker, but that is very typical... I am really hoping my puppy girl will darken to the color of her mother, who is a nice medium Gold with red tone. I love the redder dogs so much  .


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## JeffP (Jun 30, 2011)

Tahnee GR said:


> They generally darken to about the color of their ears at the 7-8 week age, although I have seen some European bred dogs who remain quite light while their ears are pretty red.


That is what we've seen with Kirby as well. At 19 months, his overall color is about the same as the tips of his ears were when we brought him home at 8 weeks. His feathering does tend to be lighter though.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

JeffP said:


> That is what we've seen with Kirby as well. At 19 months, his overall color is about the same as the tips of his ears were when we brought him home at 8 weeks. His feathering does tend to be lighter though.


That's a "broken" coat, and I think is quite lovely.


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## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

yup it's normal from my experience.

I forgot when this one was taken but I think he was about 5mo:










Here's his fur color today:










Had anyone told me his fur would end up as dark and golden as it is now I wouldn't have believed you. Also their eyes change color as well. It's hard to see but in his puppy pic his eyes were almost all black, now he has a brown iris.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Tahnee GR said:


> That's a "broken" coat, and I think is quite lovely.


Wyatt's feathering is lighter also. I didn't know there was a term for it. Does this tend to be unusual?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Their coloring tends to come in with their adult coats.... with boys, that's around 3 or 4 years old.  

And then as they get older (senior years) their coats change again and can become darker.


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Megora said:


> Their coloring tends to come in with their adult coats.... with boys, that's around 3 or 4 years old.
> 
> And then as they get older (senior years) their coats change again and can become darker.


Looking at your sig pic it looks like Bertie has already darkened up quite a bit, or is that just the lighting? He's getting so big and beautiful!


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Bentleysmom said:


> Looking at your sig pic it looks like Bertie has already darkened up quite a bit, or is that just the lighting? He's getting so big and beautiful!


It's the lighting.... you know how it is here in MI - absolutely no sun except for today - how lovely it was stepping out of work into the sun!  

Bertie is exactly the same color as Jacks. 

This is a truer pic....










I think Bertie will end up darker than Jacks. His mom was a reddish thing. And Jacks was a lot lighter than Bertie at the same age.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Wyatt's feathering is lighter also. I didn't know there was a term for it. Does this tend to be unusual?


Well, it's just the term I was taught back in the 70's . It really isn't unusual but I think it is very pretty when there is that contrast between main body color and feathering.


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## bioteach (Nov 13, 2010)

When we brought Nugget home at 9 weeks his breeder had registered him as "golden". I thought that she was in error because he was almost white. Now at age 2 1/2 he absolutely gold with a light reddish tint. 

I remember my mother telling me that when I was born I had light blue eyes and when I turned 6 months old they turned the dark brown that they are today. 

Now that I teach genetics I understand the mechanism of how genes (such as those for producing pigment) are switched on at the appropriate stage of development. The bottom line - pups darken as they mature.


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