# Question for friend - how to tell a pup will be dark?



## canine_mommy (Dec 27, 2010)

Check the ears. The adult coat mostly matches that color. Usually all puppies are blonde, and the ones that will grow to be darker will have darker ears. 

Source: experience with my pup


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Thanks. I thought I'd read something about the ears showing the adult color.


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## Darthsadier (May 17, 2013)

My 8 month old girl is getting darker as she grows up. I truly believe that the colour of the ears will be a good indication of the colour they will turn out to be. Sadie's ears were very dark when she was young and at 8 months the rest of her body seems to be just as dark as her ears. 


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

Yes, look at the ears. If your friend is looking for redhead, they will be at least strawberry blonde as a pup, but the tips of the ears tell all.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I also say,look at the parents.


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## canajo (Nov 25, 2012)

I can tell you with my Golden we were leaning toward a lighter color but really liked this one pup and his personality. I kept saying "maybe he will grow up light colored" and the breeder saying "I don't know..the ears are a good indicator and pretty accurate and I think he is going to be dark." He ended up being a beautiful dark oak color, completely matching his ears and we loved, loved, loved his color!


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## olliversmom (Mar 13, 2013)

The ears have it.


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

Yep the ears have it and when young under three months its the tip color bottom end of the ear that is the most accurate. Goldens color also deepens and richens as they age. So full adult color can take several years to mature. In Sparkles little at birth there was very little color variation but in Tinks you can really see the shad differences in the birth (once dry) pictures.


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## anguilla1980 (Aug 13, 2013)

I also wanted a darker more red golden like my Dundee used to be. When I got Einstein, the darkest of the litter had already been sold. Looking at his ears, he will be pretty close. As mentioned, it continues to darken a bit as they mature for several years. His father is a gorgeous dark color but his mother is on the lighter side, not blonde, but average I would say. Thus he has a tini tiny white strip on the top of his head and his chest is a bit lighter. 

I have no clue why people want such light color goldens nowadays. Won't be able to call them "goldens" anymore lol. 

Alex


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## jroth (Sep 12, 2013)

I've also loved the redder goldens. Charlies dad is a english creme and his mom is dark red. Charlie is the darkest of his litter but I f hink he will stilk be pretty light. What are your thoughts for those more experienced? 

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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

He'll end up around the color of his ears.


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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

Hocks as well as ears us a give away.


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## PiratesAndPups (Sep 24, 2013)

I have the dog answer a number of questions about her personality, relationship with mother and favorite flavor of ice cream. Based on a complex scoring system I can then determine what the color would be.

...Kidding, of course, I go by the ears as well.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Can't always go by ear color though. I have seen several lighter colored adult goldens with darker ears.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

I have seen some English and Irish Goldens who are very pale with very dark ears, but rarely.


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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

Loisiana said:


> Can't always go by ear color though. I have seen several lighter colored adult goldens with darker ears.


Which is why we also look at the hocks


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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

jroth said:


> I've also loved the redder goldens. Charlies dad is a english creme and his mom is dark red. Charlie is the darkest of his litter but I f hink he will stilk be pretty light. What are your thoughts for those more experienced?
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 This lil chap has golden ears and if you look at his tail and hocks you can see they are the same colour as his ears, so my guess is he will be absolutely beautiful when he grow up LOL


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Okay, here is Maddie at seven weeks old and also at fifteen months or so. Hope this helps. Not a lot of difference, but she did seem a lot lighter to us when we got her.


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## jroth (Sep 12, 2013)

Lestorm said:


> This lil chap has golden ears and if you look at his tail and hocks you can see they are the same colour as his ears, so my guess is he will be absolutely beautiful when he grow up LOL


Silly question but what are hocks?

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## anguilla1980 (Aug 13, 2013)

jroth said:


> Silly question but what are hocks?
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Upper portion of the back feet, between the foot and the first joint I believe.


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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

92GTA said:


> Upper portion of the back feet, between the foot and the first joint I believe.


 Correct! From the back foot up to the first joint - or lower part of the rear leg  I can usually see this colouring from day one of a pups life. :smooch:


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## jroth (Sep 12, 2013)

Thanks! We were hoping for a reddish tint during our puppy hunt...but fell in love from the moment we seen him ♥ I think Charlie's gorgeous, but I guess I'm biased too 

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## Lestorm (Feb 25, 2007)

jroth said:


> Thanks! We were hoping for a reddish tint during our puppy hunt...but fell in love from the moment we seen him ♥ I think Charlie's gorgeous, but I guess I'm biased too
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


 
he's truly scrumptious! :::


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I think you can look at their muzzles as well as ears and hocks.  

And some dogs do not start darkening up until after 2. Our Sammy went from yellow-pinkish-gold to reddish gold in just a few months after he turned 2.


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## puppyrae9 (Oct 1, 2013)

coppers-mom said:


> Can you tell a puppy will be darker colored when grown? Mine have all been adult rescues so I have no idea.
> 
> A friend of a friend is thinking of getting a GR and they would like a darker colored one. It seems I've seen something about that on here, but don't really remember.
> 
> Thanks for any info!:wave:


To tell what color a golden retriever will be when it's older, you just look at its ears! Golden are drastically lighter when they are puppies and get darker when they mature. If you want a lighter golden, you'll typically have to get the lightest pup. 

http://www.all-about-goldens.com/golden-retriever-colors.html


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## PiratesAndPups (Sep 24, 2013)

My Golden growing up was light for a few years before really darkening up a good bit, and then, of course, gracefully graying in the face when he got old.


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