Rowan

Interesting thread. I've had apricot, white, sable, silver and black poodles and while they were all very different, I'm not sure I can attribute these differences to their coat colors.

Brandy (apricot) and Lord Byron (white) joined me in their golden years, and both were pretty much set in their ways. Brandy lived with a decent family his entire life while Lord Byron ended up on the street as a stray. Brandy was tough--Chesty Puller tough--while Byron was the sweetest, most sensitive soul I ever met.

Pippin is a sable and is very, very high energy and somewhat anxious. He's smart and eager to please, but is easily frustrated. Short and sweet training sessions work best for him.

Merlin (silver) is not mean or "bitey" at all. He's 100% lover and not fighter. He's a very sweet and intelligent boy, who like Pippin, has trouble focusing, but when he does, nothing can stop him.

Alex, my black and my once in a lifetime dog, is what I'd call a perfect dog with an ideal temperament. He's calm/laid back but can be energetic, he's a love bug, loyal and the most intelligent dog I've ever met. He taught himself most of the basic commands: Sit, stay, down, shake, high five, and up, along with "get your toy" and related. He taught himself to walk on a leash. He has incredible focus and can learn anything after 5 repetitions. (I'm not kidding.) I've never had a dog who can focus like him. There's no frustration or anxiety in Alex, and he has taught me more than I'll ever teach him.

Blacks are my favorite in both look and temperament (of the poodles I've lived with). I love them all, don't get me wrong, and I appreciate their differences. But I think everyone has that one special dog they just click with who will always hold a very special place in your heart and mine just happens to be a black poodle. (Of course mine all hold special places in my heart.)

Jessie's Mom

i don't know the answer to the question, i just have to say i'm so jealous (teasing, in a way) that so many of you are already having the mps experience....sigh....i would love 3, but just having a second right now would be a dream come true. however, i'm a mature adult (ok, maybe sometimes) so i know i have to wait until the time is right...in the meantime, i live vicariously through all of you!

ArreauStandardPoodle

It will happen! Hang in there.

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Trillium

I really don't buy into the colour of the dog influencing the temperament of the dog. My first spoo Rusty was an apricot and he a very energetic boy. In many ways he remained a pup till he died. He was always ready to play!! He loved people especially kids who he assumed all belonged to him. He was a little suspicious of any strange male approaching any kids in my care.

Sport was my next spoo another apricot and was incredibly laid back!! So much so that when we had neighbours over they'd at him when he got up to go somewhere and say they didn't think he could move. He was an amazing gentleman of a dog and loved everyone. He was the easiest dog we ever had. You almost never needed to correct him.

Betty Jo and Jenny are litter sisters and both red. Jenny is sweet and quiet. She loves to climb up on you lap and snuggle. She is a sniffer and rarely licks. She loves everyone and has loved almost every dog she has ever met. She is so gentle she will let Cayenne our 4 month old puppy take food out of her month. She is also in many ways my most independent dog. While she checks up on what I'm doing from time to time she isn't always at my heels.

Betty Jo is my life of the party and always has been. If any two of my dogs are playing you can almost always be sure that Betty Jo is one of them!! She a bit barky at times and very playful. She is also my shadow. She is very self confident. She assumes that everyone that comes has come to see her and loves them all. We warn everyone that her tongue is hung in the middle and licks at both ends!!

Cayenne is our 4 month old and is a ball of energy and such a puppy. She is a loving, licking, playing, ball of fire that keeps the party going. My other two spoos are sure we kept her for them and we laugh ourselves silly over her.

All this said if there is such differences in the personalities of my spoos that were so similar in looks (Rusty and Sport looked enough alike that my parents and other family members used to call Sport Rusty and people constantly ask me how I can tell Betty Jo and Jenny apart) and in colour (2 apricots, 3 reds) that I just can't believe that colour influences what what temperament they have. I think it has much more to do with many other factors. Breeding is part of it as well as early influences etc.

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