Phantom Poodle Guide (Brown, Silver, Sable, Black & More!)

Phantom Poodles are a purebred dog with a distinctive bi-color coat consisting of a main color with smaller patches of a secondary color in specific locations. There are many different types of Phantom Poodle such as Chocolate Phantom, Brown Phantom, Silver Phantom, Black Phantom, Sable Phantom, Red Phantom, Merle Phantom and Blue Phantom. It is no surprise that these Poodles are so popular considering their unique coat patterns as well as their friendly and intelligent temperament!

If you are interested in Phantom Poodles keep reading this article to find out all the answers to your questions about this dog breed!

Cover Image Credit: @harrythephantompoodle // Instagram

What Is A Phantom Poodle?

Phantom Poodles have a coat with a solid background and a secondary color in patches in very specific locations. These locations include the chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes or on the sides of their muzzle.

Most Phantom Poodles are Black Phantom or Brown Phantom however there are lots of other colors that they can come in.

Phantom Poodles are different from Parti Poodles as Parti Poodles are mainly white and can have patches anywhere on their body.

Are Phantom Poodles Rare?

Phantom Poodles are quite rare in comparison to other Poodle coat colors and patterns. This is especially the case in comparison to solid Poodle coats. Breeders usually focus on producing solid-colored Poodles as they conform to the breed standards which the is the main reason why there are not as many bi-colored Poodles out there.

Phantom Poodle Characteristics

Phantom Poodle Characteristics
Height	Depends on size (Toy, Miniature, Moyen or Standard Poodle).
Weight	Depends on size (Toy, Miniature, Moyen or Standard Poodle).
Temperament	Intelligent, independent, friendly.
Activity Levels	High.
Exercise Requirements	30 to 60 min per day.
Lifespan	12 to 15 years.
Coat	Curly single phantom coat.
Eyes	Dark.
Shedding	Low.
Apartment Adaptability	Depends on size.
Good with Children	Yes.

Breeding & Genetics

What Makes A Phantom Poodle?

Phantom Poodles need to carry ky/ky on the K locus. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion which means that the Poodle must inherit two copies of the gene to express phantom. If they inherit even just one copy of KB (dominant black), they will have a brown or black coat instead. They also need to carry either at/at or at/a on the A-locus to express the phantom pattern.

Are Phantom Poodles Purebred?

Phantom Poodles are purebred. They are like any other Poodle however with a very specific coat pattern.

Kennel Club Recognition

Are Phantom Poodles Recognized By The AKC?

Phantom Poodles are not recognized by American Kennel Club (AKC) for conformation events as their bi-colored coats do not conform to the breed standards. This is because the AKC requires that Poodles have a coat with an “even or solid color”. Conformation events are shows that judge dogs on how well their appearance conforms to the breed’s standards.

While, they can’t be shown in conformation events, Phantom Poodles are still allowed to compete in other dog shows such as agility and obedience competitions.

Phantom Poodle Price

How Much Are Phantom Poodles?

Phantom Poodles usually sell for prices between $3500USD and $5000USD. Most sell for prices around the $4000USD mark.

Are Phantom Poodles More Expensive?

Yes, Phantom Poodles are generally more expensive than their solid coated counterparts as they are a lot rarer. Like all dog breeds, rare coats sell for higher prices than standard coats.

Phantom Poodle Breeders

If you are looking for a Poodle breeder, consider PuppySpot where you can use our discount code PUPPY300 for $300 dollars off any dog. Check out the adorable Poodle puppies that are currently available here!

PuppySpot is dog advertising website based in the US that connects breeders with prospective pet parents. They screen and vet every breeder on an annual basis to make sure their puppies are of top quality as they have a zero tolerance policy for puppy mills and substandard breeding practices of any kind. They also offer various trusted, USDA-certified transportation options to deliver your puppy to your home safely. You can check out their current Poodle litters here.

toy phantom poodle — Phantom Poodle via @pupchic.boutique // Instagram

Coat Color Changes

Do Phantom Poodles Change Color?

Phantom Poodles can change color however not all will. Some Phantom Poodles may carry the ‘fading gene’, ‘dilution’ gene or ‘progressive graying’ gene which can cause coat color changes. These changes will usually occur within the first two years of their life however not all Phantom Poodles will change color.

While some Phantom Poodles change color, none of them will experience changes to their markings. They are born with their markings and retain them for life.

These are some of the coat color changes that can occur:

Black hair can fade to charcoal grey or silver.
Red hair can fade to apricot or cream.
Chocolate hair can fade to light brown, beige or café au lait.

Types Of Phantom Poodle

Chocolate Phantom
Brown Phantom
Silver Phantom
Black Phantom
Sable Phantom
Red Phantom
Blue Phantom
Merle Phantom

Brown Phantom Poodle

What Is A Brown Phantom Poodle?

Brown Phantom Poodles have a coat with a solid brown background with patches of apricot on their chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes and on the sides of their muzzle. They are also called Chocolate Phantom Poodles.

Silver Phantom Poodle

What Is A Silver Phantom Poodle?

Silver Phantom Poodles have a coat with a solid silver or grey background with patches of cream or off-white on their chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes and on the sides of their muzzle. They are also called Silver Cream Phantom Poodles.

Black Phantom Poodle

What Is A Black Phantom Poodle?

Black Phantom Poodles have a coat with a solid black background with patches of another color (cream, brown, apricot, grey, red or silver) on their chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes and on the sides of their muzzle.

Black Phantom Poodles can have patches in many of different colors such as:

Cream
Brown
Apricot
Grey
Red
Silver

This is different to a lot of other Phantom Poodles as most only come in one color combination. For example, Silver Phantoms are specifically silver and cream while Red Phantoms are specifically red and apricot.

Phantom Bernedoodle Guide: Everything You Need To Know!

Types of Black Phantom Poodles:

Black & Cream
Black & Apricot
Black & Red
Black & Grey
Black & Silver
Black & Brown

Sable Phantom Poodle

What Is A Sable Phantom Poodle?

Sable Phantom Poodles mainly have hairs that black-tipped with roots in a lighter color. The sable hairs cover most of their body and they have tan patches on their chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes and on the sides of their muzzle.

Chocolate Phantom Poodle

What Is A Chocolate Phantom Poodle?

Chocolate Phantom Poodles have a coat with a solid brown background with patches of apricot on their chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes and on the sides of their muzzle. They are also called Brown Phantom Poodles.

Red Phantom Poodle

What Is A Red Phantom Poodle?

Red Phantom Poodles have a coat with a solid red background with patches of apricot on their chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes and on the sides of their muzzle.

Blue Phantom Poodle

What Is A Blue Phantom Poodle?

Blue Phantom Poodles have a coat with a diluted/faded black background with patches of cream on their chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes and on the sides of their muzzle.

Merle Phantom Poodle

What Is A Merle Phantom Poodle?

Merle Phantom Poodles have a coat with a merle background with patches of tan on their chin, throat, chest, legs, beneath their tail, above their eyes and on the sides of their muzzle. They are extremely rare.

Ghost Phantom Poodle

What Is A Ghost Phantom Poodle?

A Ghost Phantom Poodle is just another name for a Phantom Poodle. They are also sometimes just simply called Ghost Poodles.

chocolate phantom poodle / brown phantom poodle — Phantom Poodle via @the.w.doods // Instagram

Phantom Poodle Sizes

Phantom Poodles can come in many different sizes such as Toy, Miniature, Moyen and Standard.

Toy Phantom Poodle

Toy Phantom Poodles are the smallest Poodle size. They get to a height of up to 10 inches (25.4cm) and weigh between 4 and 6 pounds (1.8kg to 2.7kg).

Mini Phantom Poodle

Mini Phantom Poodles are the second smallest Poodle size. They are 10 to 15 inches (25.4cm to 38.1cm) tall and weigh between 10 and 15 pounds (4.5kg to 6.8kg).

Moyen Phantom Poodle

Moyen Phantom Poodles are 15 to 20 inches (38.1cm to 50.8cm) tall and weigh between 20 and 35 pounds (9.1kg to 15.9kg). They are one of the middle Poodle sizes.

Standard Phantom Poodle

Standard Phantom Poodles are the largest Poodle size. They are 18 to 24 inches (45.7cm to 61.0cm) tall and weigh between 45 and 70 pounds (20.4kg to 31.8kg). If you are looking for a Phantom Poodle, it’s quite likely you will come across a standard sized one.

Once your puppy is fully grown you’ll need to start investing in dog products that you’ll keep for their whole life such as:

A full size dog crate so they have their own cozy den to sleep in – consider a dog crate pad to make it that much comfier!
An adult sized dog raincoat to keep them dry during wet weather
An adult sized dog life jacket to help with swimming in lakes and oceans
An adult sized dog jacket for cold winter weather
A dog cooling vest if you live in a hot climate
High quality no-pull dog harness to reduce stress on their neck while walking
And other similar products

Phantom Poodle Name Ideas

Ghost
Storm
Copper
Dusty
Rosie
Patch
Amelie
Bronte
Marble
Ansel

Snoopy
Bellatrix
Coco
Millie
Ace
Domino
Patches
Oreo
Skittles
Flash