Overview
It is very normal for a Maltipoo to be born one color, be another color when he goes to his new home at 8 weeks old and then have a completely new coat color as an adult. Because the Maltipoo has both Poodle and Maltese genes, this fading effect happens quite commonly. It is a naturally occurring element of many Poodles. If the coat does not change at all, this is known as it ‘holding’. And if it changes color, this is known as ‘fading’ or ‘clearing’, though a more accurate term would be ‘changing’ since it may turn darker or deeper.
Thanks to all of the wonder Members of the site, we are going to have lots of fun seeing the interesting color changes of the Maltipoo. But, before we get into that, let’s go over some important facts to know first:
1)
If a Maltipoo is to change color, while change can happen quickly, it can take up to 2 years for the final adult color to be in place.
2)
Some Maltipoo fade in and out with the seasons. In other words, the coat will lighten and darken twice per year, often in alignment with both winter and
summer seasons.
3)
Color changes may occur over the entire coat; however, in other cases, it will only be seen on certain body parts such as the ears and/or the tips of the hairs.
4)
If there are silvers, blues or apricots in the Maltipoo’s parents or up to 5 generations back, there is a greater likelihood of the dog fading.
5)
Two Maltipoo puppies from the same litter may be born the same color. One may fade (if the fading genes was passed down to him) and one may not (if he did not receive that gene).
Can You Do Anything to Stop Fading?
Some owners are not happy to hear that their Maltipoo will change color and will wonder if anything can stop this from happening. At its core, nothing can compete with Mother Nature. However, there are some
color enhancing shampoos
that can bring out a certain color; these do not dye the coat, rather they enrich the color that is already there.
Color shampoo for bronze tones will assist tans but also reds and browns. Black of course will encourage black coats and white shampoo will help prevent white coats from yellowing.There is also light color products for apricots, grays, silvers, and light tans. This said, many owners marvel at this change and take it for what it is, the Maltipoo becoming his true self!
Now, let’s look at some incredible color changes for the Maltipoo: