Gray Hairs :(

[Kris & Steven]

This is our first day here and it's great to see all the doodle lovers coming together! I do have a question...Our chocolate brown labradoodle has many gray hairs on his back only-he looks like an old man and he is not even 2 years old yet. This started at about 10 months old. Does anyone else see this happening to their pup? Is it a problem with the breeding?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wouldn't call it a problem, that's what you get when you breed dogs with different color genetics in their backgrounds. If you want solid dark colors, you breed solid dark colored dogs to other solid dark colored dogs. You don't have white or blonde dogs one or two or even several generations back.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

Check out the grooming group and do a search for Kemp.  Here are 3 of discussions that came up when I did a search (but there are many more that might be helpful to you)

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/doodlegrooming/forum/topics/what-...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/doodlegrooming/forum/topics/kemp-...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/doodlegrooming/forum/topics/i-kno...

[Donna K & Quincy]

First, welcome to DK!  My doodle is cream and has stray dark hairs down his back so I guess it also works in reverse. It is also very common.

[Diana Erhart]

My Charlie is (was) a chocolate brown labradoodle.  When he was a puppy we would notice silver grey hairs in his coat.  He is now 7 years old and is not nearly as dark chocolate as he was as a puppy.  He is in between a milk chocolate and a cappuccino color now.  He has beautiful light brown and blondish highlights.  Take a look at some of the pictures on my page and you may be able to see what I am trying to describe.  

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Welcome to DK!!! My Charli, the black one, was black black. She has so much kemp now that she looks salt and pepper on her head. The best part of the this change is that she now has definition around her eyes that you can see her eyes. 

My 2 chocolates now are lattes. 

I don't know about their genes - all 3 are from puppy mills but I would listen to what Karen says. She knows what is she is talking about!

[Ginny Nightingale]

If you think about poodle coloring too, alot of them fade as well--cafe au lait is what I have heard the lighter chocolates called--it is very common. The puppy color is often temporary. 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

This sounds very common and normal to me. Especially at 10 months of age as they are going through coat changes. My apricot doodle is getting more white hair throughout his coat as he ages too. Makes him look "distinguished" .

[Lynda Kamrath]

Very normal.  Coats change over time and not a problem (with the breeding) at all.  He will change a lot.  My labradoodle that started out the color of Honduras mahagony (hence his name Hondo) became much lighter in color.  Now my ALD has coarse brown hair on his back.  They all change.  Document with photos if you are interested in seeing all the changes.  Also, take a look at the photos on my page.  You can see so many changes.

By the way, Welcome to DoodleKisses - the best website around for doodle lovers everywhere.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Our jet black puppy slowly changed color until at 3 years old he was more pewter than black. I learned last year that his color is actually blue.... from his blue poodle mom. Enjoy the reveal! Take lots of photos since I'm guessing he won't stay the color he is now.

[Joan and Sophie]

Yes, Or Sophie has tons of grey(white) hair and looks a lot older than 2.

[Ashleigh, Belle, and Jasper]

Jasper started out as solid black.. I think it's fun to watch him change. It's not a problem, you just have one of the doodles who doesn't feel like blending in :) .