Colors fade as they get older?

[Heather & Jake]

I was curious if anyone knows why Aussiedoodles tend to change colors/fade as they get older?  I've always loved Jake's red merle coloring, but it's starting to fade and I know when he comes home tomorrow from getting his summer haircut/battling the mats from his adult coat coming in, his light brown areas are now going to be all off white.  His dark spots don't seem to be changing much but he is getting thick curly white hairs growing in all over which stick out so much against the rest of his fluffy straight coat!

[Heather & Jake]

But why does the hair lighten as they age?  That is what I don't quite understand. This is my first doodle; all my other dogs have remained the same colors as they age other than a few grey hairs on the muzzle :) I know the fading happens in purebred Poodles as well, but I never quite understood... are they just genetically prone to this more than other breeds?

[Adina P]

Yes it's a fading color gene typically.  I don't know this breeder at all, but she gives a general explanation without getting technical: http://arpeggiopoodles.tripod.com/colorbreedinginpoodles.html

[Lisa K Silverman]

Bandit at 8 weeks had a bright white nozzle, and a big streak of white coming through the top of his chocolate head.

Now at almost a year, his nozzle is much darker, and the white through his head is subtle, plus his chocolate is lighter.

He really has changed quite a bit.