Black Standard Poodle
This Poodle Color should be a beautiful deep jet black. No hint of blue or silver in it. The face when shaved should be almost, if not as dark, in color as the main coat. A true black should never fade and they should never have white or silver guard hairs. Blacks must have black points and dark brown eyes. A lot of Blacks unfortunately do grizzle or Fade. I faded Black should not be confused with a blue.

 Notice the lack of the brown cast on this black in direct sunlight. A brown cast is either caused by a sunburnt coat or the dog being a blue. 

Blue Standard Poodle
​ This color is genetically black. It carries a copy of the fading gene. Blue poodle puppies are born black and turn blue by three years of age. A true blue can be identified by 8 weeks of age, there will be a faint but noticeable difference between the muzzle hair and the topknot color.
This poodle color takes the longest time to clear.
Puppies at a young age will have brown highlights showing they are a blue not black puppy. There is a variety of shading in this color with the ideal being a dark color metal gray. There are varying shades of blue as in any color. It is also very common for a true blue to get a grey ring along the edges of their ears.
Blue poodles should have black points and dark brown eyes.

Both these boys are blues, showing different shadings

Toby at 6 weeks 

Toby at 2 1/2 years old

Silver Standard Poodle
This color is genetically black. It also carries 2 copies fading gene. Silvers are born black and clear over time. Silvers should have silver noticeable fading on face and feet by the age of 6 weeks, and a silver face by 8 weeks to be a real silver poodle.
There are varying shades of silver from sparkling platinum that is almost white to a beautiful pewter color.
Silvers must have black points and dark brown eyes.

Abby at 12 weeks

Abby at 2 1/2 years

Hana at 16 weeks

Hana at 9 months

Platinum Silver Miniature poodle Puppy owned by Ethel Luke-Pugh

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Black, Blue and Silver Puppies. All about 12 weeks old.