Phantom Poodle and its 3 characteristics

The word "phantom" in English means "ghost" but in reality with this designation we refer to poodles of a specific color, bicolor. The most common of this type is the black phantom poodle with red or apricot spots. But there is a whole range of colors to discover. We invite you to know this poodle color and its characteristics.

Poodle Phantom main characteristics

To be a true Phantom Poodle, a dog must have splashes of color in the following places:

• Over each of their eyes
• Along the sides of the muzzle
• Along the chest
• Along the legs
• Under the tail

In other words, the phantom poodle with these touches of color looks like a kind of Doberman dog, a bit crazy, with a hairstyle of bouffantThe name of the company is very pompous and aristocratic.

Variants

Phantom Poodles or Ghost come in almost every color imaginable, but can be divided into four main categories:

• Black
• Chocolate - brown and apricot
• Red - red with apricot tips
• Silver - silver with cream-colored markings

Black phantom poodle

While the last three are very specific, black Poodle Phantoms can be almost any color combined with black. You can have a black Phantom with black tips. apricot color or one with splashes of cream in all the right places. Although Black Ghosts are, as the name implies, primarily black, their markings can be almost any of the following shades:

The jet black poodle with patches of color better describes a phantom poodle than any other color combination, in fact, they are the ones that come to mind first when naming this type of poodle.

This ghost poodle has black as a solid background and another color as markings.

There are 6 possible color combinations for a black ghost:

• Apricot
• Brown
• Cream
• Gray
• Red
• Silver

The color spots of this type of poodle phantom are more pronounced to the intense color of its black fur.

Red Phantom Poodle

The red poodles are a sight to see, beautiful, because of their striking color. When it comes to poodles and most dogs, red does not necessarily mean bright red. It can refer to different shades of reddish browns to orange.

In general, red poodles, including red phantoms, have coats that can range from light, medium to dark red. For the red phantom poodle, its main coat is red combined with apricot markings at certain points on the body.

Chocolate brown phantom poodle

The ghost poodle chocolate brown is so named because it is precisely this color that is dominant. The undercoat of this Poodle variant shares the color of rich chocolate, hence the name, which can be light, milky or dark shades (such as cocoa candy).

This brown coat is combined with apricot patches to create a cute puppy that looks like a chocolate bar.

Silver Ghost Poodle

The silver gray is one of the most beautiful color variants of poodles because it gives the dog a unique appearance. The color of this coat of a Poodle can vary from light gray to dark gray.

The silver ghost poodle has cream markings on top of the main silver coat. These cream colored markings look like a lighter shade of apricot color.

Differences between phantom poodle and harlequin poodle

Although both types of poodles have in common the fact that they are bicolor poodles, that is, they have two colors in their coat or mantle, harlequin poodles are characterized by having WHITE as their main color, which must include at least a 70% or more, something that never, in a phantom poodle, white can be the predominant color.

On the other hand, a phantom poodle has a single color coat, which can be either BLACK (the most common) or chocolate brown, and much more difficult to find red or silver, and will ALWAYS have patches of a secondary color that appear in specific places (those mentioned above).

If you want to know more about the harlequin poodle you can read: The Harlequin poodle , a bicolor poodle

Ghost Poodle

Nothing to fear!!! There is nothing supernatural or paranormal about this type of poodle, it is just that the Phantom poodle is simply a type of COLOR or color patterns, which can occur in the breed.

What is a phantom poodle or phantom poodle?

If the curly coat of a poodle presents a double or BICOLOR color pattern, whose dominant color is DARK (NOT WHITE or apricot) and with spots in certain points of another color, we will be facing a phantom poodle or ghost poodle.

Colors and points of the Phantom poodle

The solid background color of a phantom poodle's coat can be black, brown, silver red, apricot, white or cream.

The second color is in the form of specific spots on the sides of the dog's muzzle and on its chin, throat, chest, eyebrows, legs, paws and under the tail.

Same dogs with different colors

The breed standards of the UKC (United Kennel Club), founded in the United States, are the same, established in its regulations for both solid color poodles and multicolored or bicolored poodles, although the two categories are presented separately.

Although the only differences are coat color and pattern.

The multicolored poodle category includes partial, abstract, saber, multi-stamped and phantom or phantom poodles.

Abstract coloration is defined as showing less than 50% of white in combination with any accepted solid color in the remaining percentage. This includes a ghost poodle that has abstract markings in addition to the pointed markings. Ghost poodle coloration can be seen in standard, miniature and toy poodles.

Standards for height, build, gait and other physical traits remain the same for all poodles.

At the American Kennel Club and the FCI, the phantom poodle continues to disqualify.

Although the United Kennel Club, an international organization, recognized since its foundation in 1898, recognizes the phantom poodle, the American Kennel Club standard only allows solid color poodles in the conformation ring and the same is true in the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) regulations, which apply in Spain, for beauty contests and dog shows, where phantom poodles are not accepted.

The solid colors Accepted colors are white, black, gray, apricot and café au lait, but parti-colored poodles, harlequins or phantoms and other multi-colors are disqualified.

Dogs can compete in obedience and agility competitions (Agility), but outside of competitive events, the phantom poodle provides its human or family with loving companionship, loyalty, entertainment and its special beauty and uniqueness.

Characteristics for which poodles have long been admired as family or companion pets. See: Top companion dogs in 2022

Problems with phantom poodles

Prior to 2005, in Germany (a country where the poodle is very popular), phantom poodles could only be crossed with other poodles of the same color pattern.

Whenever an apricot poodle puppy was born, the German Poodle Club would not allow that puppy to breed.

These rules caused too much improvement to be made online.

Line breeding is the pairing of dogs that are closely related, such as father and daughter, and most reputable breeders in the U.S. consider it unethical.

Hereditary problems

Line breeding caused the bloodlines to develop an overly long lower jaw, overbites, incorrect number of teeth and premature discoloration.
This led to a drastic and necessary change that allowed Phantoms to mate with black or apricot poodles.

This is slowly diminishing, and so the defects mentioned above are disappearing, albeit slowly.

Genes

Phantom poodles or phantom poodles, must have a genotype ky/ky (non-solid black that allows other colors to be expressed) plus one E (allows brindle) or EM (gives a black mask), and also be at/at (the gene that allows for tan spots).

Care

The phantom poodle, as well as any other two-colored poodle, including the harlequinare defined only by the color of the coat.

There are no differences with respect to vulnerabilities to health problems and they do not require any different grooming or care than a solid-colored poodle.

In addition, there are no differences in behavior or temperament with this type of poodle.

Where the color lands in the coat is simply a matter of genomes and does not affect the dog's personality.

Like all poodles, the proper coat care is extremely important to avoid matting, dreadlocks, hot spots and skin infections. You should bathe your Phantom poodle every month with a special shampoo for poodles and brush it daily. If you can't handle his coat too long, keep it shorter.

See: Complete Guide to Poodle Care in 2022

Health

As with temperament, there is no real difference between the health status of a poodle and any other poodle.

They have similar health problems, such as bloating, which sounds harmless but can be life-threatening, hip dysplasia, epilepsy, thyroid problems and Addison's disease, which affects the adrenal glands. These are the most frequent, but to learn more about the subject we recommend you to read: What diseases can a poodle have?

However, it should be noted, as mentioned above, that unfortunately, as breeders have tried to meet demand by breeding specific colors or traits, they have resorted to inbreeding methods to produce them. This has resulted in a higher level of inbreeding than is desirable or sustainable.

Wright's coefficient of inbreeding (COI) gives us the best estimate of how inbred poodles are, and the standard poodle, with a COI of about 18 %, is definitely inbred, as any mammal with a COI of more than 6 % is inbred.

Phantom Poodle price

The price of a phantom poodle should not vary greatly from that of any other color of poodle, but the reality is that as they are rarer dogs, they may suffer a slight increase in price.

Poodle toy Phantom

He is a phantom color poodle, 2 colors, and toy size. A toy poodle or poodle toy is a very small poodle, less than 24 cm at the withers. See: The Toy Poodle or Toy Poodle

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