A mini goldendoodle named Cape has drawn attention online after his owner shared a surprising change in his coat, sparking curiosity among internet users.
In a viral TikTok video shared in April under the usernname @capethedood, Cape’s owner, from Boston, says that, while she was prepared for his fur to change color over time, she didn’t expect it to come back in tiny spots.
“Hey this is Cape, he’s a mini goldendoodle,” the owner says in the clip, where she adds that, even though he was born dark brown, he soon turned blond, but she fully expected that to happen, because she knew about the color-fading gene in doodles.
“But then, probably like a year ago, he started getting these dark spots and I took him to the vet and they were, like, ‘No, it’s just his hair,’ and it’s back to the original color that he used to have,” she continues.
“But just these two little spots, and we call them his beauty marks. He’s still very handsome; I’m just curious if that’s happened to anybody else.”
In the caption, the owner says: “Anybody else experience this with their doodle?”
Anybody else experience this with their doodle? #doodle
Dr. Liza Cahn, veterinarian with Embrace Pet Insurance, told Newsweek that it is not completely unusual for some breeds to change fur color in their life.
“A dog’s coat color is caused by a complex interplay of genetics, though it can also be affected by factors such as aging, diet, overall health, and environmental exposure. While most dogs maintain their adult color throughout life, there are a few interesting examples of how genetics can contribute to color change,” Cahn said.
She added that color fading, also known as progressive graying, is common in breeds like poodles and doodle mixes. This causes puppies born with dark coats to gradually lighten in color over their first few years of life, going from black or brown to silver, café-au-lait, or beige.
This progressive lightening affects the hair itself, with the dog’s skin, nose, and eye rims typically remaining dark.
“Color fading is cosmetic only, and is not known to be associated with any medical issues. In fact, it is responsible for the development of many coat colors associated with the poodle breed,” Cahn added.
Another genetic factor that could influence coat color is dilution, which, unlike progressive graying, affects the coat color from birth, essentially watering down the pigment to appear gray or fawn.
Canines born with this train will also have lighter coloring on their nose, paw pads, and eyes. Some of these dogs may be predisposed to developing color dilution alopecia.
Beyond genetics, several other factors can also alter a dog’s coat appearance. Aging, diet, and hormonal changes all play a role. Saliva and tears can also cause reddish-brown discoloration, especially in dogs with light-colored coats, known as porphyrin staining.
Cahn said: “Lastly, significant sun exposure can cause temporary bleaching in some dogs. While not recognized in dogs, some animals, such as siamese cats, also exhibit temperature-dependent color changes where pigment only develops on cooler extremities, including the ears, paws, tail, and face,” she added.
The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received almost 7,500 views and over 400 likes on the platform.
One user, Peachtree, commented: “He’s a cutie. My doodle faded to a very light blonde all over. She is 7. Abt [about] 8 mos ago she got an almost apricot spot (the size of my palm). Doc said the same. Nothing to worry abt [about]. Strange though.”
Taylorsynesael said: “The exact same thing happened to my doodle—was a deep reddish brown, faded to blonde and then around 3 he got dark spots in his original color too.”
Archerthatdoodle added: “My goldendoodle went from dark red to blondeish. He also has some spots with his original color.”
Newsweek reached out to @capethedood for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case.
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