Standard poodle color change

Question
I am considering adopting a 4 year old standard poodle.  This female has had 4 large litters.  In a picture of her before I went to adopt her she appeared a deep chocolate.  When I went to see her the breeder said she is listed as cafe au lait and in fact she appears a silver/lighter brown color.  Is this dramatic color change a problem that I should be concerned about health issues?

Answer
Hello Mary,
There is no need for concern about this dogs color.  The Silver Beige, Cafe Au Lait, Blue, and Silver dogs all share the same gene and can therefore range from darker to lighter variations of these colors.  Blue Poodle also have ties with Brown color genes (the way to tell a Blue dog is brown highlights in the hair, as Blue puppies are born black) so its not unusual to see brown crop up in these above mentioned colors.  
Poodles do have some health issues that you should be aware of, such as Von Willabrands disease, Gastric Torsion (stomach rotation), Addisions Disease, and things like genetic skin problems or eye problems.  
Check to see if your breeder tests for common breed specific diseases in his/her dogs.
You can also find information about common diseases in Poodles by typing it in your search engine.  It will give you things to look for, and questions to ask your breeder before buying a puppy.

I hope this has helped some.  If you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim