Interesting colors in Cockers...

[dab_20]

I was looking at a website of Cocker Spaniel coat colors... and these two dogs I thought were so unique I had to share.

This dog has it all...
Merle, parti, tan points, and ticking, too.
What's especially unusual is that there is both black ticking and tan ticking.
His name is Riley.


Here is is a mis-marked parti that comes pretty close to a solid white.
Genetically, this is a black & white parti, but there is almost no black actually showing.
She has a small black area on one ear, and two freckles on her back. That's it.
The other Cockers that look similar to this are the solid silver colored Cockers,
but they are really just a very light shade of buff, not truly white like this gal is.

Unfortunately, whatever genetic fluke did this to her coat color also made her deaf.
I know all you experienced Cocker people are thinking she's a double-merle... but she is not.
While breeding two merles together is the most common way to get a mostly white dog with
blue eyes and deafness, it's not the only way. This dog has no merle ancestors whatsoever.


All this info comes from www.zimfamilycockers.com/cockers.html. It's pretty interesting if your into the breed and genetics.

[mike001]

I love the looks of that spaniel in the first photo. But why would someone breed two merles to produce all white, deaf puppies?? it's actually the first time I see a pure white or the other colour also.

[critter crazy]

Awwwww.......they are both so adorable!!! I realy love the looks of the first one tho! Just a cutie!

[dab_20]

I love the looks of that spaniel in the first photo. But why would someone breed two merles to produce all white, deaf puppies?? it's actually the first time I see a pure white or the other colour also.

The puppy pictured has no merle in the line at all. It was a genetic fluke... she is a black and white parti.
People who do breed to merles together to produce white puppies do it for money. They will put an ad in the paper saying "RARE pure white Cocker Spaniel puppies..." and charge over a thousand dollars for it. They do not care what happens to the puppies, or whether they are deaf or not. It's the cruel world of breeding dogs for money.

[cocker_luva]

its not that hard living with a deaf cocker really, you just have to modify afew things to get their attention. for example, we stomp on the floor to let jesse know we are there.

[EnchantedGypsy]

The second pup reminds me of a Clumber Spaniel, other than that Clumbers are only lemon/orange marked....

[IRescue452]

I've always wanted an all white cocker. I'd love to find a breeder someday with an all white pup. I bet a lot get culled when they show up in litters. It wouldn't matter to me if the dog was deaf, blind, or helen keller. I could work with it still. But my chances are slim of ever owning one since I'm much more into rescuing dogs than buying from breeders.

[Taz_Zoee]

Awww, that first puppy is like a cross between my DJ and Zoee. I love it!!

It's sad when people only breed for money. It makes me so angry.

[kallisto4529]

I just went and was reading on the site you provided. The disease IMHA is what my cocker Mousse died from, he was 13yrs old when he went to the Bridge. The cockers you put pics up of are just beautiful!!!!!!!!!! thanks for the info