I really love Parti's =0) so so cute.

In respect to conformation, if there weren't rules on "how a dog should be marked and look", we would have very little distinction between breeds and people might as well be mixed breeding. I'm sure that if there were enough proven examples of merles & roans in the American Cocker, and the breed club supported them (the breed club creates the AKC standard), they would be completely accepted colors. I am also positive there is history behind the accepted colors, and not much at all behind merles - it is most likely a gene that has popped up recently. I have seen hundreds of Cockers, and my Mom was heavily involved in the breed for years, and I have never seen a merle in person & neither has my Mom.