Your favorite Cocker Spaniel color?

**dab_20** · 07-18-2006, 07:28 PM

Which color is you favorite? Merle is not recognized but there are merle Cockers so I thought I'd add that.

I'd have to go with parti color because of my beauuuutiful boy!! Even though in the show world Sam woulden't be considered a parti because he's got too much black. It would be said he's got 'closed' markings.
I like black parti's and chocolate parti's. Merle is really neat looking though.

Colors are here: (just scroll down a little and you'll see it) http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/cockers.html

here's merle
http://www.zimfamilycockers.com/merle.html

**IRescue452** · 07-18-2006, 08:28 PM

I've only seen merle on English cockers, never on American. Its allowed on English cockers. I like mismarked parti coloured and pure white. Neither are accepted in show but both are perfectly acceptable in working and pet dogs, proving that shows are just for beauty and that they'd rather line breed for colour than have mismarks and halfmasks.

**dab_20** · 07-18-2006, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by IRescue452

I like mismarked parti coloured and pure white. Neither are accepted in show but both are perfectly acceptable in working and pet dogs, proving that shows are just for beauty and that they'd rather line breed for colour than have mismarks and halfmasks.

I agree. I think they've got way to many rules in how a dog should be marked or look.

**Danegirl2208** · 07-18-2006, 09:00 PM

i like black (which is my favorite color on almost any animal)..but if i had to choose a second it would be the classic buff, my parents had 2 buff cockers, buffy and bashy, when i was growing up, i'll have to scan the pics, they were such cute dogs

**Tollers-n-Dobes** · 07-18-2006, 11:01 PM

- Black & Tan
- Choc. Tri
- Black Tri

**k9krazee** · 07-18-2006, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by Danegirl2208

i like black (which is my favorite color on almost any animal)

Thats what I was going to say

**bckrazy** · 07-19-2006, 01:41 AM

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.