Cocker Spaniels are wonderful and extremely popular dogs, the 3rd most popular dog in the UK in 2021 with over 38,910 registrations. Apart from their good nature, ability to get on with kids and other animals, etc, etc, one of the main reasons why spaniels are so popular is due to the number of colours and coat types available.
Also, don't forget that there are two types of Cocker Spaniels; a working Cocker Spaniel and a show Cocker Spaniel. Whilst they are classed as the same breed there are number differences between working and show Cocker Spaniels that you should be aware.
Here are some of the main colours and types.
Red Cocker Spaniel
Red cocker spaniels have a beautiful red bordering on brown coat. They often have brown hazel coloured eyes and a brown or black nose.
Black Cocker Spaniel
Although one of the most common colours, you'll often see these dogs having a beautiful shiny coat.
Golden Cocker Spaniel
Slightly lighter in shade than the red cocker spaniel, golden cocker spaniels are known for their dark eyes and black noses.
Chocolate Cocker Spaniel
Chocolate cocker spaniels are a wonderful rich dark brown colour.
Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel
Blue Roan cocker spaniels have a mixture of black and white fur. The mix is normally 50% black and 50% white, which gives it a grey hue, hence the name "blue roan". Often the area around the eyes are ears are solid black.
Merle Cocker Spaniel
Merle cockers spaniels are mottled and can carry many different colours and patterns on their coat. It's caused by the Merle gene which was introduced into Cocker Spaniels. Whilst well bred Merle dogs are as healthy as other solid colour Spaniels there is some controversy around it as the 'double Merle' gene can cause skin, hearing and vision defects.
All content is written by actual Spaniel owners.
