The cocker spaniel comes in a wide variety of colours; the solids have a deeply pigmented base colour of black, liver or red (gold) and more recently sable. All colours (bar Sable) can have 'tan points', however generally these are not visible on gold/red cockers due to the base coat colour masking their appearance.

The parti-colours share the same base colours, however they are referred to as Blue Roan, Liver (Chocolate) Roan and Orange Roan. Lemon Roan or Lemon & White are not a common colour in Show strain Cockers.

Parti-colours can also be 'and white', that is the base colour with open white areas as opposed to roan or they can be 'ticked' - this is flecks of base colour intermingled in the white areas. Bi and Tri-Coloured dogs have 'tan points'. As with the solids, tan points are usually invisible on orange roan puppies, however on orange & white dogs the tan is evident on the forelegs & chest feathering. Blue, Orange and Liver Roans can vary from a deep colour to lighter shades (with or without 'tan points').

For more information on colour genetics visit our colour genetics page. For an example of how the "roan" pattern develops on roan puppies click here.

Parti-Colours (Roans & Open Marked)
Dark Blue Roan		Blue Roan		Steel Blue Roan
Mid Blue Roan		Mid Blue Roan		Light Blue Roan
Dark Blue Roan & Tan		Steel Blue Roan & Tan		Silver Blue Roan & Tan
Light Blue Roan & Tan		Black & White Ticked		Black & White
Black, White & Tan (Tri-Colour)		Orange Roan		Orange Roan & Tan
Orange, White & Ticked		Orange & White		Orange, White & Tan
Lemon & White		Dark Liver (Chocolate) Roan		Light Liver (Chocolate) Roan
Light Liver (Chocolate) Roan & Tan		Liver (Chocolate) White & Ticked		Liver (Chocolate) & White
	Liver (Chocolate), White & Tan		Sable Roan
Solid Colours
Black		Black & Tan		Red/Golden
Golden		Gold & Tan		Liver (Chocolate)
Liver (Chocolate) & Tan		Dark Sable		Sable