Merle is a very rare color found in American Cocker Spaniels. It is a color found more often in herding breeds, such as Shelties, Collies, Catahoulas, and even Great Danes. In Cocker Spaniels, it is often mis-registered as Roan, and even described as such. A true roan puts color in the white, where a merle puts white hairs in the solid color, in a marble looking pattern, lightening the dark color, with darker, normal color spots. Merle Cockers can be found in both, solid and parti varieties.
Merles may also have blue eyes, one blue eye, or part blue eyes. Sometimes they do not have blue eyes at all. It is the only color found in Cocker Spaniels that may have blue eyes.
A Merle Cocker may be bred to any color except for another Merle. A merle to merle breeding in any breed may cause a double dilute merle, causing many health problems. Such as stillborn puppies, puppies dying shortly after death, blind or deaf puppies, or even puppies born with no eyes at all! Among many other problems... Merle to merle breedings should never be done! Merle is a very flashy, rare, and unusual color
