Merle Cocker Spaniel Guide: Blue Merle, Chocolate Merle & More!

Merle Cocker Spaniels have beautifully patterned coats that can come in many different colors including blue merle, chocolate merle, red merle, brown merle and sable merle. In addition to their pretty coats, they often feature striking blue eyes. That is why it’s no surprise that these dogs are super popular because of their appearance! Nevertheless, prospective owners need to be aware of the health dangers of the merle gene, especially ‘merle-to-merle’ breeding and Double Merle Cocker Spaniels.

If you are interested in Merle Cocker Spaniels keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about the different coat colors!

Table of Contents

What Is A Merle Cocker Spaniel?

Merle Cocker Spaniels have a rare coat pattern that features mottled patches of various colors depending on whether they are a blue merle, red merle or sable merle. The merle gene dilutes random sections of the coat to a lighter color whilst leaving patches of their original coat color remaining. It may also affect eye color and skin pigmentation on the nose and paws. The coat occurs when a Cocker Spaniel carries the “M” Merle allele and a negative “m” copy of the Merle allele.

Despite the captivating look of a Merle Cocker Spaniel, prospective owners should be aware that they are often a result of poor breeding practices and because of this may suffer from ocular and auditory defects. That is not to say that all Merle Cocker Spaniels are the result of poor breeding practices or that they will have these health issues but there is a higher risk than an ordinary Cocker Spaniel.

Do Cocker Spaniels Carry Merle?

Cocker Spaniels do not naturally carry merle genes. To introduce the merle gene into a Cocker Spaniel line another breed has to be introduced somewhere along the line. It is unclear as to which breed was introduced to the lineage as it occurred so many years ago however it could be any breed that naturally carries the gene such as an Australian Shepherd, Collie, Dachshund, Corgi or Great Dane. Merle Cocker Spaniels are not truly purebred. For these reasons they are extremely rare and hard to breed.

Are Merle Cocker Spaniels Recognized By The AKC?

Merle Cocker Spaniels are not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as merle is not a standard breed color. The standard colors for Cocker Spaniels include:

Black
Black & tan
Black & white
Black, white & tan
Brown
Brown & white
Brown, white & tan
Buff
Red
Red & White
Silver
Brown & Tan
Buff & white
Brown roan
Brown roan & tan

While it is not a recognized coat color, the merle gene has been introduced to Cocker Spaniel lineage so you can purchase a Merle Cocker Spaniel. The main reason why you can’t register a Merle Cocker Spaniel is because there is no way that they could be 100% Cocker Spaniel i.e. a purebred Cocker Spaniel. There are also concerns surrounding how ethical it is to breed Merle Cocker Spaniels.

Merle Cocker Spaniel Price

Merle Cocker Spaniels are extremely rare. The price of a Merle Cocker Spaniel is between $4500 to $8000. It takes a lot of experience for a breeder to be able to produce a healthy Merle Cocker Spaniel puppy as they have to carefully track lineage.

Merle Cocker Spaniel Breeders

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Merle Cocker Spaniel Colors

Merle Cocker Spaniels come in many different color variations including:

Blue Merle
Chocolate Merle
Red Merle
Brown Merle
Sable Merle

Blue Merle Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Blue Merle Cocker Spaniel?

A Blue Merle Cocker Spaniel features blue (black), grey, white and tan colors in their coat in a distinct mottled pattern. Usually most of their coat is grey and blue with smaller white and tan patches throughout it. They usually have a large white patch on their chest as well as white patches on their muzzle and feet. Blue Merle Cocker Spaniels usually have black noses and can either have brown or blue eyes. They would have originally had a solid black coat but the merle gene diluted sections of it into lighter colors.

Chocolate Merle Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Chocolate Merle Cocker Spaniel?

Chocolate Merle Cocker Spaniels feature a chocolate, copper, beige and white coat in a mottled pattern. Most of their coat is a beige-grey and they feature chocolate, white and copper patches throughout it. Chocolate Merle Cocker Spaniels have light or dark brown noses. In most cases they have light brown eyes however they can sometimes have blue eyes. Chocolate Merle Cocker Spaniels would have originally had a solid liver (chocolate) coat but the merle gene diluted sections of it into lighter colors.

Chocolate Merle Cocker Spaniels are sometimes called Red Merle Cocker Spaniels or Brown Merle Cocker Spaniels. Chocolate and Red describe the same liver or brown base coat the Cocker Spaniel would’ve had if the merle gene did not dilute certain sections of it.

Red Merle Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Red Merle Cocker Spaniel?

Red Merle Cocker Spaniels have a red (brown), copper, beige and white coat in a mottled pattern. Most of their coat is a beige-grey and they feature red (brown), white and copper patches throughout it. Red Merle Cocker Spaniels have light or dark brown noses. In most cases they have light brown eyes however they can sometimes have blue eyes. They are also called Chocolate Merle Cocker Spaniels or Brown Merle Cocker Spaniels.

Brown Merle Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Brown Merle Cocker Spaniel?

Brown Merle Cocker Spaniels have a brown, copper, beige and white coat in a mottled pattern. Most of their coat is a beige-grey and they feature brown, white and copper patches throughout it. Brown Merle Cocker Spaniels have light or dark brown noses. In most cases they have light brown eyes however they can sometimes have blue eyes. They are also called Chocolate Merle Cocker Spaniels or Red Merle Cocker Spaniels.

When Is A Shorkie Full Grown? (Size & Age Fully Grown)

Sable Merle Cocker Spaniel

Sable is a coat color where hairs are black-tipped with roots in a lighter solid color. Sable hairs cover most of the body of a Cocker Spaniel and they may have white patches on their chest, muzzle and paws.

What Is A Sable Merle Cocker Spaniel?

Sable Merle Cocker Spaniels feature sable, brown, white and tan colors in their coat in a distinct mottled pattern. Usually most of their coat is sable with smaller brown and tan patches throughout it. They usually have a large white patch on their chest as well as a white patches on their muzzle, underbelly and feet and sometimes on the tip of their tail. Sable Merle Cocker Spaniels are the rarest merle coloring for Cocker Spaniels.

Double Merle Cocker Spaniel

What Is A Double Merle Cocker Spaniel?

A Double Merle (M/M) Cocker Spaniel has little to no color in their coat as they have inherited two copies of the dominant “M” allele. Unfortunately, Double Merle Cocker Spaniels are affected by severe ocular defeats and deafness. They may be deaf in one or both ears and may be blind or have totally lost an eye. Double Merle Cocker Spaniels are also called ‘lethal whites’ due to their coloring and health issues.

Double Merle Cocker Spaniels are the product of ‘merle-to-merle’ breeding and are very controversial if they have been purposefully bred. This is because Double Merle Cocker Spaniels will always pass on a copy of Merle to their puppies and should not be bred together. Most official bodies refuse to register dogs that are a product of merle-to-merle breeding.

Are Merle Cocker Spaniels Healthy?

Merle Cocker Spaniels are likely to have health issues, especially Double Merle Cocker Spaniels. It is problematic when two Merle Cocker Spaniels are bred together as there is a 25% chance for each puppy born to be homozygous (M/M) for the merle trait. M/M carriers are called double merle and are very likely to have ocular and auditory defects.

Common Merle Health Problems

Hearing Impairment – up to complete deafness
Vision Impairment – up to complete blindness
Skin Cancer – an increased risk due to the lack of pigmentation on skin
Micropthalmia – rare condition causing small and often non-functional eyeballs (high risk for Double Merles)

Responsible Breeding Practices

Breeders who want to produce merle puppies should mate a Merle Cocker Spaniel with a non-Merle (m/m) Cocker Spaniel as the incidence of health risks is reduced. Roughly 50% of the litter will be Merles and most likely none will be Double Merles. That being said, there is still a risk of producing Double Merles as a cryptic merle mutation exists.

Cryptic Merle Cocker Spaniels carry the merle gene however they do not have a merle coat. That means there is a risk that breeders will cross a Cryptic Merle Cocker Spaniel with a Merle Cocker Spaniel and accidentally create Double Merle Cocker Spaniels. Breeders should perform DNA tests for the cryptic merle mutation before breeding.