Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels: Everything you Need to Know

July 16, 2022

Cocker Spaniels come in a wide range of coat colours and patterns. From solid black to chocolate and tan, to the beautiful blue roan.

Each blue roan coat has its individuality with varying combinations of mixed black and white hairs.

In this article, we will be focusing on the blue roan Cocker Spaniel.

What is a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel?

Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels is a name given to Cocker Spaniels which have a blend of black and white hairs mixed throughout their coat.

For the blue roans, this will be a base colour of black or white with the other being a secondary colour mixed in on top giving the dog a blue or grey appearance from a distance. There is no dilution in their coats.

Most of the time the mix is around 50/50 on black to white hair.

How to Identify a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel

The easiest way to identify a blue roan is visual. This type of Cocker Spaniel has a coat which will appear greyish most of the time in parts. They may still have sections of solid black on their coats.

Mixing up a Black and White Cocker Spaniel and a Blue Roan

The most common way people mistakenly identify a blue roan is by mixing it up with a black and white Cocker. This is a very forgivable mistake, particularly if someone has never seen a blue roan.

My Cocker Spaniel Lucy is black and white and when she was a puppy we were not sure if she was blue roan or black and white. It can be hard to tell for those who are new to the breed!

It can also be trickier to see when their coat gets a bit longer.

How Common are Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels?

Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels are not rare.

In fact, they have the most common roan coat pattern you will find in the breed. Blue roan Cockers are not commonly seen as a few of the other coat variations such as black and white, solid black, or golden dogs.

Finding a blue roan puppy should not be too challenging if you have some patience. Unlike some of the other roans such as a liver roan or red roan dog.

How Much are Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels?

As blue roan Cocker Spaniels are the most common type of this type you will find prices are quite reasonable.

There are many places in the America or United Kingdom where you can look for Cocker Spaniel puppies with these markings.

To help you find one I've compiled a list of the websites current listing blue roan puppies.

UK Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel Prices

  • £950 - KC Blue roan show Cocker Spaniel puppies
  • £1500 - Blue roan and tan Cocker Spaniel puppies
  • £1600 - Blue roan show Cocker Spaniel puppies

Prices from: Preloved.co.uk

USA Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel Prices

  • $2900 - Blue roan English Cocker Spaniel
  • $2000 - Blue roan Cocker puppy
  • $1800 - Blue roan Cocker puppy

Prices from: newdoggy.com and puppyfinder.com

How to Find a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel

Have you decided you want to add an English Cocker Spaniel with these two colours of hair blended in a sleek smoky effect to your family?

There are a few ways you can find a blue roan puppy.

Local Breeders

This would be your first port of call. A local breeder might have a litter of Cocker Spaniels ready to go or be planning to have one that you reserve a pup on, essentially skipping the queue.

Search online for Cocker Spaniel breeders in your area and just give them a call.

Puppy Websites

Another way you can start your search for a blue roan Cocker Spaniel is to look at websites that list available puppies.

There are a few advantages to this method such as being able to instantly see every puppy available in your area, this includes home breeders who are just having a one-off litter which you may not easily find otherwise.

These are often some of the best puppies to get to as they will be raised in great homes.

Again to save you from having to find the websites I've done the research for you and listed the sites below where you could find a blue roan.

USA Puppy Sites

UK Puppy Sites

Can I Rescue a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel?

Yes! Rescuing a Cocker Spaniel is a brilliant way to add a dog to your family.

If you are in the UK I would recommend heading over to Dog Trust for a list of the Cockers available for rehoming.

If you are American then head over to Camp Cocker to adopt a Cocker Spaniel.

How to Breed a Blue Roan Litter of Cocker Spaniels

It can be possible to breed a litter of blue roan Cocker Spaniels or at least increase your odds.

A Cocker Spaniel's coat is what will determine the colour of the litter. This is all related to their genes. You will want to breed two blue roan dogs to maximise your chances of having puppies with these coloured hairs.

Of course, anything could happen they could be black and white or another variation. If you want to improve your odds further talk with a professional breeder who has had litter with these colours in the past.

Do Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels have any Health Issues?

There are not blue roan specific health issues you will need to be concerned about.

That said, Cocker Spaniels as a breed are known to be afflicted with a range of health problems that you should know about. Things like ear infections can be quite common along with a range of eye problems that may present themselves at some point in their lives.

We have had our Cocker Spaniel for almost seven years and never had any health problems though so will vary from case to case.

As they are fairly common there are no higher prices that will encourage breeders to cut corners for the higher sale prices as can be seen in other variations such as chocolate Cocker Spaniels.

Apart from this, you should also do your due diligence when getting a new puppy to ensure it will not be affected by avoidable hereditary conditions and have the best shot at a healthy life.

Check out our guide on getting a Cocker Spaniel puppy if this is something you want to learn more about.

Do Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels Shed a Lot?

Like all Cocker Spaniels, blue roans are classified as moderate shedders. AKC scored Cockers as a 3/5 for shedding.

This does mean if you have a blue roan Spaniel you will need to take regular care of their coats to ensure it remains beautiful and your house not full of dog hair. It can really get out of control quite fast if not maintained. Luckily if made part of a daily routine it can be a quick and painless task.

If you want to learn more about Cocker Spaniel shedding check out our article on it.

Are Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels Easy to Train?

As one of the smartest dog breeds they are very easy to train, and the blue roan Cocker Spaniel is no exception.

Stanley Coren ranked the Cocker Spaniel 20th in his dog intelligence rankings. This classified Cockers as excellent working dogs which tracks with how they've been used historically.

This means that a blue roan Cocker Spaniel will be a joy to train. They will pick up new commands with relative ease.

Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel Temperament

Cocker Spaniels are known for their loving nature and affection. This is what you can expect if you get a blue roan Cocker Spaniel.

There is even research that suggested that Cocker Spaniels which have more than one colour are even friendlier than those with a solid coloured coat.

How Long Do Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels Live?

An American or English Cocker Spaniel with a blue roan coat will live around 12 to 14 years. These figures are the same as you can expect from the other coat colours.

With extra care and a bit of luck, your blue roan Cocker Spaniel can beat this range. It has been done many times. The oldest Cocker Spaniel is actually 22 years old! Pretty impressive stuff.

Can a Blue Roan Coat be Mixed with Other Colours?

Yes. There are many Cocker Spaniel colours. Almost two dozen of them, in fact.

The most common colour you will find mixed with blue roan is tan. This usually presents itself as small patches of brown on their coat or face.

If you are lucky enough to find a pup with tan in the coat too the price may be a little higher due to rarity as seen in the prices section above.

Conclusion

After reading this article you will be very clear on what a blue roan Cocker Spaniel is.

This variation of an American or English Cocker Spaniels coat is one of the most beautiful options you will find in the dog.

It is also the most common roan pattern you will find in this breed. And is quite easy to find a pup with these colours.

Most of the factors about this dog will be quite similar to other coat colours in terms of training, grooming, and behaviour.

Like all other Cocker Spaniels, they are brilliant family dogs who are a welcome addition to any home.

Allan  Noble
Hi, my name is Allan! I am the owner of Spaniel Advisor and I've got over seven years experience of owning Spaniels.  
I hope this article was helpful for you! 
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