Blue roan cocker spaniels are beautiful animals that have taken the world by storm.
Not only are these spaniels stunning dogs, but they have a fantastic personality to match, so it’s no surprise they are so popular all over the world.
Because spaniels in general are popular breeds thanks to their loving personalities and regal looks, there is a lot of experimenting when it comes to the breed.
This primarily involves cross-breeding to produce different coats. One of these experiments has resulted in the iconic blue roan cocker spaniel!
Blue roan cocker spaniels have a distinct, beautiful coat that sets them apart from other spaniels. These animals have one or more coat colours that result in their beautiful “blue effect”. Most blue roan cocker spaniels are a mix of different colours, with darker and lighter areas, and even spots and flecks.
What Does A Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel Look Like?
It is important to remember that blue roan cocker spaniels are still spaniels! They might have different coats compared to the majority of spaniels, but they are the same breed.
This means that they will have all the same physical features and build of a pure-bred cocker spaniel. Their head tails, shoulders, and everything is what you would expect from a cocker spaniel.
These dogs have eyes that are close to circular, with elongated bodies and small muzzles.
The trick with these dogs is this: no one will know if a puppy is a blue roan until they are around 12 months old. It is impossible to determine if a puppy will be a roan when they are young, because their second coat has now grown in.
As such, you should never believe a breeder if they are selling puppies as any kind of roan! They might be able to guess, but nothing is set in stone until the animal actually grows up.
Blue roan cocker spaniels have the same characteristics as any other pure-bred cocker spaniel, with the only difference being in the coat colouring.
It’s impossible to know if a cocker spaniel puppy is a roan or not until they are around 12 months old, so be cautious when dealing with breeders who are trying to sell pups as roans.
What Gives This Dog Its Roan Effect?
Any kind of roan coat is simply a subtle mix of two (or maybe more) coat colours. These coat colours are usually bold and noticeable, and they come together to create an interesting contrast.
After a dog sheds their puppy coats (at round 4–6 months old), their adult coat can be a completely different colour. In many cases, the case coat is often white or black. When it gets covered by the top coat, which is predominantly a lovely contrasting colour, you will see the lovely roan effect.
An easy example of this would be a spaniel puppy with a beautiful white base coat when they are young. As they grow, a second coat will grow in.
If this second coat is black, the white will become less visible, but it’s still there. This will result in a hazy look – a look that many people (including us) absolutely love.
The roan effect is a result of two bold coat colours growing one over the other to create a distinct, hazy look. The colours will be mixed, with darker and lighter patches in certain parts of the body to create a mesmerising look.
What Is The Life Expectancy Of Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels?
These dogs have the same life expectancy as regular cocker spaniel dogs – between 10–13 years. Of course, some will live longer, and others shorter.
This is determined by a variety of factors such as their genetics, diet, surroundings, health conditions, and lifestyle. So, there is no one answer if you are trying to find out how long your cocker spaniel will live.
Blue roan cocker spaniels, like other cocker spaniels, usually live for 10–13 years, depending on any health conditions, genetics, environment, diet, and overall lifestyle.
What Health Conditions Do Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels Often Experience?
Like other cocker spaniels, blue roans have a predisposition to experiencing eye and ear problems, as well as teeth and gum issues.
They are also more likely to experience issues surrounding their elbow and hips such as dysplasia. Progressive Retinal Atrophy disease is one thing that cocker spaniels should look out for, as this is quite common.
Any cocker spaniel – blue roan or not – is predisposed to experiencing any of these. As such, it is very important for owners of these dogs to thoroughly check medical records and information about puppies and puppy parents before they adopt.
All animals deserve the best chance of life, and you need to make sure that you can give these dogs everything they need to be happy and healthy.
If these kinds of potential health conditions sorry or scare you, it might be a better idea to opt for a breed with fewer health issues.
Blue roan cocker spaniels are predisposed to experiencing health issues such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy, elbow and hip dysplasia and ear, eye, gum, and teeth problems.
Bear this in mind if you are considering getting one of these breeds, as you need to be able to offer them everything they need to lead a fulfilling life.
Where Do Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels Come From?
Blue roan cocker spaniels probably surfaced naturally a long time ago, but there is only recent data regarding their breeding. Like many other dogs with interesting coats, the theories about them vary, and it can be difficult to get to the truth.
Some see this wonderful coat as a genetic flaw in the animal, while others see it as a result of careful cross-breeding.
The “flaws” in these puppies can vary a lot, with major differences in the same litters of puppies, so make of that what you will.
There is no hard and fast history of blue roan cocker spaniels, with many people believing the coat colour is a genetic flaw, and others seeing it as the result of cross-breeding.
Are Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels Hypoallergenic?
With the exception of the lovely Irish Water Spaniel, no spaniel breeds are hypoallergenic, unfortunately.
In fact, these dogs might be worse for anyone with allergies thanks to their luscious fur and shedding. We would suggest avoiding all spaniels except for the Irish water spaniel if you are sensitive or allergic to dog fur.
No spaniel except for the Irish water spaniel is hypoallergenic, and the shedding from cocker spaniels make them a bad choice for anyone with dog allergies.
How Do You Groom These Dogs?
Grooming a blue roan cocker spaniel is no joke – these animals need to be thoroughly groomed every three days at least. If you live in the country, and take your spaniel for long walks there, you might need to brush them every day.
Skipping grooming is not an option, either. With the lovely coats that these dogs have, they can easily get matted and troublesome.
Not only that, but not grooming your pet will also result in skin and fur all over your home. This is something you will need to ensure that you are prepared to do.
It is also recommended to brush your cocker spaniel’s teeth using a dog-friendly toothpaste. Combat their risk of teeth and gum problems by doing this daily, much like you would for yourself.
You should also aim to bathe your blue roan every 4–6 weeks, depending on how active and dirty they get.
Grooming your blue roan cocker spaniel may need to be done daily if you live in the countryside or live a very active lifestyle.
Teeth brushing should be done daily to combat teeth and gum issues, while bathing should be done every 4–6 weeks to ensure your pet has healthy skin.
What Kind Of Personality Do Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels Have?
Cocker spaniels are known for their immense loyalty and companionship. Blue roans have the same overall personality and tendencies that any other cocker spaniel has. Coat colour plays no role in a dog’s personality!
With that being said, what will play a key role in any dog’s personality includes things like their environment, upbringing, and training. Any dog can be aggressive if their environment causes it, and any dog can be loving and kind, too.
Generally, cocker spaniels are known for their love of other animals. They are sociable and loving, provided their upbringing allows them to be.
It is important to socialise all dogs from an early age to ensure they grow up to be bold and confident in their surroundings. Make a point to build a strong relationship with your dog, too.
These dogs can be clingy and love to cuddle with their favourite humans. So, they are great cuddle buddies, but that does not mean that they are always low energy animals.
Blue roan cocker spaniels, like all other cocker spaniels, are usually known for their loving, sociable, and kind nature.
However, upbringing and environment will always impact personality, and animals can become aggressive or timid based on their experiences.
What Are The Exercising Needs For These Dogs?
If you do not want your home and everything you love to be destroyed, you need to make sure that you give cocker spaniels the right amount of exercise.
Like other cocker spaniels, blue roans need at least a 30-minute walk every day. They also need mental stimulation to get them through the day and prevent them from becoming bored.
Ideally, a large fenced garden or field will be fantastic for this breed. They need the space to run and stretch their legs, and do not do well when not exercised.
This breed also doesn’t do well with being separated from their owners for long periods of time, as they are known to become destructive and loud.
Blue roan cocker spaniels are high energy dogs who need at least one 30-minute walk every day.
Allowing them to run free in a safe space is ideal, as long as you can also offer them the mental stimulation and connection they need every day to prevent them from becoming destructive.
How Trainable Are Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels?
Thanks to their intelligence and need to please, this breed is an absolute pleasure to train. As long as you use positive reinforcement training with cocker spaniels, they will get the hang of anything you can throw at them.
Cocker spaniels are great to train thanks to their intelligence and need to please their owners!
How Much Do Blue Roan Cocker Spaniels Cost?
This can be difficult, as prices will vary depending on age and colouring. In the UK, it’s common for cocker spaniels to sell for thousands of pounds.
However, as we mentioned before, it is basically impossible to tell if a puppy is going to be a blue roan until they are around 12 months old.
Beware of breeders who are selling puppies as blue roans. You might notice exorbitant prices on some animals because of colouring – including paw pad and eye colours.
Take a look at different websites, or see if you can find a reputable breeder in your area if you are looking at getting a cocker spaniel. Be prepared to spend at least £750 on a puppy, but chances are, prices will be higher.
Prices can vary for cocker spaniels depending on colours and a variety of other factors. Be cautious of sellers who are advertising puppies as blue roans, as they are fully aware of how popular this colouring is in this breed.
Final Thoughts
Blue roan cocker spaniels are lovely dogs with personalities that shine, provided they have had a good upbringing. Their coats offer a distinct appearance, which has taken the world by storm (and who can blame us?).
Make sure that you think everything through before getting any kind of spaniel, however. These animals are high energy, and are prone to a variety of health problems.
You need to ensure that you can offer them everything they could need to live a happy and healthy life, including giving them the exercise they need every day.
