It’s difficult to tell if your puppy is a buff or a sable from the picture, I’m guessing a buff. Sables cannot be shown in AKC shows. What did the breeder tell you about the puppy’s color?
I guess I’m going to be a bit of a downer here but how much do you know about cocker spaniels? Your puppy is adorable but is your puppy AKC Registered? Is she from championship lines? Did you get at least a three generation family tree with your puppy? Did your breeder show you the eye clearances for both the bitch and the dog? Were you shown both the bitch and dog ofa certificates for their hips? For the betterment of the breed both dog should have their eyes checked to try to avoid passing on inherited eye diseases that are common in cocker spaniels The same with their hips. If you’re going to be a responsible breeder you should do the same with your dogs. The tests aren’t inexpensive but very necessary to help to insure healthy cocker spaniels.
You’re right. Cocker spaniel genetics are extremely complicated. Not only are there the inherited diseases but there are color complications and pattern complications. I currently have two male cocker spaniels. One, the black one, is an AKC champion and the other silver buff (not shown) is an international champion and working on his AKC. All of their parents have clearances for eyes and hips. They are good representatives of the breed. On my own I will not breed them because I do not know what I am doing. If their breeders wanted to breed them, I would listen because they do know what they’re doing. The breeders would have met with the canine genealogist and have gone though the pedigrees of the both dogs doing their best to make sure no health issues have been passed on and hoping to pass on good traits.
The AKC allows three categories of ACS: black, parti, and ASCOB (any solid color other than black). This includes from a light cream color to brown with tan points. It does include red but red dogs are not common. I’m guessing because sables and reds could be confused and sables can’t be shown. Your puppy would be an ASCOB. In general parti dogs should be bred with other parits. Solids with solids. There’s no way to exactly determine color when bred. One can do their research and hope. I have a friend who had a brown bitch, did research and found a good match with a dog who had a lot of chocolate in his background, hoping for brown. Had an entire litter of black puppies. One is mine
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Best of luck with your new puppy.
