Merle is a very controversial issue in Cockers, and no one seems to know exactly where it came from. 
What we DO know, is that merle cockers are here, have been around awhile and will probably be around for some time to come. 

The merle cocker isn't just a puppy mill, creative color breeder, or back-yard breeder concoction anymore. 

Merle is in most lines and ALL varieties of cockers. 

Breeders are breeding their merles to champions and champion lined dogs. 
Many Show breeders are ignoring the issue as they feel they don't have to worry about merle showing up in the pedigrees. 
These people are very wrong.
 All it takes is someone to breed a merle to a show dog and you will have merles.

AKC is having merle cocker breeders register their merles mostly as roans. This is detrimental for the roan breeders, and other colors as merle can often be disgusied in some colors or patterns. 

*NOTE
Many Cocker breeders seem to think that all merles are registered as roans. THEY ARE NOT!
AKC tells breeders to list the merle as the color it most closely represents. May do register them as roan. 
BUT they are also registered as silver, buff, tri, and all other colors. NOT JUST ROAN!
YES it affects EVERYONE!
 Some ASC members and cocker breeders are confused, thinking merles and roans are the same thing, or that merle comes from roan. IT DOES NOT!
It would be hoped that fanciers would know enough about color genetics in cockers to know this since they ARE breeders.
 

Your silence is only going to be fuel for the fire that YOU don't think it needs to be recognized  because maybe you don't really think it's purebred after all and don't care. 

What we ABSOLUTELY HAVE to do, is to demand that these merles are listed with AKC AS MERLES!
Contact the parent club, and GET THEIR ATTENTION! This is not a political issue or a color issue. and we don't want it to turn into one!!!
This is a HEALTH issue! Cockers already have enough genetic health problems in the lines without "accidentally" breeding 2 merles together and adding a LETHAL gene to it. If the merle gets into inexperienced/unknowing hands, you not only have the lethal gene to deal with but the plethora of other health issues as well. 
This is an ISSUE that 

Contact ASC, AKC, your breed clubs and discuss it! Demand the merle gets recognized as what it is and listed as a PATTERN.
Add this button and link to your websites to tell others about the merle cocker and it's being MISREPRESENTED as a ROAN! 

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