Im not sure if this is the right section but im going with a friend to help her pick a puppy soon and theyre choc roans but she wants a light roan but i have no experience with roans and as they are all born looking like partis what should she look for if wanting a paler roan.She isnt going to see them until theyre 4 wks but they all look similar at the moment,i have seen the pics the breeder sent.My neighbour has a blue roan that is extremely dark but one lady at training class has a blue roan thats very pale,they look different as adults but its telling which pup will be the paler one if any thats going to be difficult.

Colour/pattern shouldn't be the first concern when picking a pup, it should be that the pups have from health tested parents who are good examples of the breed with the correct temperament and raised in ideal conditions.

Many breeds have colour/patterns which change as they mature so breeders can't be held responsible for any these that the buyer doesn't like.

It isnt the first concern,i have helped her for the past few months hunt out the rght breeder who does the right tests,raises pups in the home,etc etc etc she has not gone in to this lightly and has been very sensible so i thi k if she prefers light roan why shouldnt she get it,this is a very happy time for her so if anyone would like to help anser the question it would be appreciated.

I would think by 4 weeks you should be able to tell more easily which will be darker and lighter roan. Dark hairs should be beginning to appear among the white hairs in the dark roans where the light roans white should remain fairly clear.

At least that's how my breed.......

Perhaps the breeder can help a little?

I bred the most georgeous blue roan many years ago, at 8 weeks he was a well coloured blue, by the time he was 2 years of age his colour was almost black, he had just kept darkening all the time. I have found that over the years the roans can keep darkening never to know which which and when they will stop. "Beauty and colour are only skin deep" but when you have time on your side you have the right to find the right puppy and hope the colour stays as you you would like it to.

Out of interest, what would happen to the puppy if at a later stage of it's life it should become too dark ?

The pup will just be a family pet,my friend doesnt show so if it got darker it wouldnt make a difference,she just prefers the lighter ones.She did ask the breeder but this is her first roan litter and wasnt much help with that although as a breeder has been fantastic.I went with my friend to a breeder prior to this one and the one she has picked is lovely,her dogs are kept in the family home,all health tested and have great natures so not being able to tell which roan will be paler comes way down the list but it would just be nice if i could help her,i told her what a great bunch there are on here that might know a tip or 2.

There are no guarentees that any of the puppies will def. end up as light roan.  With this litter you need to look at the puppy with the most clear white background & the least roan appearing. At such a young age though their coat appearance will change hugely but that is really all you have to go on.  It also depends on the parentage of course.

My friend has a Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel.  When they picked him up at 8 weeks he was White with just two small Black splodges on his head I though there was no way he'd be a proper Roan.   By the time he was 2 years old he was Dark Roan with lots of markings and ticks.

There's no telling, with colours that change, how the dog will end up.   Best to be reconciled to that right at the start IMHO ;)

I've got a blue roan & tan, at 8 weeks she was obviously roan, but now at 18 months she looks black & tan where she is that dark.  The pups skin will be quite blue if it's going to be dark and the fur at the root will be darker too.

Try reading this ...http://www.thecockerspanielclub.co.uk/colours3.htm
Some hints may help in this'' At this point, in the darker roans it would be usual for the head markings on the side of the skull to join over the occiput and in the lighter roans (or at least those light roans with few body patches) it is often the case that the blaze runs over the occiput with either no spot or a spot isolated from the other skull markings. ''
''The pink areas of skin are sprinkled with small areas of black pigmented skin giving rise to black flecks of hair. These flecks may be few in number or quite densely spread giving an illusion of almost light roan in appearance. Genetically this is quite a different colour however, and can be distinguished by a true light roan by looking at the soles of the feet. ''