While the Shetland still excels at herding, today it is often raised as a working dog or family pet.

[2] The Shetland's origins are obscure, but it is not a direct descendant of the Rough Collie, which it largely resembles.

Rather, the Shetland is a descendant of small specimens of the Scottish Collie and the King Charles Spaniel.

These standards led to people adding in collie blood to the breed to achieve said type.

[1] The original Spitz-type working sheepdog of Shetland is now extinct, having been replaced for herding there by the Border Collie.

White markings may appear on any coat besides black and tan but patches on the body are undesirable.

[7] The Shetland's ears are small and of moderate width at the base placed close on top of the head.

[7] According to Dr. Stanley Coren, an expert on animal intelligence, the Shetland Sheepdog is one of the brightest dogs, ranking 6th out of 138 breeds tested.

[9] A UK study found a life expectancy of 13.4 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

[11][page needed] Shetland Sheepdogs have four times the risk of other dogs of developing transitional cell carcinoma, a cancer of the bladder.

[16] Due to this genetic mutation, affected dogs may exhibit sensitivity or adverse reactions to many drugs, including acepromazine, butorphanol, doxorubicin, erythromycin, ivermectin, loperamide, milbemycin, moxidectin, rifampin, selamectin, vinblastine, and vincristine.

[17][18] Ulcerative dermatosis of Shetland sheepdog and rough collie (UDSSC) is a disease that is believed to be a vesicular variant of discoid lupus erythematosus.

[19] A UK study found a significant predisposition to gall bladder mucocele, with the breed being 93.87 times more likely to acquire the condition than other dogs.

Herding dogs conduct livestock from one place to another by causing fear-flocking and flight behaviour.

[22][page needed] In their size group, the breed dominates dog agility, obedience, showmanship, flyball, tracking, and herding.