Comparison: Border Collie and Shetland Sheepdog

Border Collie and Shetland Sheepdog are marked as similar in our database. The table compares only the data we have on the breeds.

	Border Collie	Shetland Sheepdog
FCI group	1. Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs)	1. Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs)
Country of origin	United Kingdom	United Kingdom
Category	Medium	Small
Height at withers	46–56 cm	33–40 cm
Weight	14–20 kg	6–12 kg
Life span	12–15 years	12–14 years
Recognition features	Medium-sized dog with a medium or smooth coat, most often black and white White blaze, collar and ´socks´ Intense stare (´eye´) and a low, stalking stance when working	Looks like a small rough collie, about 36 cm Dense long coat with a mane and plumed tail Semi-erect ears and a slender wedge-shaped head
Coat	Double coat, medium or smooth, with a dense undercoat.	Double coat with a long, straight, harsh outer coat and a full mane.
Purpose	Developed on the Anglo-Scottish border for sheep herding; still dominant in sheepdog trials and dog sports such as agility.	A small herding dog from the Shetland Islands that guarded sheep and ponies; refined in the 20th century along collie lines.

Breed page: Border Collie · Breed page: Shetland Sheepdog

Learn to recognise this breed and many more

In the Dogtice quiz you practise breeds on photos and see the differences between look-alike breeds.

Try the demo quizComing soon to Google Play

The information is indicative. Texts are based on available sources and may contain inaccuracies; for binding details (e.g. for breeding or shows) use the official breed standard.