The roots of one of the most popular working dogs, the Shetland Sheepdog, really started out in the Shetland Islands. To be specific, the breed arose as a result of mixing the Scandinavian herding dogs with the Scottish working collie. Those inclined to show the breed later on involved some crosses with show collies. On the islands, sheep were welcome to roam all over the open country, but fencing kept the animals off the croft. This was the environment into which the shetland sheepdog was introduced, and he was busy being a watch dog, companion, keeping livestock away from cultivated areas and or simply rounding them up. While the modern Sheltie is more of a show dog and companion, some continue their working tradition in the UK and in the US. Breeders nowadays aim to include among their programs' goals