This is turning out to be an interesting discussion. The idea of changing the name of the dog has come up, and honestly I believe that to be a unnecessary. It is true that in the UK authorities, and in particular DEFRA have a certain aversion to the term wolfdog but there is a reason for this:
“When I say ‘Cocker Spaniel’, you have a good idea of the dog I mean. You know what it looks like, and unless the animal is badly bred, you have an idea of what the temperament is like. There is currently no ‘breed standard’ for wolfdogs.”
Those few phrases, which come from the source (Living with Wolfdogs, by Nicole Wilde) cited by DEFRA as the main reason why wolfdogs are not allowed in the UK. If I was a policy maker and I read those lines I would certainly not want to endanger my constituents by bringing them into contact with such unpredictable animals.
A written statement from the author of those lines recognizing that the situation is different with established breeds (such as the Czecoslovakian wolfdog or the Saarloos) would go a long way to convince them to change their minds. It might be worth a shot. Then again perhaps I just have just grown too attached to these furry monsters my wife keeps at home and insist on calling them by their name.
To bring the discussion back on track though, what bothered me the most was the misrepresentation of wolfdogs as wolves. For one, the people who buy the calendar can feel cheated. Who wants an apple when they pay for a pear? But what is more, misrepresentation of wolfdogs as something they are not (in this case wolves) simply brings the possibility of having some misinformed policy maker banning or restricting these our wolfdogs. That is why I think that when a misrepresentation of this kind happens, someone should do something about it. My main question would be *who* should do *what* about this?
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