"Lietuvos", "lietuvių", or "lietuviškas skalikas": Problems of Using Dog Breed Names

Abstract

The article examines the reasons why the names Lietuvos skalikas and lietuviškas skalikas, which are sometimes used in the public and in the media for the national dog breed, may have arisen, although the term lietuvių skalikas [Lithuanian Hound] is well established in the field of cynology.

To achieve this goal, 283 breed names were analysed, classified into four groups, and checked whether a system of dog breed names is available and what type of attributes are used for other terms in Lithuanian cynology. To identify the naming trends of animals that have been bred in Lithuania, the names have been verified in the official sources of the authorities. The international naming system
for dog breeds is also investigated to determine whether it may have influenced the Lithuanian tradition.