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"That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet"
Well said, Juliet, a girl after my own heart. I am however in a minority. Turkey has always seemed obsessed with expensive brand names, probably because sky high import duties have made brands such as Porche, Chanel, Givenchy, Armani, Moet Chandon, etc twice the usual price and therefore doubly desirable. The Turkish market is flooded with cheap reproductions of the more easily copiable kind; Lacoste, Mulberry, Tod, Calvin Klein and co. but I've yet to meet a Turk who is happy to buy them. This market seems directed purely at the tourists. Turks want the real thing, with a bone fide brand name. Where is this leading? To my dog. Regulars will know that Jake is a rescue dog, abandoned on the streets of Didim last August. His family tree will always remain a mystery and his final dimensions will be a surprise. The small bundle of fur we picked up 8 months ago is now a large hairy beast with a black nose that wouldn't look out of place on a polar bear. This winter, I've walked him at least twice a day through the streets of Bodrum and every day, without fail I get stopped several times and asked the same question; "What breed is your dog?" At the beginning my answer was "Sokak", street dog or stray, but this reply was met with dismay and the questioner's embarrassment at confusing a pedigree dog with a mongrel was evident. It is not done to mix up a "brand" and a "brand-less". My answer is now "terrier" as this covers a multitude of breeds and only the persistent inquirer will ask what kind. If pushed, I can say "Wheaten terrier" as he does look a bit like one and my inquisitor will go on his way very happy in the knowledge that he can recognise a pedigree when he sees one.
Today the tables were turned. A gentleman approached me with the word "Commodore". He repeated it several times and I wondered if he was looking for the Yacht club. I eventually understood that he was telling me that my dog was a Komondor, and a Belgian one at that. I thanked him and googled this unknown breed when we got home. It turns out that the Komondor is the Bob Marley of the dog world, by the age of two they are a mass of dreadlocks, which could explain why it takes me an hour each evening to detangle Jake's fur. The chances of a Komondor turning up on the streets in Turkey are reassuringly low, so I will stick to "terrier'" until proven otherwise or Jake breaks into a spontaneous rendition of "No woman, no cry."
He is a beautiful dog..
ReplyDeleteThe Turks do seemed obsessed with named products. In summer in Antalya, you see quite a few Porches and Ferraris floating around. My Turkish friend told me that most of these are rented by some male Turks from Germany and drove to Turkey to impres their relatives. After a a few weeks they are driven back to the rental company :)
That's very sad isn't it. All show and no go!
DeleteI have no doubt he's got a bit of all sorts in him - and all the better for it! People do the same to me and Darwin. We say he has some Spanish Water Dog in him...but he's also a lot like a short-legged Jake! Love the nose description cos that's Darwin too!
ReplyDeleteAxxx
I'm hoping he doesn't grow dreadlocks - The vet is already keen to get the No1 razor out.
DeleteWhatever he is, he's a beauty. That's all that matters. I got very sick of my late-lamented labrador cross being referred to as a labrador. He wasn't one, and whatever he was crossed with, it certainly made him somewhat different from a proper labrador (and not always in a good way), but being a counterfeit was what gave him his character.
ReplyDeleteCross-bred dogs are always a bit more savvy in my opinion
DeletePlease refrain from using Bob MARLEY'S Name in the same breath as your dog. This İS DİSRESPECTFUL!
ReplyDeleteNo disrespect intended. I love Bob Marley's music and I also love my dog.
DeleteA very true observation, Turks love brands - and my husband is always fascinated with the amazing quality of fake goods at home! I do greatly admire you rescuing Jake, heartbreaking to see so many in the streets - my 6 year old daughter would adopt them all : )
ReplyDeleteI think the youth of UK has now caught up with the Turkish population in "brand desire" . They won't be fobbed off with non-cool brand phones and clothes.
DeleteWhatever Jake is, he is gorgeous. Great story. J
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Janice.
DeleteOne of the things that sickens me most is the way some Turks will keep on breeding pedigrees, as status symbols, when there are so many dogs on the streets that need rescuing. I don't understand the mentality of someone who will spend hundreds if not thousands of lira buying a dog, when they could take one for free. They don't really care about the dogs. It's all for show.
ReplyDeleteMixed breeds (I suppose we don't call them mongrels anymore?) are just the best companions. Loyal, affectionate, and usually live much longer.
Jake is looking absolutely gorgeous. Can't wait to see him again.
When I first arrived in Bodrum, the only pedigrees you would see had travelled with their owners from abroad on boats or come down from Istanbul. Now every second dog is a Golden Retriever or Spaniel and even they are being left on the streets at the end of the season. Such a shame.
ReplyDeleteWhat a really funny story! It's so funny and ridiculous how people feel about this. It's also been our experience that it comes and goes depending on the condition of the economy. Years ago in Massachusetts during a real boom time, you could find silly people running around the streets with their dog's pedigree in their hands to be one-up on the next person they met with the same breed dog. Rotweilers were the rage then.
ReplyDeleteMy most beloved mixed-breed rescue was named Paloma. She still lives in my heart. When people used to ask her breed, I'd say she was a 'generic dog.' After they got it, they'd get a chuckle but I don't know if it would work in Turkish.
Your Jake is a real doll.
I must work out how to say "generic" in Turkish
DeleteJake is a hansom fella and kudos for adopting!!!
ReplyDeleteWe have two adopted street cats in Istanbul (as you know) and people assume that they're horribly dirty, infested with parasites and stupid vs a purebred (or inbred) cat from the store. We have to continue shattering their perceptions of street animals :)
Cross breeds day will come. In the UK cross breeds such as cocker-poodles are more desired than cockers or poodles.
DeleteAh yes the brand thing.....I remember a while back, someone trying to give away their Kangol puppies. Of course, there were offers of homes for them until the folks turned up and realised they were not Kangols at all but Mongrels with a bit of Kangol in them somewhere. The Turks refused to take the dogs. The Brit trying to give them away was outraged and said something along the lines of ''Whats the difference, these are still gorgeous'', and ''what do they expect for nothing?''
ReplyDeleteOf course, the Turks did not want the dogs as pets but as working dogs. Totally different outlook on the purpose of animals between cultures in this instance!
Sorry you had trouble with this post Kym - It arrived at last though.. I have comment moderation switched on as I have had some very strange comments recently.
DeleteI can understand working dogs needing a certain pedigree but most are only for decoration and unfortunately only for summer.
What an inversion of values...as if only something costing a packet with a brand name attached is the 'real thing'.
ReplyDeletePathetic when it concerns cars and clothes...tragic when it comes to animals.
We are becoming a species that knows the price of everything and at the value of nothing.
ReplyDeleteAwwww, no idea what breed Jake is but he's sooo cute. Looks like he gets up to a lot of mischief! :)
ReplyDeleteWe've just had our running track extended along the harbour in Fethiye and the amount of Turkish people who power walk along it in the mornings is getting quite significant...and not a one of them is underdressed for the occasion. The real brand shops are doing a roaring trade. :)
I'm still doing gym in my M&S jogging pants and 7 year old trainers - I'm very underdressed compared to some of my partners in sport.
DeleteBack in the 90s when I was running an internet cafe, Rosemary Taramato (Roma Dog Rescue) and I used to print up mock pedigrees and frame them to give with dogs that she was finding homes for. We would print GENUINE 100% REGISTERED BODRUM PEDIGREE MUTT with a gold seal on the paper and the owner's name - Turkish people loved it, especially when we charged 10 USD for each dog (which went towards running the shelter.)
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea.
DeleteDear BtoB, I enjoy your blog, it has humour and insight,and is a pleasure tor read. But please, don't generalise even if only now and then. All my cats and those of my friends and acquintances are 'street' cats and one of my son's cats has maimed front legs that he for three whole months helped heal at the veterinary faculty. As for 'brands' - I have been an expat in the UK and Italy and know well that more people than you would expect are trying to out-do their next and love to show-off. Please accept my comment is meant well and that I know a lot has yet to be done for the animals here. And Jake is sweet and - lucky.
ReplyDeleteP.S. We also take care of two street dogs, like quite a few other people in different neighbourhoods.
Engin
Thanks for your comment Engin, I'm really pleased you took time to answer and even more pleased you are looking after street dogs. As bloggers we are all guilty of generalising and you are correct that it is lazy writing. There is a very large group of animal lovers trying their best to look after the strays on the Bodrum peninsula who's activities can be followed on several Facebook pages of which this is one.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/groups/134768735601/
However I stand by my comment that a lot of dogs are bought for their "status" rather than as a lifetime companion.
Whatever the breed or mixture, Jake is such an attractive dog, but he certainly has grown fast!
ReplyDeleteBeing an awkward so-and-so, I can admire a pedigree animal or top-brand handbag without having the slightest desire to own either. My experience of animals is that cross-breeds are usually healthier and better-tempered than overbred pedigrees and a handbag is for carrying all my clutter around in and doesn't need a brand name to do that successfully. :-)
He's still growing - Good job we bought the the three seater sofa, as he takes up most of it.
Delete. . my mother always referred to our succession of dogs as 'pedigree mongrels' when asked. As for the logo/label thing - J and I refuse to buy anything with a brand name/advert on it - just as well neither of us likes shopping very much!
ReplyDeleteI also hate labels and struggle to find a plain white Tshirt or shirt.
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