IKEA Canada said a photo in its new catalogue that appears to show a well-endowed male greyhound has not been tampered with and that the appendage in question is in fact the dog's leg that "has an unfortunate resemblance to something else."
At least one Canadian customer called the furniture giant last week to ask about the photo, which appears on the inside cover of the 2007 edition of the company's shopping guide.
"It is an uncanny likeness," conceded IKEA Canada public relations manager Madeleine Frick.
Rumours that the dog's appearance was the handiwork of a disgruntled IKEA employee using a computer program such as Photoshop to alter the image are not true, Ms. Frick said.
"Our intent is not to offend anybody. There is a resemblance to something else, but it is in fact the dog's leg," she said.
The picture was shot in Sweden at IKEA AB's catalogue photo studio.
All 175 million of the IKEA catalogues printed worldwide contain the photograph, which shows a young family frolicking on an IKEA couch next to a tan coloured canine laying on its side.
Over six million of the catalogues will be distributed across the country this year alone. IKEA's Canadian customers were sent the 2007 edition by mail in early August.