Original: The name is applied to something that would not be described as a hot dog in the United States. For example, in New Zealand, it refers to a battered sausage, often on a stick, and the version in a bun is called an "American hot dog".
Simplified: In some countries, "hot dog" is the name of a completely different sausage dish; for example, in New Zealand it is used to mean corn dog, and hot dogs are called "American hot dogs" instead.