Linq is used pretty loosely to include also the equivalent form so

    dogs
       .Select(d => d.Id)
       .Where(d => d.Age > 3)
       .Skip(4)
       .Take(2)

would be considered just as much "linq" by most c# devs even though this isn't the query language integrated - simply because it's the same exact thing as the regular linq code.

I too find the "real" linq form mostly distracting.