Ernie the Enigma Pt. II: Beagle or Basset?

As of now, I think it safe to say that everyone has heard of Uno the 15 inch beagle and his history-making victory at the Westminster Dog Show. This unprecedented event in beagle history has brought the breed to the forefont of pop culture, so I would wager that most people, if not before, could presently conjure up the image of exactly what a beagle should be in their minds. So good, we all have the same frame of reference.

Bearing that in mind, I would like to express my next argument for Ernie's questionable identity as said basset visually. Observe below the three photographs: one of Uno, another of what a basset SHOULD look like and another of what Ernie "the basset" DOES look like. Decide for yourself.

This is Uno, champion of the dog world. What a star.









And this, a true basset. Observe the dignified stance of the old war horse. The word formidable comes to mind..

NOW, here is Ernie Foster. He's wearing his Christmas jacket. Notice the height, the length of the ears and nose, the length of the body. The standoffish attitude.












Given the above photographic evidence it is overwhelmingly apparent that Ernie Foster, though perhaps not all Beagle is largely beagleish in appearance. After review of both cases for or against Ernie's identity (depending on which side one has taken), I think the ultimate conclusion leads to a more animated solution.

Ernie Foster is perhaps best classified as the flesh and bone manifestation of the spirit of the only other hound in known history who both thought he was a person and didn't resemble his claimed breed: Snoopy. Case closed.

ERNIE = SNOOPY