Yes, but the full-sized hound was the result of St. Hubert’s tinkering. Apparently it is thought that there was a mutation between the two—which some could seen as God’s response to Hubert’s original tinkering:
http://192.220.72.203/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52:origin-of-the-basset-hound
Oh you are absolutely right, no question. Having been ruled by several in my life I know their history well.
But ultimately all they did was selective breeding. Humans have done the very same thing, as without that ‘race’ wouldn’t exist. We’d all be light brown with dark hair. Hubie just refined the process.
Just as a side note, I love those pack hunting pix like the one on the page you linked. I always have this Zombie Basset Apocalypse mental image of Bassets as far as the eye can see rampaging across the earth licking everything to death in their path ;)
http://crackberry.com/wallpaper-tv-movies-x-15-cruise-basselope-bloom-county
And can operate in low earth orbit...
