With their distinctive howls, stubby legs, long ears and belly-dragging gait, the basset hound is a unique breed of dog – and the same term can often be applied to the people who own them.

"This is Luigi,” said Mario Palumbo, as he proudly showed off his seven-year-old dog. “I've had him since he was a pup and it's just been the best thing I could have ever done."

Palumbo says when he got the dog it was his son who convinced him to name it after Mario’s brother and sidekick from the Nintendo video game series.

Mario and Luigi joined dozens of other basset hounds and their owners in Kilcona Park Sunday afternoon for the annual Manitoba Basset Hound Walk, a gathering to celebrate a kinship that only other basset hound owners can truly understand.

"I have had people pull over their cars when we've been walking on the side of the road to come and talk to us,” said Trina Gallop-Blank, the organizer. “Usually it is because they have a basset hound or they have had a basset hound. So, yeah, we kind of have some unique characteristics that bond us together."

In addition to providing an opportunity for dogs and owners to get acquainted, the event also serves as a fundraiser.

Money from a silent auction goes to a rescue group that sets up dogs and owners.

It helps basset hounds like Molly, who just found her forever home about three weeks ago.

The family who adopted her say they knew Molly was a keeper when the smoke alarm went off in the middle of her third night in their home and they went to check on her.

"He opens the kennel and she just bolts out of the kennel, through the house, up the stairs, and just flies into bed,” said Kathy Taylor-Hallick. “She curls up, goes to sleep, we don't hear from her until the morning. And that's where she's been ever since."

Almost 50 basset hounds took part in the walk on Sunday and the event managed to raise more than $1200 for an animal rescue group.

Each of the basset hounds in attendance at the walk had their measurements dutifully taken and recorded for comparison.

"Bassets can be a little competitive,” said Gallop-Blank. “We've got oldest basset, youngest basset, longest ears, and biggest girth...the widest basset."

In reality, when a group of basset hounds gets together, everyone wins.