I'm a cat person through and through, but I still have a heart for dogs. Big dogs, to be exact. There has never been a time in my life longer than several weeks in which my family didn't have a dog in the house. All have been large breeds: St. Bernard/Collie mix, German Shepard/Great Dane mix, and now we have a purebred St. Bernard pup who already weighs almost as much as I do. I'm here to say that all animals should be loved, but to me, big dogs are just a little easier to love. Here's some reasons why.

1. There's so much to love

More dog means more love! Big breeds love you with all their heart...and more. These are the dogs who will never let you down, though they may accidentally push you down.

2. They're guard dogs

Big dogs are sweet and loving as can be ... until someone or something threatens their humans. They would never let something happen to you: they are incredibly loyal and protective.

3. They don't know their size

They think they're small enough to fit in your lap. They aren't, but do so anyway, and the result is pretty comical and so darn cute.

4. Warmth

Who needs a blanket when you've got a big ole dog? Big dogs are perfect for cuddling on cold winter days.

5. They're gentle giants

When I was born, my parents had a St. Bernard/Collie mix named Ceaser. He was one of the biggest dogs I've ever seen, but the gentlest too. When I was a baby, my parents would lay me against him and he wouldn't move a muscle. This is essentially how it looked:

6. They're calm

Size doesn't reflect temper with these ones.

7. They're family dogs

Mom loves them, dad loves them, kids love them. Big dogs' calm nature make them great for families, especially those with younger kids (refer back to item 5).

8. They're the stars of the show

Big dogs always have to make their presence known, which comes easy. When guests come over you hear "is that a horse?" and "that's the biggest dog I've ever seen!".

9. Small dogs are pointless

The sage Ron Swanson said, "Any dog under 50 pounds is a cat and cats are pointless." I love cats, but Ron has a point. Why have a small dog when you could have a big one?