Anybody who knows Mutts knows we like our dogs big.

We love the little ones, too, of course. But there's nothing like a big furry mass of hunkitude to make you pause and say, "Now that's a dawg."

Having a big, tough 120-pounder of my own -- even though he is still afraid of the dresser in my bedroom -- I can relate to the folks and their big dogs in this and other pictures in a big dog photo gallery a co-worker alerted me to.

To see them all, click here.

As big dog people, we often feel dwarfed and overshadowed by our dogs. At night, for those of us whose big dogs like to share our beds, it can get a little overcrowded as well.

And every day we have to put up with yet another person commenting to us, "That dog is really big," as if we didn't already know.

That is often followed up by, "How much does he eat?"

But the silly comments and questions are kind of fun, and the curious passer-by is far better to deal with than the fearful one, like those who buy into the stereotype that a big dog is a mean dog, when nothing could be further from the truth.

There are times when I'm walking Ace -- and I'm sure the woman in the photo experiences this as well -- when the person coming toward us on the sidewalk makes a point to cross over to the other side of the street.

Yes, the burden of the big dog owner is a heavy one -- from spending more on dog food to having a bigger load to pick up when we scoop. But it's worth it when you consider the payoff: There's so much more to love.