These Photos of Little Kids With Their Giant Dogs Are Actually Everything We Dream Of

Andy Seliverstoff, a photographer based in St. Petersburg, Russia, is 100 percent confident that dogs are truly man's best friend. While Andy has loved big dogs ever since a long-haired St. Bernard came into his life 25 years ago, he didn't start incorporating them into his work until he was asked to shoot a few photos for some friends years back.

"A couple Summers ago, some good friends asked me to shoot their toddler on a walk," Andy told POPSUGAR. "We agreed to meet at a neighborhood park, and they arrived at the shoot with not just their daughter, but with their dog as well — a fawn Great Dane. So we decided not just to photograph 2-year-old Alice, but her dog, too."

As soon as Andy shared the pictures on social media, they instantly took off for obvious and adorable reasons.

"I posted these first photo shoots on Facebook and soon found out how popular and touching they were. Nobody, it seems, could remain indifferent to the juxtaposition of those large dogs and little kids," he said. "Since my circle of friends and my hobby as a dog show photographer give me access to a large number of dog owners, I decided to continue working on this subject. That is how Little Kids and Their Big Dogs ($36) was born."

Although Andy's series is essentially every dog-owner's version of heaven, he admits there there is still a stigma out there when it comes to big pups.

"I was always surprised when people asked me things like: 'Aren't you afraid?' and 'How do you cope with it?' This prejudice against large dogs that I encountered gave rise to my idea of showing that the size of a dog doesn't matter at all," said Andy. "Giant dogs are devoted, as well as gentle and careful with their little owners and smaller-size dogs."

Andy hopes to squash any misconceptions about big dogs' demeanors through his work. "It's no secret that some owners who become new parents are concerned about the dog's relative size," he said. "And that's very sad. Large dogs are gentle nurses for the kids who grow up with them. And most surprising is the close, emotional interrelation between the child and his or her great friend. It demanded to be shown."

Scroll through to get a look at some of Andy's stunning photography and try not to adopt a shelter full of pups in the process.