It’s a dog’s life

Times photographer Mel Melcon has a knack for snapping shots of people with their dogs. Here are a few favorites from over the years.

Jason Drew, 32, of Studio City, gives his dog Casey, a 9-year-old pit bull, a lift while riding his mountain bike along Chandler Ave. in Sherman Oaks. Drew said that he usually takes his dog on a 4-mile ride, a couple of times a week. He is holding onto the dog’s front paws as an added protection but Drew said the dog has no problem staying up there on it’s own. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Sept. 16, 2014 2:58 PM PT

Sylvia Montano tries out her inflatable hammer on her dog Atlas, a rottweiler/boxer mix in Simi Valley. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Jan Simpson is greeted by his 3 dogs, from left, Bobo, Bobo Jr. and Bobola in Ventura. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Chris Marino gets nose to nose with Pidi, a chihuahua/pomeranian mix, while at Borchard Park in Newbury Park. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Leroy Singh sees eye to eye with his dog Minnie while visiting Kenneth Hahn State Recreational Area in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Owen Mitchell, left, and his twin sister Grace greet Biscuit being held in check by her owner Paula Rulnik while visiting the Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Isai Jimenez, left, tries to escape from his nephew, Issac Zendejas while playing tackle football at Old Orchard Park in Newhall. Joining in on the fun is Issac’s dog Po, a chihuahua mix. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Keaton Lindahl holds handle of fountain so his dog can get a drink at Camino Real Park in Ventura. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Julian Smith, 27, of El Monte, relaxes with his dog Pup while taking in the sun at Santa Monica Beach. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Captain Jan Selder, Supervisor of the East Valley Animal Care Center in Van Nuys, holding Jingle, left, a Maltese puppy, and Holly, a Yorkie puppy, leads fellow employees, holding other puppies as they enter a press conference held at the center. Five Yorkie and five Maltese puppies were intercepted at LAX with falsified health documentation in June 2008. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Leon Bazilio and his dog Pluto, take in the annual Kingdom Day Parade on Martin Luther King Blvd. In South Los Angeles in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Kia tries to grab a drink of water as Cherie Corcoran uses hose to water her front lawn in Montalvo. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Armando Cervantes works on a training exercise in which his dog Brisa climbs a tree and stays there until Cervantes gives the command to jump down at Moorpark Park in Studio City. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Jose Mignone takes his two dogs, Lucky, left, and Mikki for a walk along Stern Ave. in Sherman Oaks. Lucky was in a stroller, because the dog is recovering from surgery for a torn ligament to its hind leg. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Hilario Ramos relaxes with his dog Baby Taz on Cesar Chavez Ave in Boyle Heights. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Scarlett, a 7-year-old bichon frise, awaits her owner at a Simi Valley mall. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Jaime Fraser of Ventura cools off her dog Koco in water fountain located at the California Street Mall in Ventura. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Labrador retrievers with the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation return toys tossed in the pool by John Melville of Ojai. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Hamish McSporan McWee tails his owner, Judie DeMonte, into a Janss mall store for pet owners in Thousand Oaks. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Luna, right, gets to know Dando in the Thousand Oaks. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Ted Woodworth of Simi Valley takes his Pomeranians for a walk through Rancho Simi Community Park in Simi Valley. The dog jumping is Bam Bam. Below is Pebbles and at far left is Samson. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Madison gets an up close look at a rattle snake while going through rattlesnake avoidance clinic in Oak View. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Summer Stetson reaches over to say hello to Joy who was going for a walk with her owner, Betty Saunders of Ojai, at San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Sagus wears bullet proof vest while having his picture taken outside of Ventura Police Department. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Cyndi Mahoney’s Chihuahua-Jack Russell mix, Jack, is settled into a backpack before Mahoney gets on her bike in Simi Valley. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Director Adam Shankman with pals Jake, left, and Sierra. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)