Kids in Greenwich, N.Y. have something to look forward to each day. When the children approach Main Street, on the way to school, Sophy, a German Shepherd-black Labrador mix, is there to greet them, along with volunteer crossing guard Clifford Mealy [4]. Sophy has her own dog-sized “Stop” sign and leads the way as kids cross the busy street.

It makes me a little nervous to see an off leash dog so close to traffic. Even the best trained dogs can get spooked.

However, there's no doubt that Sophy puts a lot of smiles on kids' faces every day and encourages them to use the crosswalk. I certainly wish there was a dog to greet me back in my grade school days!