My dog is cute but if he doesn't know you he doesn't want to be petted. Still, people will approach him even if he lunged at them (when he's on leash near my patio). When they reach out to him he bites their fingers. This sign I got from GiftsForYouNow.com does the trick! The common lawn is about 40-50 feet deep, so they have lots of room to walk past without being so close to him.