Running up to strangers

Ok, Nicki has always been very good about going outside, doing her business and then coming in. We live on the corner of a very busy street, but she never goes near the street. We trust her and she knows where her boundaries are... she'll stop dead at the sidewalk as if we had an electric fence!

We used to live in a neighborhood where everyone knew her and would stop to love her. Our new neighborhood is a lot different... people are cold and won't look at you in the eye (as if I've got a gun hiding in my pocket - ready to shoot them if they smile at me.) Nicki has never really adjusted to not having the world fawn over her and looks quite insulted when someone passes without a gush of admiration for her! We've been here over a year and she has basically left people alone until recently when she's decided to take matters into her own hands, um, paws, and now she tries to run up to the strangers and make them love her. We live on a busy corner that has a LOT of foot traffic, so everytime I let her out, there's a good chance someone is walking by. She never barks, and when she goes up to people, her tail is wagging a mile a minute. Even still, people freeze in their tracks because she's basically a huge dog and they're afraid of her. Even when we're walking with a leash she tries to say hi.

What can I do to get my girl back on track to being good again, and not running up to strangers? Poor thing is a great big baby and love monster, so what can I do for her?

PS: We tried to tie her up, but all she does is stand there and bark... she won't even try to do her business.

There are several things you could try, but for safety's sake, I would take her out on leash only. You never know what could happen otherwise.