I had an incident last week while riding my mountain bike. This huge boxer came flying at me and was trying to bite my front tire so I couldn't really get away. Luckily I knew he was just playing, but other people who aren't so familiar with dogs could easily be upset by something like that. And the owner just sat there on a park bench saying the dog wouldn't do anything. Well maybe, but if you know your dog chases bikes why leave it loose in a park with several bike routes while you sit around knitting?

Like I said I didn't mind because I love dogs and worked at a dog training school, but owners should be a bit more understanding.

As for your case it might help if you get to know the dog, but it might also have the opposite affect. The dog will see someone he knows and then want to play with you. I'm not sure what type of neighborhood you're riding in, but it seems to me that the dog shouldn't be able to just go running in the street whenever it wants (it's not safe for cyclists, pedestrians, cars or the dog). That's something I'd confront the owner with if I were you.