You are very lucky. I did medical photography for many years and have seen hundreds of dog bites. Even small dogs can do permanent damage and the big dogs almost always have very serious bites.

This will annoy dog owners, but I think that dogs, of any size, should NEVER be allowed off a leash when near people. So many times the owners (who frequently were with the injured) said "my dog has never ever been agressive before". A big dog can crush a childs skull. I have seen it. A family dog got up, streached and then clamped down on the child, who died from the wounds. I have seen large men with huge arms, have their forearm bones crushed by dogs.

Just because the dog would like to run is not good enough for me. I, as a person who has been attacked by a dog, know that I will have almost no warning of the attack. The dog will run twords me, and either stop, or attack. I won't know which until it hits me.

I know you believe your dog is safe. But it is not. I feel very threatened when I see a loose dog. (and I am 6' 225 lb) I feel it is my right to protect myself, so if your dog comes running twords me in an agressive way, I will do WHATEVER I can to prevent an attack. I can not take the risk to wait to see if it will really bite or not.

Nomad
PS. The most claimed insurance item is dog bites.