Legal Question in Personal Injury in Maryland

It's fortunate that you weren't physically injured and that your dog apparently is also ok. Ironically, a ruling just came down from the MD appellate court that pit bulls are inherently dangerous and therefore an owner can be held liable for any damage or injury they cause even if there is no previous history of problems with the dog. You can't "prevent" a future attack other than to try and avoid a potentially dangerous area or perhaps to carry a deterrent like a pepper spray or something akin. If your necklace was valuable, you could seek reimbursement from the dog's owner if you know who it is.

I depends on the county as this varies across Maryland. Unfortunately I have not had occassion to deal with this issue in Charles County so I cannot speak to the matter without looking into it. Also depends on the particular area as local zoning may apply.

If you know the owner and suspect future problems then you should contact an attorney to have an appropriate notice sent so as to enhance your likelihood of a satisfactory result should another incident occur.