Years ago, on another bike forum I used to hang out on, there was a thread full of bike-related tips. One of them was to yell, "NO!" at dogs that were chasing you, the theory being (I guess) that most dogs aren't actually feral and rabid, but are merely someone's pet, that grew up hearing and understanding, "no". In the years since, I've found that 9/10 times, it at least causes them to lose some enthusiasm in their chase, giving me time to scoot on by.
As for the OP's question, yeah, I'm a dog-talker. A calm, friendly tone does seem to calm them down, especially the ones I cross paths with regularly. Sometimes I'll stop and try to make friends and pet them, but sometimes, when they're real A-holes, it's to pick up a rock and chase after THEM !!