David Ellam, 52, was attacked as he walked his Yorkshire terrier, Rolo, near his home in Sheepridge, Huddersfield, last August.
At Leeds Crown Court, Aaron Joseph, 29, denied being the owner of a dog that caused injury while dangerously out of control in a public place.
Mr Joseph was released on bail and a trial date has been set for 5 February.
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Judge Peter Collier QC, the Recorder of Leeds, said he hoped the trial date could be brought forward.
Police were called to Riddings Road on 15 August, and Mr Ellam was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary where he was later pronounced dead.
Mr Joseph, of Riddings Road, pleaded guilty to possessing a quantity of cannabis on the same day.

Coverage will be on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
The two teams faced off in Patras, Greece, earlier this month, with European title contenders Greece running out winners, 92-64.
Three members of that team will be missing at the Copper Box, however, offering GB a chance of revenge.
"I think it's going to be amazing - I'm from Stratford so I love playing there [at the Copper Box]," said GB guard Teddy Okereafor.
"This is the level we need to be playing at to make sure we're 100% ready for EuroBasket this year.
"We've got a couple of guys who are going to be playing for the first time in London so it's going to be exciting for them - I think the atmosphere's going to be great."
The game will be Britain's only home game before they compete at FIBA EuroBasket 2017, which starts at the beginning of September with a qualifying group in Istanbul, Turkey.
After they play Greece, coach Joe Prunty's team travel to a four-team tournament in Poland, their last warm-up games before EuroBasket starts.
(BST)
17:30-19:30 - BBC iPlayer
17:30-19:30 - BBC Sport website

Mr Vine was riding his bicycle in Kensington, west London, on 26 August when a row occurred, Hammersmith Magistrates' Court was told.
Shanique Pearson, 22, from Vauxhall, is said to have formed the shape of a weapon with her fingers and "cocked it" at Mr Vine's head.
Ms Pearson denies acting in a threatening manner.
In response to the charges she denies using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour and driving without reasonable consideration for other road users.
Ms Pearson has admitted driving an unlicensed vehicle on the day in question.
The defendant claimed Mr Vine was mistaken in what he thought he had seen and said she instead raised her middle finger at the presenter, who she thought was "a bit crazy" for following her after their initial row.
Footage of the argument, which took place in Hornton Street, west London and was filmed on Mr Vine's helmet camera, has since been viewed online millions of times, the presenter said.
The video was played in court.
After initially clashing when Mr Vine stopped his bike in front of Ms Pearson's Vauxhall Corsa, Ms Pearson drove past the Radio Two presenter, the court learned.
But the argument erupted a short while later when Ms Pearson spotted Mr Vine trying to take a photograph.
Explaining the next few moments to the court, he said: "She's gone back in the car, she's sitting at this junction. I am behind her with my cycle, the lights are red. I draw parallel to the car because I want to see inside.
"As I draw level and I look in [to the car] she produces her fingers like this, and aims them at me, and cocks her thumb and goes like that, in a firing sign."
In her evidence, Ms Pearson said she had initially reacted to Mr Vine's stopping in front of her car because: "It was too quick, it kind of shocked me.
"I could have hit him [with the car] and I don't think he understood the danger of that, hence why I was so angry."
The hearing has been adjourned until 26 January.
A man has denied being the owner of a dog which attacked and fatally injured a neighbour.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
BBC Sport is showing live coverage of the EuroBasket warm-up game between Great Britain and Greece at the Copper Box in London on Saturday 19 August.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
A driver "made a gun sign" at BBC presenter Jeremy Vine during an alleged road rage incident, a court heard.