It is a mistake to assume that your dog will not fight with other dogs. Dog on Dog attacks can occur no matter how well behaved the animals are. The fact is that dogs will act out against people or other animals if they feel any of the following:

• Afraid.
• Stressed due to lack of space.
• Dogs are pack animals, meaning they may feel the need to dominate.
• They may be protective of you.
• Curiosity.
• Or they may simply be over excited.

Below are a couple tips on how to help your dog cope and act in the presence of other canines in order to prevent a confrontation.

Be Calm and Decisive

One of the most common mistakes made by people when encountering another dog is to tense up and become fearful of what your dog may do. If you become afraid when encountering another dog, you will subsequently tense up, leading your dog to pick up on your energy which will likely trigger an aggressive reaction from your dog. Remain calm throughout the encounter, while still reading your dog’s expressions. If you feel the encounter is becoming too stressful, intervene and cut the meet and greet short. You may also want to redirect your dog’s attention back to you from time to time during the interaction with another dog to remind him that you are there and he is safe.

Ignore

From my experience with dogs, I have found this technique to be most effective when started at an early age. Not to say that it is impossible if not started at an early age, just a lot more challenging to imply. When going out for a walk with your furry friend and passing by another dog, you should make it a point to ignore the other dog and its owner. This will teach your dog that when you see other dogs it is best to ignore them instead of confronting them. Be careful not to crowd the dog when walking past another dog. Since we now know dogs love space and aren’t too keen on it being invaded, this might send the wrong message to your dog causing him to lash out. If rather than ignoring the dog, your dog decides to confront the dog and starts barking and showing aggressive behavior. As a substitute to standing while tugging at the dog, try walking away and tugging at the dog. This will help create space while at the same time hopefully creating comfort.

Remember that German shepherd I spoke about, the one that enjoys chasing after flying bugs? Well she also enjoys staring at dogs intensely as they stroll by for their walks.  This is not good behavior. Just because they are in a down position and not barking or growling, doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking about acting. It may actually mean that they are just waiting for the right moment. When she does this it usually leads to a “go inside” command.  Teaching your dog how to ignore the presence of other dogs will be one of your best defenses against your dog’s aggressiveness to other dogs.

Socializing

Generally most dogs are sociable creatures meant to live in groups and packs. However, since they are man’s best friend, and are not living wildly in the streets this is not always the case. Dogs are not always properly socialized with other dogs enough for them to feel comfort around them. This often times causes aggression when meeting a new dog. According to the ASPCA, it is best to introduce your dog to new experiences between the age of 3 and 12 weeks. After that time period your dog will become less prone to accepting new experiences without becoming wary and uncomfortable. When it comes to introducing adult dogs to new experiences you will find that you need a lot of patience, vigilance, and a couple treats never hurt anyone.

To wrap it all up, when your dog meets a new dog for the first time, it is best to remain vigilant and observant of your dog’s mannerisms and behavior. Remember nobody knows your own dog’s tell-tale signs like you do. If you see him/her becoming anxious or uncomfortable step in and interrupt the situation before it escalates.

Photo credit: dgoomany / Foter / CC BY-SA

The heavy snow and extremely cold temperatures have not only made any form of transportation in the Northeast a nightmare, but it has also contributed to additional worries at homes, businesses and schools. Along with having trouble with the snow removal on the roads, a lot of people are founding common ground in the woes of snow removal and accumulation on roofs.

There have been about 71 building collapses in Massachusetts over the last week or so. Some schools have been forced to dismiss students before the anticipated February vacation week due to unsafe conditions. “We cannot safely have students, staff and community members in our schools without roofs being cleared,” Somerville officials said in a statement. This early release for students only adds on to the already accumulated school closing days that have been caused by the latest snow storms and blizzards.

In Newburyport, Massachusetts, 70-80 residents were displaced from their residence after a condo’s roof partially collapsed. The condo was occupied at the time but no injuries were reported. With the already record breaking amount of snow in New England and more to come, residents need to take preventative measures and stay proactive when it comes to taking care of the snow removal on roofs.

Safety Measures Roof Snow Removal

• Try not to do it alone. Always have someone below the roof to keep foot traffic away from locations where falling snow or ice could cause injuries.
• Don’t try to clear the roof during period of high winds.
• Do not use mechanical snow removal equipment or sharp tools while removing the snow.
• Avoid garage roofs and outbuildings. Chances are these structures were built with more lenient standards and therefore are more prone to collapsing.
• The safest tool to use to try and remove snow on roofs is a roof rake. This will allow you to safely remove the snow while still being on the ground.

For more safety tips and instructions on removing snow from roofs visit the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency website. It is imperative that safety be the number one priority on everyone’s mind as we deal with the less than perfect conditions that we are currently facing. After all, we are expecting to get another batch of snow and ice through the weekend, which of course will only make conditions worse – not only for the roads, but also for the accumulated snow on the roofs. If you hadn’t heard, we’re sorry to the messengers; snow at this point should be considered a bad word, perhaps a four-letter word one should not speak of.

In my previous job working at a chiropractor’s office, I would get a sort of disappointed feeling every time I answered the phone and a new personal injury patient was at the end of the other line to schedule an appointment. Not because we didn’t want to treat the patient, but more because of the back and forth that was to materialize throughout the coming days with the patient’s insurance carrier.

Recently the State District Court rendered a decision in VIP Physical Therapy, Inc. v. Government Insurance Company.  Government Insurance Company was sued by VIP Physical Therapy, Inc. under the personal injury protection statue, for refusing to pay for treatment that VIP Physical Therapy, Inc had rendered to the injured policyholders.  The defendant Government Insurance Company argued that the Massachusetts Standard Automobile Policy states that “anyone covered under [a] policy” and “any person seeking payment” must cooperate with the insurer, including submitting themselves to a EUO (Examination Under Oath) at a place designated by the insurer.  Subsequently, Government Insurance Company argued, that by refusing to submit to a EUO VIP Physical Therapy, Inc. was being uncooperative which justified their refusal to pay for rendered services.

Judge William P. Hadley disagreed with the defendant Government Insurance Company. Hadley pointed out that that the terminology in the standard automobile policy conflicts with the terminology in the PIP statue itself. Under the PIP statue it states that non-cooperation defense is limited to the non-cooperation by the “injured party.” Therefore, Hadley granted the plaintiff VIP Physical Therapy, Inc. their motion for partial summary judgment.

Many times, I have found that auto insurers make it somewhat difficult for injured parties in car accidents to obtain payment for their medical bills. In my personal experience, while working at a chiropractor’s office, this discourages medical providers to render services to the people in need of these services. This ruling gives medical providers a sense of security knowing that they can provide care to the injured parties without the concern of having to ensue in a battle with insurers over payment.

While not involved in VIP Physical Therapy, Inc. v. Government Insurance Company, Attorney Robert Mazow of Mazow & McCullough was contacted by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly to provide insight into the opinion. “Requiring that medical providers jump through hoops and attended what are essentially depositions without boundaries puts an unfair burden on providers and their patients and stretches the PIP statue beyond the breaking point.” Mazow said. “Moreover, the PIP statue simply cannot be logically construed so as to extend the duty to provide a EUO beyond insureds and claimants.”

Car insurance companies in Massachusetts constantly search for new and unique ways to deny or reduce medical bills related to treatment for people hurt in car accidents. Part of the Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Policy requires insureds and their injured passengers to cooperate with insurance companies in their investigations of car accidents. While “cooperation” isn’t defined in the insurance policy, insurance companies can require their insureds and injured people in the insured vehicle to attend an “Examination Under Oath.” An Examination Under Oath, or EUO, is essentially a deposition or inquiry conducted by an attorney hired by the insurance company to investigate the circumstances of the accident and the medical treatment. Historically, if an insured or the injured passenger didn’t show up for the EUO, the insurance company would deny the claim as a result of “non-cooperation.”

Over the last few years, insurance companies have stretched the boundaries of the demand for cooperation. They have requested that medical professionals who are providing treatment to the insured or their passengers appear for these EUO’s. Some medical professionals have done so, others have refused. Certain Massachusetts insurance companies have used that refusal on the part of the medical professional to appear for an EUO as a reason to deny payment of medical bills.

In a recent decision out of one of the Massachusetts District Courts, VIP Physical Therapy, Inc. v. GEICO, Judge William Hadley disagreed with GEICO in its denial of medical bills owed to an insured. GEICO used the fact that the physical therapist didn’t attend an EUO as a reason to deny bills.

Robert E. Mazow of Mazow & McCullough, PC in Salem represents medical providers in PIP cases. While not involved in VIP Physical Therapy, he called the ruling an “important reminder” to auto insurers that the primary purpose of the PIP statute is to provide those injured in car accidents with a quick and efficient method for payment of related medical bills.

“Requiring that medical providers jump through hoops and attend what are essentially depositions without boundaries puts an unfair burden on providers and their patients and stretches the PIP statute beyond the breaking point,” Mazow said. “Moreover, the PIP statute simply cannot be logically construed so as to extend the duty to provide an EUO beyond insureds and claimants.”

Because Judge Hadley determined that the insurance company has no authority under the law to demand that medical providers attend EUO’s, he ordered that the patient’s medical bills be paid.

While this decision is non-binding on other courts, it certainly sends a strong message to the insurance industry that “cooperation” has its boundaries in the Massachusetts automobile insurance context.