Knowing dog's body language may prevent bites

With 4.5 million Americans bitten by dogs annually, a record number of attacks on letter carriers and soaring insurance claims, it is clear that dog bites cut deep.

Veterinarians realize that while even the gentlest dog can bite, most bites can be prevented. As a founding sponsor of National Dog Bite Prevention Week^®, held this year from May 15-22, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is committed to reducing the number of dog bites and helping owners maintain the loving bond between them and their dogs.

"Dogs not raised with good social skills can become dogs that bite," said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a past president of the AVMA and an internationally recognized expert in animal behavior. "It is important to socialize your dog and see how the dog interacts with people. Owners need to be able to read their dogs' body language."

Dr. Beaver added that children and dogs should never be left alone together unsupervised, even if that dog is considered well behaved and kid friendly. "Don't assume that a dog won't bite," she said.

The AVMA and the National Dog Bite Prevention Week coalition recognizes that bites are not a breed issue, but instead an economic, cultural and very human issue, and that education is key to preventing bites.

"I am pleased that the AVMA and members of the National Dog Bite Prevention Week Coalition, which include the U.S. Postal Service, State Farm Insurance, Insurance Information Institute, the American Humane Association, American Academy of Pediatrics and positive trainers such as Victoria Stilwell, realize that working together on educating the public is the best way to combat this very real public health issue," said veterinarian and AVMA Board of Directors member Dr. Lori Teller.

Dr. Teller, a veterinarian at the Meyerland Animal Clinic in Houston, represented veterinary medicine at the Houston kick-off.

"Pet owners should talk to their veterinarian regarding any behavioral concerns they may have," Teller said. "Their family veterinarian can assist in determining if there is a medical component; which medication, if any, would be most appropriate as part of an integrated treatment program; and whether or not a referral to a behavior specialist is warranted."

Resources from National Dog Bite Prevention Week Coalition members:

• AVMA has a wide variety of public resources on dog bite prevention and National Dog Bite Prevention Week, including these videos for kids:
  • Jimmy's Dog House teaches lessons on noises, sleeping and eating.
  • Jimmy the Dog videos teach kids what a yellow ribbon means, what to do with a lost dog, how to interact with a dog behind a fence, and what to do when the letter carrier comes to the house.
• The U.S. Postal Service reports that attacks on its carriers increased in 2015 by 782 to a total of 6,549. Houston—the site of the National Dog Bite Prevention Week kick-off press conference—is the top market, with 77 reported attacks on postal employees last year. The increase may be due to the rise in Internet deliveries taking place on Sundays. Because many of these deliveries take place at a customer's door, the U.S. Postal Service is asking Americans to "close the door on dog attacks" by placing their pets in a separate room with a closed door to decrease the likelihood of an attack.
• In 2015, State Farm^® paid more than $118 million as a result of 3,181 dog-related injury claims. Though the number of paid claims decreased nearly 10 percent from 2014, the amount paid by State Farm did increase by more than 3 percent, indicating an increase in the severity of incidents and rising medical and legal costs associated with dog-related injuries. Of the top 10 states for dog bite claims, only one—Illinois—saw an increase in the number of paid claims in 2015. California, Illinois and Texas represent the top three states for paid dog bite claims by State Farm. 
• The Insurance Information Institute says the number of dog bite claims nationwide is decreasing every year, but the amounts paid are increasing. In 2015, 15,352 claims were paid for a total of $571 million. The average cost per claim is more than $37,000, an increase of 16 percent from 2014.
• American Humane Association, the country's first national humane organization, and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals, offers a free online booklet available for families with children called "Pet Meets Baby," providing valuable information on introducing a new child to a home with a pet—or a new pet into a home with a child:http://www.americanhumane.org/interaction/programs/humane-education/pet-meets-baby.html.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics says if you're threatened by a dog, remain calm. Avoid eye contact and stand still until the dog leaves, or back away slowly. If you are knocked down, curl into a ball and protect your face with your hands. If a dog bites your child, clean small wounds with soap and water and seek medical attention for larger wounds. Contact the dog's veterinarian to check vaccination records.
• Renowned dog trainer and Coalition member Victoria Stilwell offers tips for observing a dog's body language on her website.

The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with more than 88,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a wide variety of professional activities and dedicated to the art and science of veterinary medicine. National Pet Week was created by the AVMA and its Auxiliary in 1981 to promote responsible pet ownership.

Cat executives, dealer visit Cuba

Caterpillar Inc. this week aimed to enhance its already strong relationship with Cuba by sending Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman and other executives to the island nation to meet with government representatives there.

Also along on the visit were representatives from RIMCO, the Cat dealer serving Cuba.

"We believe in the power of engagement, and our goal is to be both a business and cultural partner in Cuba for many years to come," said Oberhelman. "For nearly 20 years, Caterpillar has called for an end to the unilateral embargo. Our visit this week lays important groundwork for Caterpillar and RIMCO to serve the Cuban market once remaining trade restrictions are lifted. We are grateful for the courteous and warm reception we have received."

Oberhelman's visit is the latest step in the company's ongoing efforts to promote open markets and free trade, the company said. This historic visit represents the most recent Caterpillar efforts to engage with Cuba both on business and cultural levels. Earlier this year, RIMCO, the Cat dealer currently serving Puerto Rico, was selected as the Cat dealer for Cuba.

“We are extremely pleased to return to Cuba once again to continue analyzing the market," said Richard F. McConnie, president of RIMCO. "We look forward to offering the Cat solutions and traditionally outstanding service to help develop Cuba's infrastructure and improve the quality of life of Cuban people.”

While steps remain to achieve fully normalized relations, including lifting the existing embargo, RIMCO and Caterpillar will continue preparations to best serve the Cuban marketplace with construction machines, power systems, turbines and engines, the company said.

While in Cuba on Wednesday, Oberhelman and the others attended an event at the Cuban home of the late Ernest Hemingway. There Caterpillar announced it will add to the previous $500,000 donation made by Caterpillar and the Caterpillar Foundation to The Finca Vigía Foundation with the donation of a Cat skid-steer loader. The skid-steer loader will be used to support the construction of the Taller building, an onsite conservation laboratory with archival storage facilities located at the Hemingway House. The Taller will be used to house historic Hemingway artifacts and documents.

"We are pleased to be able to provide a Cat machine to help in the construction of the Taller building at the Hemingway House; the house is part of the cultural heritage shared by the American and Cuban people," Oberhelman said during the event.

Caterpillar and the Caterpillar Foundation have sought different avenues for philanthropic opportunity in Cuba since 1998. Previously, Caterpillar donated generator sets to support Cuban hospitals. In March, Caterpillar and the Caterpillar Foundation announced a donation toward preservation of the Hemingway House.

"We are proud to support The Finca Vigía Foundation's work," said Caterpillar Foundation President Michele Sullivan. "By working together with a number of partners, this project will help build a sustainable and thriving community, which is good for everyone."

Home sales on a healthy pace so far

Relentless supply constraints and home price growth outpacing wages are testing the patience of homebuyers this year, but existing-home sales are still on track to come in at their highest pace since 2006, according to an economic forecast forum here at the2016 REALTORS^® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors^®, presented his midyear economic and housing forecast and was joined onstage by U.S. Sen.Elizabeth Warren(D-Mass.). Senator Warren explained with purpose the growing burden repaying student loan debt is having on young adults, the housing market and the overall U.S. economy.

According to Yun, monthly existing-home sales were uneven in the first quarter but still came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate slightly higher (5.29 million) than last year's overall annual pace (5.26 million). Demand has mostly remained strong – especially in the top job-producing metro areas – and is being upheld by mortgage rates near three-year lows and the 14 million jobs gained since 2010.

"The housing market continues to expand at a moderate pace in spite of the fact that home prices are rising too fast in some areas because of insufficient supply fueled by the grossly inadequate number of new single-family homes being constructed," said Yun. "The good news is that pending sales in recent months have remained stable and should support a modest gain in home sales heading into the summer." 

Yun forecasts existing sales to finish 2016 at a pace of around 5.40 million – the best year since 2006 (6.48 million). After accelerating to 6.8 percent in 2015, the national median existing-home price is forecast slightly moderate to between 4 and 5 percent this year.

During her remarks, Senator Warren applauded Realtors^®for their role in helping build America's middle class through homeownership. Unfortunately, Warren explained, this path to economic security is being threatened by the seven out of 10 college graduates that need to borrow thousands of dollars to attend college and then spend countless years afterwards repaying the debt at high interest rates.

"Student debt is crushing young people, it's hurting the nation's economy and delaying the opportunity for many to buy their first home," said Warren, who citedNAR's 2015 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellersdata on the percent share of first-time buyers remaining at its lowest point in nearly three decades (32 percent). "Every monthly payment going to reducing their student debt could instead be money going towards saving for a down payment on a house."

On the topic of first-time buyers, Yun remarked that their ongoing absence is the missing link to a full housing recovery; this is, amazingly, during a time when conditions are ripe for a larger share of them buying homes. Job growth has been strong for multiple years, rents have soared in many areas and mortgage rates are historically low. Unfortunately, a multitude of factors such as increasing home prices amidst flat wage growth, the lack of available starter homes and repaying student loan debt is thwarting many young would-be buyers.

"Spectacularly low mortgage rates mean today's prospective homebuyers are the luckiest in a generation but the unluckiest in actually becoming homeowners because of the roadblocks hampering their ability to buy," added Yun.

Although contract signings nationally have held steady for several consecutive months, Yun said regional differences are beginning to appear in places where home prices have appreciated the fastest – specifically in parts of the South and in the West. Although data from theRealtors^®Confidence Indexshows that home buyer traffic is still strong, demand is somewhat weakening from a lack of available inventory and the subsequent affordability pressures it's putting on a large segment of would-be buyers. 

"Homebuilders need to significantly ramp up production so that more existing homeowners can trade-up and list their home for sale," added Yun. "Otherwise, inventory shortages will continue and demand could soften even more in some areas as a greater number of buyers are unable to find homes at affordable prices."

Ultimately, Yun foresees housing starts ending up higher than last year (1.1 million), but still below the 1.5 million necessary each year to keep up with current demand. New home sales are likely to total 540,000 this year, which is only a little more than half the rate from the pre-boom years in the early 2000s.

Yun said rents, which rose last year at a seven-year high, will be a big driver of future inflation, along with gas prices, and will ultimately steer the direction of mortgage rates. If rent growth continues at its current pace, inflation will be stronger and push rates higher. Slowing rent growth would have the opposite effect by keeping a lid on inflation and holding rates at a very manageable level. For now, he foresees mortgage rates continuing to hover around 4 percent in coming months before gradually moving upward into next year.

Despite solid job gains in the past few years, Yun stated that economic growth continues to be unimpressive. The rising U.S. dollar against other foreign currencies and the slowing global economy since late last year would likely be causing our economy to teeter on the edge of a recession if it weren't for the boost from the housing component of Gross Domestic Product. Through the rest of the year, he expects GDP to register at only 1.6 percent and be primarily kept afloat by housing and consumer spending.

Even with underlying challenges, Yun explained that the housing market has come a long way since the depths of the recession. Mortgage delinquency rates – especially for Veteran Affairs mortgages – have subsided to near pre-crisis levels and home prices have rebounded substantially in a majority of metro areas, which in turn has boosted household wealth for many homeowners.

"The economy should still expand enough to continue the current pace of job creation, which will in turn lead to slow, but steady sales gains for the housing market," concluded Yun.

The National Association of Realtors^®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

5 things parents should know about teen drivers

A National Safety Council poll found 76 percent of parents are unaware that the biggest risk to their teens' safety is the vehicle sitting in the driveway.

In observance of Global Youth Traffic Safety Month this May, and at the height of prom and graduation season, the National Safety Council compiled a comprehensive list of things many parents may not – but need to – know about teen driver safety:

• Car crashes are the #1 killer of teens.
• Teens crash most often because they are inexperienced – not because they take more risks behind the wheel.
• Other teen passengers are one of the biggest distractions for teen drivers. Just one teen passenger raises a teen driver's fatal crash risk 44 percent. Two passengers doubles fatal crash risk. Three or more quadruples crash risk.
• Most fatal nighttime crashes involving teen drivers happen between 9 p.m. and midnight.
• More than half of teens killed in car crashes were not restrained by a seatbelt.

"Parents tend to worry most about the things we hear in the news, like cyber bullying and drug and alcohol use," said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. "But car crashes are the number one killer of teens. Ensuring our most vulnerable drivers safely gain the experience they need will result in more teens attending prom and graduation, not their friends' funerals."

Five easy tips for parents:

• Buckle up on every trip, and make sure passengers are buckled, too.
• Keep household rules in place, even after school lets out. One-third of parents surveyed said they allow risky behaviors during vacations, like driving late at night.
• Practice with teens, even after licensure, to ensure they are retaining good driving habits.
• Model good behaviors. Ninety-five percent of parents who drive distracted do so in front of their teens.
• Set household cell phone rules. More than half of teens feel pressure from their families to drive distracted.

The National Safety Council encourages parents with new teen drivers to use resources from DriveitHOME.org to help them become effective driving coaches. DriveitHOME.org includes tips, driving lessons and a New Driver Deal, which parents and teens can use to outline household driving rules.

The National Safety Council and the General Motors Foundation also developed the Steer Your Teen in the Right Direction presentation, which can be presented by anyone concerned about teen driver safety.

Parents who live in states with a Teen Safe Driving Coalition can get involved and advocate for change at the grassroots level to influence other parents. The National Safety Council established Coalitions are in California,Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.