# how have you handled this situation ?



## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

criteria // assumptions :
1. you have a fairly large dog (over 25kg)
2. you walk it frequently in fairly crowded public areas including park areas where kids gather and play.
3. you see someone walking towards you who is clearly afraid of dogs and quickly scoots to the opposite side you are approaching from, or you see a kid who shows obvious fear of you and your dog

Questions :
1. how often has this happened ?
2. what have you done ?

I don't know about other areas, but here in Japan, small dogs outnumber large ones by more than 50 to 1. So this happens very often when i am out with my dog and customer's dogs ... a few times a week and sometimes a few times during a walk


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

rick smith said:


> criteria // assumptions :
> 1. you have a fairly large dog (over 25kg)
> 2. you walk it frequently in fairly crowded public areas including park areas where kids gather and play.
> 3. you see someone walking towards you who is clearly afraid of dogs and quickly scoots to the opposite side you are approaching from, or you see a kid who shows obvious fear of you and your dog
> ...


_
1. you have a fairly large dog (over 25kg)
2. you walk it frequently in fairly crowded public areas including park areas where kids gather and play.
3. you see someone walking towards you who is clearly afraid of dogs and quickly scoots to the opposite side you are approaching from, or you see a kid who shows obvious fear of you and your dog_

_
1. how often has this happened ?
2. what have you done ?_

1. Occasionally. 

2. I respect their desire to put space between my dog and themselves .... and also I might be a little ostentatious about my dog's obedience. (That is, depending on the situation, and if it will not increase the time they must spend in close proximity to my dog, I may tell my dog "behind me," or maybe walk to the edge of my path farthest from them and tell my dog to sit.)


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## Faisal Khan (Apr 16, 2009)

Always wondered about this, I goto Japan 4-5 times a year and all the dogs I see getting walked are itty bitty ankle biters. I do admit that they walk very nice loose leash though.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

_" .... here in Japan, small dogs outnumber large ones by more than 50 to 1."_


I didn't know that. Is it maybe a space/crowded-city reason? Or maybe small homes?


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## Brian McQuain (Oct 21, 2009)

Just keep on walking


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Brian McQuain said:


> Just keep on walking



+1

Yes, you're right. Any command I might give my dog would have to fit in with _"I respect their desire to put space between my dog and themselves" _and _"not increase the time they must spend in close proximity to my dog."_

So on second thought, _"Keep on walking"_ is probably the best answer.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

In addition to "keep on walking" I will put the dog on the opposite side of me that they are coming from. Of course if they cross the street first there isn't much else to do. It also depends on the area I'm walking if I move the dog.


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

It has been many many years since I have had a personal dog that I have allowed any "kids" to personally interact with out in public...in the house, in the yard, sure somtimes, with certain dogs not small kids... say 12 and up.

If I am out walking, I am usually doing obedience along the way..usually...

People generally steer clear of me and whatever dog it has been, that is fine with me.

I have introduced this dog to a few strangers out in public, a Fed Ex guy, that jumped out of his truck to compliment the dog, so I let her go up to him to have him pet her, she climbed on him, but he loved it, so no biggie..guy stops and talks to me when he sees me now.

The garbage man also likes the dog, I usually take her out when I hear the truck coming, and have had her drop some things into the back of the garbage truck for fun. He has said Hi to the dog a few times as well..

Most of the local Police have stopped to talk as well, a couple have pet her, but have not in a long time, since almost all of them have seen the dog light up on command, they know the dog has some training, and they egg me on to show them...but then are scared to pet her after that sort of thing. Usually if there is a new guy riding with one I met, they stop, and then ask me to have the dog light up, to show their buddy.

The mail lady walks by the house with her hand on her mace...not sure why..LOL...

We live in 95% hispanic area, kids play soccer all the time in the streets, I usually will take the dog out to do some OB...on a "walk"...they are not scared, most of them, but also do not try to interact with the dog, I am not too intrusive to their space, but like the distraction of the soccer balls...and kids running ans goofing off... occasionally we find a soccer ball in the street at night and I let the dog take it home with her, she loves soccer balls. I hate that the kids play soccer on the street in front of the "house", when there is a park with soccer field about 2 blocks away...

I also like to take the dog by the fenced in basketball courts at the park, outside the fence, and do stuff with her..sometimes OB stuff, sometimes tracking type stuff, and sometimes searching for hidden toys and things..
usually will hang out with the dog, right under the rim, outside the fence with all the kids/teens/adults playing on the courts, slamming the ball against the fence and running into it. dog likes basketballs too...

with this dog there have been many people that I have not let interact with her, and many of those have been small children, as well as teens and adults.

she is pretty socially neutral, but I do not take chances with her very often at all, and certainly not with kids. 

If kids or people are scared of the dog, that is fine by me. 

I sometimes let the dog carry her toy during walks and OB, and have a special "growl" command, so she heels and stuff, growling loudly all the time...

I also have a barking type thing we do, where I let her bark like an idiot while doing some OB stuff, do that occasionally too.

I live in a "mobile home community", one of only 2 white households I know of, not a really bad area, but still crime happens, lots of drug dealers I am sure, and rowdy teenagers, some gand stuff I am sure too, our home has been "tagged" a couple times in the summer, as have several of our neighbors'. 

If people are aware of the dog, and steer clear, possibly because they are scared of the dog, that is fine by me. 

I would really rather that no one really bothers me while out with the dog, I am not out there to socialize the dog. 

The kids on our street dont like me anyway, bunch of punks, I am the old asshole that goes out and tells them its time to stop kicking the fulling soccer ball into our cars, and have broken up their little soccer games on many occasions once the ball hits our house or our cars..have had words with them several times...

I imagine most people are scared of the dog on my walking route, to be honest, and that is fine with me.


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## Jami Craig (Jul 5, 2010)

1) Very often, I train in public all of the time


2) As far over to the corner as possible, dog in down and "head down" (the set up for a long down) against wall, my position to the open side of dog by the head ideally obscuring dog's head from view, short grab up on leash, acknowledge that you see the person and make it very clear your dog is not going to move. The idea is to convey that the dog is clearly under control and make it as easy as possible for the person to get by with no contact.


I've known a few people with sever phobias of dogs, with their input it seems this method helps make the dog as not-scary as possible and easiest to get by with minimal viewing.


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## Kevin Cyr (Dec 28, 2012)

rick smith said:


> criteria // assumptions :
> 1. you have a fairly large dog (over 25kg)
> 2. you walk it frequently in fairly crowded public areas including park areas where kids gather and play.
> 3. you see someone walking towards you who is clearly afraid of dogs and quickly scoots to the opposite side you are approaching from, or you see a kid who shows obvious fear of you and your dog
> ...


 
This is weird for those that never experienced it. I was on a trip for work to Japan and realized after a short time that people on bikes and motorcycles had the right a way in traffic, nearly 99% of the time. The amount of people walking and biking is ridiculous, now add a dog into the mix? craziness.


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

I have never had a reason to go to Japan and I can't imagine one ever coming up ... but I try to be considerate when out and about with the dogs... depends on the situation though...some people are idiots


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

re: "I have never had a reason to go to Japan and I can't imagine one ever coming up ... but I try to be considerate when out and about with the dogs... depends on the situation though...some people are idiots"

Brian ... you're just being arrogant and godlike //lol//
and add rude, since you didn't even repond to my questions //rotflmao//

i'm starting to like those handles ....\\/


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

Kevin Cyr said:


> This is weird for those that never experienced it. craziness.


Yes it is. Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, while there for work I got a chance to check out the fire works over Kowloon Bay. I've never seen so many people in my life. I got up on concrete barriers to video all the people around me. It was like a sea of people that went on for at least 30-45 minutes with no room to do anything but move with the flow if you were caught in the middle of that.

Rick, 

Questions :

1. how often has this happened ? never in that kind of environment you are in. Aside from the times I've traveled to places like that for work, I wouldn't choose to live in such an environment. But otherwise, this is not a terribly unusual circumstance for most.

2. what have you done ? depends. Usually, I keep walking but if my walking towards them would somehow encroach on their space I would apologize and step aside with the dog so they could pass.


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## Laura Briggs (Jan 11, 2011)

Questions :
1. how often has this happened ?

Every day. I live in a busy downtown neighbourhood.

2. what have you done ?

As was stated earlier, I move off the sidewalk as far as I am allowed to by the geography (sometimes the sidewalk is right up against the wall of a house) and put the dog in a down - stay. My female GSD is so friendly that she wags her tail vigorously and looks hopeful as the person walks by. It rarely fails - even people who are terrified of dogs stop briefly and smile at her. My male GSD isn't social so people just walk by; they usually thank me for the courtesy. In the winter, the snow can be piled up at least 5 ft high along the sidewalk so my dogs are taught "get up" so that they leap on top of the snowbank and sit while the person walks by. That's the best I can do in that situtation since I'm not willing to stand in oncoming traffic.


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## Brian Anderson (Dec 2, 2010)

rick smith said:


> re: "I have never had a reason to go to Japan and I can't imagine one ever coming up ... but I try to be considerate when out and about with the dogs... depends on the situation though...some people are idiots"
> 
> Brian ... you're just being arrogant and godlike //lol//
> and add rude, since you didn't even repond to my questions //rotflmao//
> ...


what can I say!! my hypocrisy knows no bounds apparently... HAHAHA perfect example of "if you cant actually lend to the topic why the hell are you posting?" but hey Im keeping it movin along lol


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

If I have to pass closely to another person that obviously looks distressed about the dog I make sure the dog is in a heel move the dog to the other side of me away from the person and keep moving.


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

a clarification might be in order here folks

- if you are imagining a "wall to wall sea of humanity", you are drawing the wrong picture in your mind  ...iow, NOT Kowloon style //lol// 
- most of the dogs you see during that festival are already cooked and we don't eat dogs in Japan //lol//

- i said crowded, as in most normal cities with lots of people walking and milling around, similar to shoppers in busy malls, except ours are not always under a roof and are more linear, not circular
- i live in what is considered "rural" Japan on Kyushu .... Sasebo city, Nagasaki prefecture. LOTS of rolling hills and green areas within a five min drive outside the city, which is on the bay near the navy base...google it ...lots of pics if you're curious 
- i did work in Tokyo a couple years right after I retired and those subways ARE "wall to wall" (no dogs allowed on them) ... hated it and moved here as soon as i could
- the parks and playground areas are quite different from the USA type tho, if that's where you're from. Over here it's normal (aka: safe) for (pre-school and up) children to go to parks without parents from afternoons until early evening. if there are a 100 kids in a park you might only see 3-4 moms with very young babies
- when there are festivals with lots and LOTS of people i don't take dogs out for walks .... neither mine nor customer's ... (duh)
- but even in any city, big or small, i can still walk to a temple or shrine area that has greenery and peace and quiet if i need to calm a dog down ... lots of those too ... they are handy that way for both dogs and people 

...so back to my two questions ......
how often has it happened to you (people approaching or kids playing), and what did you do ?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I've seen a lot of answers I agree with, like _"If I have to pass closely to another person that obviously looks distressed about the dog I make sure the dog is in a heel move the dog to the other side of me away from the person and keep moving."_

This is the spirit of what I was trying to say. That is, I would not do anything that would increase their proximity to my dog or the length of time they are forced to be near him. (But the folks who mentioned a down, off to the side, not close, make sense to me if it worked well in whatever the situation was.)


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

and Tx for dropping by again Brian ... I really do like that avatar

PM me and we can compare our techniques for walking dogs near Aholes. i give idiots the benefit of the doubt that they might just be ignorant. but confirmed buttholes get to meet my dog in ways that make them give us a wide berth when/if they see us again ... especially the yakuza wannabees 
...glad i'm on good terms with most of the local cops


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## Nicole Stark (Jul 22, 2009)

rick smith said:


> a clarification might be in order here folks
> 
> - if you are imagining a "wall to wall sea of humanity", you are drawing the wrong picture in your mind  ...iow, NOT Kowloon style //lol//
> - most of the dogs you see during that festival are already cooked and we don't eat dogs in Japan //lol//
> ...


Naughty, naughty Rick.

I am curious though, why do you ask about this? Do you have something in mind that you want to talk about? 

And BTW that sea of people was weird. All I saw was the top of their heads as they walked by and down the streets in every direction, for as far as I could see it was like the pulsating wave of people. For whatever reason that left an impression upon me.


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

1) when I do urban trailing it happens all the time.
2) if the dog is working (and people will still run up to pet the dog) I just tell them to ignore the dog and let us work past you. If the dog stops to check out their scent cone and people come up to pet, I just do a quick explaination that we are doing training and tell the dog to work on. When the problem is complete, I do not have a problem with people coming up to pet the dog. 

For people that are fearful, I respect their space and prevent the dog from approaching. If working through a crowd, I keep the dog close, move past them, and then allow the dog back to a normal distance. Some people will never get over their fear, some may not be afraid of all dogs just yours based on size, breed, or previous experience. Just do what you need to do as a responsible dog owner and avoid taking on the problems of another.


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## Jessica Kromer (Nov 12, 2009)

rick smith said:


> a clarification might be in order here folks
> ......
> ...so back to my two questions ......
> how often has it happened to you (people approaching or kids playing), and what did you do ?


1- Regularly. Multiple times a week, as I live in a suburban community and very near a park where many in the neighborhood walk, to it or through it. I also live very near the beach and we go there quite regularly. Tourists are thick on the boardwalk....

2- If someone looks uncomfortable, I ask the dog for attention and move out of their way. A big Rott scares even those with out a dog phobia; I respect that... If I am unable to move out of the way, I down the dog. If someone wants to pet them, and they feel legit, I let them. If they feel "off" I say, "He does not like to be pet by strangers, but thanks..." And smile as I walk away.


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## Peta Het (Feb 13, 2011)

Happens to me quite often, I try to respect their wishes and give distance. If it is on a narrow sidewalk I usually try to walk such that I am between the other person and the dog but sometimes the other person insists on going dog-side so I just keep walking. Sometimes I put the dog in a focused heel.

One time I had a kid that wanted to pat the dog (dog is not social at all) and would not take no for an answer. I told the kid he was not friendly but the kid kept pursuing us. I managed to "get away" but on the way back the kid was still there waiting. I tried to avoid him but he asked again. He kept insisting he wanted to pat the dog. I told him No, then he kept insisting and coming closer, I told him the the dog was not friendly, same response from kid, so I told him the dog would bite him. He said he wasnt scared. I told him he would get hurt. He said he had a dog and did not care. I told him this was not his dog and asked him to keep away. I asked where his mom was and told him it was a trained police dog. He hesitated and we managed to go on our way. I did look for his parent though. Wanted to tell them to teach him to respect strange dogs. He was pushy and surely would have been bitten.


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

1. Tx for expanding but please stick to the situation i have written .... as far as how to handle a person who wants to pet your dog, that is an entirely different subject and can be dealt with in a lot of different ways than the situation i wrote about .. a whole thread could be devoted to just that 

2. but as far as people "walking thru the dog" ... 
- it will NEVER happen with someone scared, but i think it IS important to discuss now since that happens a lot more often than meeting people who have a fear of dogs.

there are many ways to avoid this completely and it should NEVER happen ... if the dog walks on your left, you simply walk on the far left and that alone avoids 99% of the head on collisions 
- for the other 1% who don't "get it", and this does happen to me a lot due to our "social customs" which i don't want to get into, it is still easy to avoid. simply sit or down the dog, stop and put your right arm out in front of the dog (if it walks on your left hip) and make a clear gesture for them to go around 
* NO one will walk thru your arm and into the dog's face when they see that gesture unless they are blind drunk or want to bother you ... all of which can also be dealt with, but with different techniques 
* if they aren't looking or glued to their cell phone, which also happens a lot, you may have to say "excuse me" ... that happens occasionally. 
* if they are still zoned out, it is still easy ... simply step in front of the dog and they will bump into YOU rather than walk into your dog

if i didn't practice and then use these techniques i would have people walk straight into my dog on a daily basis .... but these are easy habits to develop and become "no thought involved muscle memory" in short order

- this of course assumes you can control your dog in the process while out in public, and if any of those moves are too hard for it to deal with, stay farther away from people and proof the dog better

hope that might help someone. they've all helped me more than a few times and i learned the hard way :-(


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## Rachel M. Reams (Nov 29, 2012)

Peta Het said:


> One time I had a kid that wanted to pat the dog (dog is not social at all) and would not take no for an answer. I told the kid he was not friendly but the kid kept pursuing us. I managed to "get away" but on the way back the kid was still there waiting. I tried to avoid him but he asked again. He kept insisting he wanted to pat the dog. I told him No, then he kept insisting and coming closer, I told him the the dog was not friendly, same response from kid, so I told him the dog would bite him. He said he wasnt scared. I told him he would get hurt. He said he had a dog and did not care. I told him this was not his dog and asked him to keep away. I asked where his mom was and told him it was a trained police dog. He hesitated and we managed to go on our way. I did look for his parent though. Wanted to tell them to teach him to respect strange dogs. He was pushy and surely would have been bitten.


I think I've run into that kid. I almost kicked him.


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

Rachel and Peta ,,,,,

for me it mostly happens by people who have been drinking too much and there's tons of happy go lucky drunks staggering around at night in Japan ... national pastime 

i don't get into conversations
my dog will bark on command 
command is "u-like-to-bite?"
much shorter in Japanese, rolls off the tongue and the bark will wake the dead when it's in someone's face ... better than a shot of expresso 
.......end of problem

i only kick suicidal off leash charging dogs ... that's legal 
kicking a human still gets you thrown in the slammer with the kickee until you've explained yourself :-(


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## Jessica Kromer (Nov 12, 2009)

rick smith said:


> 1. Tx for expanding but please stick to the situation i have written ....


Who did not? I think just about everybody has answered your questions as directed. But the nature of a forum is to share and expand. 



rick smith said:


> as far as how to handle a person who wants to pet your dog, that is an entirely different subject and can be dealt with in a lot of different ways than the situation i wrote about .. a whole thread could be devoted to just that


 What is your point here? I mean, did you want to talk about it? 



rick smith said:


> 2. but as far as people "walking thru the dog" ...
> - it will NEVER happen with someone scared, but i think it IS important to discuss now since that happens a lot more often than meeting people who have a fear of dogs.


 ?
I don't think anyone said a person scared of dogs is going to walk through the dog... :???: 







rick smith said:


> there are many ways to avoid this completely and it should NEVER happen ... if the dog walks on your left, you simply walk on the far left and that alone avoids 99% of the head on collisions
> - for the other 1% who don't "get it", and this does happen to me a lot due to our "social customs" which i don't want to get into, it is still easy to avoid. simply sit or down the dog, stop and put your right arm out in front of the dog (if it walks on your left hip) and make a clear gesture for them to go around
> * NO one will walk thru your arm and into the dog's face when they see that gesture unless they are blind drunk or want to bother you ... all of which can also be dealt with, but with different techniques
> * if they aren't looking or glued to their cell phone, which also happens a lot, you may have to say "excuse me" ... that happens occasionally.
> ...


I though you wanted to "stick to the situation i have written .... " But now you want to change it? 

Rick, honestly, I don't get it... What are you looking for? What do you want people to say here? I mean it is great that you have so many stories to share, and that you want to help so many people, but....


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## Annamarie Somich (Jan 7, 2009)

I ignore people who act afraid of my dog. I ask my dog for focused heeling, look at my dogs eyes, and we keep on walking. I also walk my dog on the right side. I do not allow strangers to pet my dog.

Occasionally, children and teenagers will start screaming, pointing, jumping around, etc. If I'm unable to walk on by them and they will not stop, then I stand in front of my dog and direct it back at them - they are the ones frightening my dog and they need to leave. I tell their parents that they need to make their kid behave because my dog is behaving and under control. A lot of parents teach their kids to be afraid of dogs and allow/promote this type of conduct.

So I ignore folks that are afraid and stay away from my dog. I try to physically keep my dog out of the way to prevent problems as much as I can without limiting myself to a nice walk. And I also protect my dog from folks that want to freak out and cause a spectacle.


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## Terrasita Cuffie (Jun 8, 2008)

Connie Sutherland said:


> _1. you have a fairly large dog (over 25kg)_
> _2. you walk it frequently in fairly crowded public areas including park areas where kids gather and play._
> _3. you see someone walking towards you who is clearly afraid of dogs and quickly scoots to the opposite side you are approaching from, or you see a kid who shows obvious fear of you and your dog_
> 
> ...


1. Alot.
2. Mostly keep walking or stop and let them pass. If management is worried in a store, I put the dog through his obedience paces and that usually does the trick. Walking with a GSD, I could clear a sidewalk. Raised most if not all my puppies visiting playgrounds and places with tons of kids. I may verbally reassure the kid and tell him that the dog won't hurt him. For a kid--especially a small child, I may turn so the dog isn't facing the kid or down the dog.

T


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

I suppose there are people who are scared of my dogs when they see them coming. I've seen people cross the street to avoid me. Their deal, not mine. If my dogs are just walking on leash, I try not to take up any more space on the sidewalk than is necessary, but otherwise I do nothing beyond go about my business. Why should I? 

More often than not, people are curious about the dogs and interested in petting them. The dogs enjoy that interaction, so I usually allow it. Kids sometimes are shy or a bit apprehensive... they want to pet the dogs, but then get scared because "they're so big." My Mali is the most social, the DS loses interest quickly, so in that case I will turn my Mali's head away from them and towards me and let them pet him on his back and feel how soft his fur is.


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