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good dogs and bad dogs for first time owners...

5K views 41 replies 25 participants last post by  Westhighlander 
#1 ·
Why doent we compile a list?


what do you all say...what are the good first time owner breeds and what are the bad ones and why?
 
#2 · (Edited)
That is a hard one.

Many people say Pits are not for the first time owner, but then there are first timers who do great with them. Some continue to have another after that one passes others move onto other breeds but not because of problems. Then others are not first time owners but don't do well with a Pit at all.

Others say Rottweilers are not either, because they can be dominant but really with the right training they will give their all to their owner and can be trained to do whatever you wish and bond deeply. They are not the hard, stubborn I want to challenge you all the time and will attack you if I don't get my way type of dog. Just like with the above some people are not first time owners and think they want a Rott and that turns out poorly.

Then you see people say Labs are great dogs, they are going to be good for almost anyone, even a first time owner but that doesn't turn out to be the case. When the dog is very misbehaved or driving the owner mad.

I think some breeds are not for average owners. Or those that are less responsible. I don't feel that most any dogs are actually but some are less trouble or cause less problems when owned by these types of people.

To me it is less about first time owner or not. It is more about the person's natural ability, what they want out of the dog, what they will give to the dog, what experience they've had previous, what they are willing to learn and if a dog will ever fit in with their lifestyle/training choices, ect.

If I had to pick a breed I'd say a well bred Boxer or one with a sound temperament would probably work out. Health problems can be a concern but that aside.....
*Relatively low maintenance as far as grooming

*Nice size, about medium or so. Now if you want a giant or toy breed then obviously not, but in general they're not too little but not huge either.

*Easy to train, IMO. Such as they are not stupid but quick learners who like to learn/please. You can train them OB and new tricks quickly. They thrive on your joy and praise.

*Energy level (which can vary) is usually moderate. They like to go for a run or hiking, they love to go with you on outings. Yet they are not go, go all the time. Some say they can be hyper and I'm sure some are, but most I dealt with/owned are just playful and can have energy when playing with another dog or out on a run with you but at home they can easily be calm inside, play quietly with a toy, lay curled up on their bed.

*If you have kids they are good with children. I'm not guaranteeing any breed will always have a nice temperament, I'm saying in general what I consider a good temperament for a Boxer. Some are nervous of children or aggressive but that wouldn't be correct. While they can be hyper and playful most any that I've seen raised around children are not acting wildly, running over toddlers, ect. They are sweet and goofy, they just might need training as may the children to interact properly.

*Not a hard breed to find. Popularity can be the enemy of any breed of course, in terms of bybs, health, temperament. However if you take time to find a good breeder or go to a reputable rescue you should be able to get a dog that fits in with you/your family. Without having to wait forever, search endless for breeders, ect like you might have to with a very rare breed. Another good thing isn't just available for you to get a dog, its the ability to meet many dogs of a given breed so you can interact with them, learn about them, gain some experience and see the consistency in traits. Where again with a really rare breed would be harder for you to do.

*They can have some prey drive but are usually very good with cats. They can also be good with other pets they're raised with or even some that are introduced later in life. They are also typically dog social for the most part, even though some might not like every single dog they meet usually they are more then willing to play with most dogs.
 
#3 ·
i have a hard time saying what is a good/bad breed for a 1st time owner....to me, if the person does their research and is willing to invest the time, training, care/money into a dog of any breed then it can work....but, as far as i'm concerned, no breed is a good "1st time owner" breed if the person is not willing to do this.....they all come w/ their own drawbacks....i had a friend that had never had a dog in her life (she's late 40's) and her first dog was a Border Collie....but, she was willing to put in the time, etc to give the dog what it needs and now she has 3.....she does Rally and/or agility w/ them plus other stuff....
 
#4 ·
Our first dog was a basset hound. It had to be the world's worse dog. LOL She had a mind of her own and wouldn't listen to anyone. But, she was the best dog to raise kids with. She loved and protected them. We also had irish setters, but at the time we had twenty two acres for them to run, so they were great dogs. Our coach was a border collie mix. He was the brightest and smartest dog we ever owned. Because of him I wanted another border collie. We got Chester, border collie mix who just passed away from distemper. We only had him three weeks. I want to get another border collie. Even though I'm big at adopting, I'm afraid. Chester was the first rescue we got. I might be going to a breeder this time. I know that's no guarantees but maybe I can make sure the puppy gets a good start from it's mom. Barb
 
#5 ·
I would definitely say a toy puppy is NOT for a first time dog owner. Toy dogs, ALL OF THEM, take a lot more time and patience to house train than a "regular" sized dog. Now, an older dog dog, six months or more, would be fine.

The problem with toys is they can pee in literally five seconds. You don't realize they've gone so you do nothing. I have had quite a few toy dogs and right now just got another sheltie puppy and WOW, what a treat to house train compared to a toy puppy. He's not trained yet, of course, but it's much, much easier than it was with my toy dogs. I have since been told by many, many people that all toy dogs take a lot longer to train because they pee so little so quickly and just because they are so tiny and take quite awhile to be able to hold it for any length of time.

Shelties are great dogs for first time dog owners IF and only IF they have the time to give the sheltie (a) lots of exercise and (b) lots of time with the family. They are NOT loner dogs and do NOT like to be alone for long periods of time. They NEED lots of exercise or they go nuts. They HAVE to have space to run and/or lots of walks. Oh, and you MUST MUST MUST brush them weekly at least. If you don't have that kind of time and energy, a sheltie is not for you. (Shelties are in the top 6% of ease of trainability, etc.)

I've heard poodles are wonderful for first time owners and have seen that with a few people I know. They learn very quickly and love to please their owners. They do require a groomer but that's about the only down.

Miniature pinschers are NOT for first time owners. They are toys, first of all, but they are also very stubborn and hard-headed, I've been told. Personally, other than the house training, I have no problems with min pins but I didn't have one as a first dog. They are very independent and lively. They are very alert - they don't just sleep in the house and zone out - they hear everything and have to be sure it's okay :) They can also be bad barkers so you have to be careful about that from the get go. (min pins are around the 37% of ease of trainability, 1% being the easiest, 100% being the hardest)

I don't have enough knowledge about any other breeds of dogs to advise from personal experience so I'll leave it to people who do :)
 
#36 · (Edited)
Shelties are great dogs for first time dog owners IF and only IF they have the time to give the sheltie (a) lots of exercise and (b) lots of time with the family. They are NOT loner dogs and do NOT like to be alone for long periods of time. They NEED lots of exercise or they go nuts. They HAVE to have space to run and/or lots of walks. Oh, and you MUST MUST MUST brush them weekly at least. If you don't have that kind of time and energy, a sheltie is not for you. (Shelties are in the top 6% of ease of trainability, etc.)
Haha, I actually have 2 Shelties, and none of this applies. Well, some of it does....I have a big yard so my dogs can get out of the house and run off leash. But other than that, I just take them out to fetch from time to time, and they're more than fully exercised, in fact they're both quite laid back, which is why I love this breed.....they adapted to my life style and don't mind spending most of their days snuggled at my feet while I play on the computer. I never ever brush my dogs though, and their hair is super shiny and fluffy and pretty....I think it must be because they're totally indoor dogs and don't get matted too easily because of that. My dogs don't do too bad being alone because they are the best of friends, I think when we're gone...they just keep each other entertained...they play really well together.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I think it's just based on individuals. People get dogs based on looks, size and hair length and rarely - it's based on personality of the specific breed. People say pits don't make good first time dogs and they are probably right for the general person picking out their first dog.... but part of their appeal is their want to please you, to learn and to love. The down side is the activity level. Beagles are not good first dogs (IMHO) for the same reasons, they are very very active and people first getting a dog really don't understand what "active" is until they get a dog that just won't stop.

If I had to pick a breed - I'd pick pug because although they have health problems, they are usually friendly and low activity level. They also don't bark as much as other small breeds and they have short hair so grooming is minimal. If I had to pick one.

Haha! Myminpins, we posted at the same time but my first "adult" dog was my minpin. He was a very HARD dog.... He's now 14. You are so right about minpins making NOT good first dogs. We had dogs my whole life, my dad bred GSP, we showed our cocker... we did 4H - I knew dogs, I thought. Oh boy was I wrong. Within 1 year I was desperate for answers to the barking, the guarding of me and his pottytraining! I joined our local minpin club and boy was I HAPPY to know it wasn't me! Lots of minpins have these same breed personalities. Things got much better after that although it never got great. Him and I spent the better part of his first 5-6 years together and he takes his job as "My man" very seriously. He would give his life for me in a second and I love him for his loyalty. We have 2 pits, the husky and the minpin (all very tough breeds) and people are always skittish of our pits - We laugh because they really shouldn't worry about the pit bulls - it's the minpin that will chop out a main artery and let you bleed to death. LOL.
Here is a few pics of him, he's getting up there and our time together is limited. Because I had him throughout my younger (partying) days, he's had a pretty tough life.... I was careless a few times and his attitude gets him in a ton of problems w/ other dogs. He's had quite the life though. He's retired now because he recently went 100% blind, so he doesn't like to travel with us or go with us out of his "safe zone" which is fine - he's earned it.

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#9 ·
Haha! Myminpins, we posted at the same time but my first "adult" dog was my minpin. He was a very HARD dog.... He's now 14. You are so right about minpins making NOT good first dogs. We had dogs my whole life, my dad bred GSP, we showed our cocker... we did 4H - I knew dogs, I thought. Oh boy was I wrong. Within 1 year I was desperate for answers to the barking, the guarding of me and his pottytraining! I joined our local minpin club and boy was I HAPPY to know it wasn't me! Lots of minpins have these same breed personalities. Things got much better after that although it never got great. Him and I spent the better part of his first 5-6 years together and he takes his job as "My man" very seriously. He would give his life for me in a second and I love him for his loyalty. We have 2 pits, the husky and the minpin (all very tough breeds) and people are always skittish of our pits - We laugh because they really shouldn't worry about the pit bulls - it's the minpin that will chop out a main artery and let you bleed to death. LOL.
Here is a few pics of him, he's getting up there and our time together is limited. Because I had him throughout my younger (partying) days, he's had a pretty tough life.... I was careless a few times and his attitude gets him in a ton of problems w/ other dogs. He's had quite the life though. He's retired now because he recently went 100% blind, so he doesn't like to travel with us or go with us out of his "safe zone" which is fine - he's earned it.
Aw, thanks for the pics. He's adorable!! Zoe was my first min pin and she definitely has some attitude problems I should never have let her get away with. She's six now. Liz came to us at 18 months and is the best mannered dog I have ever met. We took her and the puppy to meet some other dogs we know today and her dog manners were impeccable! She continues to impress me and she and Titan are the bestest of buddies! LOL Zoe is "my" dog and prefers to sit with me and watch others have fun. That's fine with me as we don't go far or have much company but I'd not want her around small kids, a busy household, lots of strange dogs, etc. No way. Liz I'd have no issues with and Titan will be the same way.

I'm glad you kept with him, though, and am so happy he's got a great life now that he can't get around so well since he's gone blind. He looks like a sweetie pie :)
 
#7 ·
im a breeder. breed BORZOIS and DOBERMANS. parents breed min, schnauzers. poodles, IBEZEN, gsd and ? lol

i would have to say POODLE. very little health issues. balanced temperment, (puppy cut for life) not expensive., very itelligent, great family dog. lots of pluses there.

ive owned (vbeen owned by)lol, poodles. always a positive !!!!!!

however, ill never be without my dobes!!!!
 
#8 · (Edited)
I think it's not so much about the breed as about the person. I think there ARE people for whome a pit, a GSD, a rottie, a BC - may be just fine as a first dog.

That said, I think most of the really powerful breeds that AREN'T as stable- and in which lower-drive dogs DOn'T exist so much (for example, filas, presas, ovcharkas), it's going to ebe awfully tough for a novice to find a reputable breeder (or rescue group) who is willing to place with a novice dog owner. Add that to the usual difficulty in people who aren't already 'in' dogs to find reputable breeders (and most of these big rare breeds that I'm thinking of aren't really present in rescue in any real numbers outside of breed rescue, although look alike mixes may be- and those can be good choices) and you'v ejust got a bad situation waiting to happen.

MyMinpins - see, I'd majorly disagree. I think that most of the toy breeds are suitable for a first time dog owner, and that shelties as PUPPIES are not a good choice because of the high socialization requirements. :p
 
#32 ·
I think it's not so much about the breed as about the person. I think there ARE people for whome a pit, a GSD, a rottie, a BC - may be just fine as a first dog.
I kinda think the same thing. I mean there may be certain dogs that are better for 1st time dog owners, but I do think it depends on the person. Any dog can turn into a nightmare without proper training.
 
#10 ·
Thanks! That pic was taken about 2 years ago so he's much greyer now w/ bluish eyes (sad..)

Luckily, he's done very very well w/ our daughter. His pack instict is very good, he's always accepted our rescues/cats/kids/friends if they spend lots of time in our home. We were skittish at first, being very very careful because of his aggressiveness with other children for the first 2 years but he's proven himself over and over again to be reliable with our daughter. The picture below was not a "norm" - his kennel was in our sun porch and I was cleaning it, turned around and ....... my heart leapt because his kennel is his safe zone but I soon realized he was comfortable and fine w/ her there.
 
#11 ·
Dogstar, have you ever raised/house trained a toy dog from a puppy 8 to 12 weeks old? They're really, really, really hard to house train.

Also, my vet is afraid of toy dogs because so many are nippy and unreliable because no one bothers to train the toys - they just pick them up. My aunt's chihuahua would bite any kid who came near him. They're just as much work as "regular" dogs and sometimes more because they try to make up for their size - especially the min pin. EVERY rescue or breed organization says min pins are NOT for first time dog owners and I completely agree.

But to each his/her own :)
 
#12 ·
Myminpin - yup. :p (I actually have done board and train for a few toy breed owners who didn't think they were up to the task of a toy breed puppy and the notoriously awful housebreaking.) And while it's tough, it's far from impossible as long as owners are committed.

Obviously, some toy breeds are worse than others, but I know MANY poms and a fair number of Papillons who are totally housebroken by 16 weeks as long as they're given enough opportunities to eliminate.
 
#16 ·
Not exactly a toy breed but my westie was pretty easy. I think its really important to just treat them like any other dog. I haven't found that they need to go all that much. She was holding overnight within a few weeks and can go for 9 hrs. overnight now and also about 3-4 hrs while awake. So I would have to agree with Dogstar about just training diligently.
 
#13 ·
Good to know, Dogstar. I've only owned min pins when it comes to toy dogs. I know it's very hard when you have carpet and aren't used to toy dogs because they can pee in literally five seconds and you have no idea they DID pee. By the time I realized this, Zoe wasn't that young any more.

If you were SUPER diligent and did not have ANY carpet where the puppy was, I'm sure it would go faster and be much easier :)
 
#14 ·
I got my first dog 2 weeks ago, a min pin. Hes 10 weeks old.. the house training is tough for sure. Especially with the weather here in Toronto. His crying is ok, at night when I put him in his crate he crys once or twice and thats it. The worst part is when im on the computer.. or watching tv and he sits beside me on the floor and yelps and yelps untill I pick him up.. I just ignore it most of the time.
 
#15 ·
American Bulldogs are not a good dog for a first time dog owner. They have a strong prey drive, dominant, sometimes difficult to obedience train due to their stubbornness. I think a Lab is a nice first time dog if the new owner is willing to exercise it.
 
#18 ·
That is a really hard question to answer, because it depends on the level of commitment, energy, diligence and lets face it, intelligence.... of the HUMAN that will be taking care of the dog. There are some people that have no business owning a dog. Ever. And then there are people that are intelligent enough to do their research and find a breed that will fit well with their family, and not all people or families are the same, so I could never say "this breed would be great" without knowing their individual situations.

That said, Boxers can be great first time dogs, as long as the owners are energetic and diligent people who have patience and a sense of humor. :)
 
#19 · (Edited)
I agree, that is a very broad question.

Everyone has to start somewhere, but it is up to the owner to do the research on the particular breed they are interested in. What it needs, etc..

If someone had zero experience, but researched rottweiler breeders, talked to them about what they need, read books on dog training then they would probably be better off then most people.

It also depends on the person, obviously a rottweiler wouldn't be good for a 90 year old woman/man if she was too old and weak to train the dog not to jump on her/him and, well crush her/him haha.

If someone is willing to train a dog in whatever it needs, and exercise a dog however much it needs, then in reality, no dog would be bad for a first time dog.

But if someone just wants a family dog that they don't want to do much with, then there would be many possibilities that are the wrong breed for their first dog.

I've been researching dogs/animals since I could read, I know what breeds would be good for me, which ones would not.

Sometimes people don't know what breeds are compatible with them, and get dogs for the wrong reasons. It looks tough, I heard they are active, etc..

IMO any dog can turn into a bad first dog if the person doesn't know what they are doing, and any dog can turn into a great first dog if they do know what they are doing.

I think a better question would be...

Which dogs would be more challenging as a first dog, and which would be less challenging?
 
#21 ·
IMO any dog can turn into a bad first dog if the person doesn't know what they are doing, and any dog can turn into a great first dog if they do know what they are doing.
I agree with that completely.

I have to say that I DO NOT think Labs make good first dogs. They need too mcuh mental stimulation and exercise. I was drawn into that when I got Willow, but she was definitely a challenge. My current Rott would have been a better choice for us as a first dog; he's very laid-back and willing to please. I think first dogs (in the general sense) should be smaller than Labs, and not as active. I'd say most first-time dog owners do pretty well with Shih Tzus if they're willing to pay for the grooming. Small spaniels, certain smaller terriers (Cairns, etc.). It completely depends on the owners.

I think the "perfect" first dog for anybody is an adult, already-trained dog, straight from his previous owners (not sitting in a shelter for weeks). Regardless of breed.
 
#20 ·
In general I'd say that Golden Retrievers, most spaniels, Labs, Collies, and Tibetan Terriers all make good first time dogs.

Again in general, I'd say most of your working group breeds and terriers do not make good first dogs.

But, as has been pointed out, much does depend on the individual person and how much time and effort they're willing to put in as well as their individual personality (and the dog's of course).
 
#22 ·
I agree that an adult dog is best for a first time owner.

Of the breeds I have experience with, I would recommend shelties...they are easy to train, adjust easily to active owners or to less activity, medium sized, good with kids if raised with them....the downsides are shedding and barking.
 
#23 ·
Shelties are good for SOFT new owners....many first-time dog owners have been brainwashed by harsher dog trainers and can ruin softer dogs. And they do have extensive grooming needs, too....like I said, depends on the owners.
 
#24 ·
I don't know what kind of dog would be good for a first time owner...but I know that a lot of people think that Labs are good for a first dog...

I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't believe that. Labs are very high energy dogs...I don't think that some people understand that. They are VERY mouthy dogs. They are also VERY smart dogs and, in my opinion, need someone that isn't a novice in dog training as they THRIVE on learning new things. They need someone that can keep up with their exercise demands most of all.

However, I do agree that SOME first time owners would be ok with a Lab as their first dog. The biggest component is their commitment level to the dog.

I don't think that Mastiffs are good as first time dogs either. In general, they very easy dogs to live with...honestly. However, they need someone that knows what they are doing with training. They are very stubborn dogs and that is something that I don't think some people understand. For example, Eddie and I can train for 20-30 minutes at a time before he gets bored and wants to do something else...Uallis on the other hand...I have 10 minutes max before I lose him...because he'll get frustrated and shut down or get frustrated and get angry. He doesn't FOCUS on anything BUT the treat in my hand. He doesn't think for himself about what he needs to do to get it...so training with him is a lot more difficult with him than with Eddie.
 
#25 ·
I recently suggested my teen son to get a Webkin....any breed will do:mad:

He hasn't been keeping up with the schedule to exercise our Siberian Husky claiming he has mysterious homework he has to do on the internet or telling me he has taken him out early while I was still sleeping ... uh huh.

Huskies need a lot of exercise, or they will get zoomies inside the house (at least mine does).... They help me exercise at the park daily. Hope this burns off the holiday sweets.
 
#26 ·
See, I still don't believe any dog is a bad first dog if the person is commited and responsible.

If a first time owner wanted a mastiff, researched them and learned what they needed, everything would probably be fine.

If someone wanted a husky, or a border collie, and understood what they needed, everything would probably be fine.

I think people just tend to think every dog needs the same thing as every other dog so they don't research. Therefore, any potential first dog they get could become a mess.

Just because a dog is easy to take care of, doesn't mean it is going to turn out a good dog. It's not that hard to feed and water a dog, it's not that hard to take care of a chihuahua, people say they are good first time dogs. But it depends, do you want a chihuahua that is good with dogs, and people, or do you want a stereotypical ankle biter?
 
#27 ·
That is a very good point Pepper.

My mother is happy living in her condo with her Pom. It's easy for her to handle, train, and keep happy with her lifestyle.

My sister is happy with her Spitz.

I wouldn't want a Pom or a Spitz. I'm happy with a husky... I can't imagine getting another breed... maybe another husky in the future.
 
#28 ·
Pepper I fully agree.

I have to chuckle at some responses. Shih Tzu and small dogs? I’m not saying they’d be bad for first timers, not at all. Can be a good recommendation but then not everyone wants a small dog or one that require that type of grooming. They don’t want to be limited in the choices just because the breeds seem easy.

For me no way, I think you need to actually like the dog you have. I’m not sure what you even do with Shih Tzu, I know they are pets but…..??? Maybe I have a misconception about them (although I’ve known several). Will they pull me rollerblading, be able to keep up biking, hike long trails, what is their prey drive like good for catching vermin and keeping away pest? Willing to chase flirtpole? Train to do silly useless tricks (assuming possibly)? Can protect against a coyote if needed, doubt it, not that this is a requirement but I’d hate having to worry with how bold some are getting and people I know who’ve actually lost shih tzu, peekapoo, and yorkies to attacks. (heard of birds being a danger too) The grooming is not for me, they’d be a dusty tangled mess and I don’t want to groom or pay for that.

Adult dog I don’t think are the best nor do I think puppy is the best. I love raising and training a puppy. Not that I haven’t got older dogs, but I enjoy pups too. I don’t think getting an adult would have been a big advantage for me as a first time owner. You can teach old dogs new tricks, but I like having those young dogs to mold and learn my habits early on. If the dog came already trained I’d not be able to impact them with my methods early on nor would I gain much training experience except any extra I wanted to do.

I do agree with Dogstar in general some of the rare guard breeds might not make good first time dogs for most people, they might not be good dogs for many period. I’ve known of a couple who did well with CO/CAO though. I think now days you will find some Presa Canario with a milder temperament, although can still be a challenge for some. So these wouldn’t be high on my list of recommendation but a select few might do ok.

Someone’s past experience is important. If they grew up around dogs or not.

People that grow up around dogs where they were active in the care and interested in the dogs are already going to have some experience even though technically those were the family dogs. When they get out on their own and are ready for their very own first dog they might be well equipped for many breeds and be willing to put in the time and research they want for a certain breed.

If someone never had any pets and not around dogs I find those people to typically be clueless, I’m not saying that they are the bad irresponsible types they just really don’t know a lot of basic stuff. Then if they neglect to research up on dogs, training, breeds, talk to people, get experience, enroll in class, makes it even harder for them. They have so many questions and also don’t know how to train their dog, what their dog wants or needs. They many times fail to understand body language of their dog too.

Of course these things can go for people who have owned multiple dogs too, but most people that are actually cut out to be decent dog owners learn along the way. Others just shouldn’t own dogs period, doesn’t matter how much experience, how many they’ve had, they just need to quit or change.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Yeah, I don't like little dogs at all, but then again, I've never had a small terrier.
I didn't really want a small dog, but it's all we can have in this apartment.

Pepper is a huge ball of energy. She can pull me on rollerblades if I let her, she can run faster then me going full speed on a bike, hike miles and miles with me, tries to kill small animals haha, and loves her flirt pole! She's got a lot of courage in her little body, although she can be shy at times.

She has the same amount of energy as the pitbull I used to have, other then the fact that he would probably keep going if he was about to die, and she would probably take a break haha.

I do train her to do silly tricks, but why not? She's smart enough to learn them and it keeps her from getting bored when we can't go outside for months during the winter.

But she's a good example of a dog that needs quite a bit of work, that you would think wouldn't if you didn't research the breed. Yeah she's small, under 20 pounds, you would think she would be fine with going outside to potty and back inside and just playing fetch inside the house. But it's a different story, she needs exercise, lots, and lots of exercise or she goes insane. But looking at her small size, you would not think that.

I think a lot of people should start involving their kids in the training of their family dogs so when those kids grow up they have a lot better experience and aren't running blind.
 
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