# Rocky update (Formerly Jonah)



## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

As I posted in the member introduction forum, we adopted a poodle puppy from the local rescue. It's been about a month now and wanted to post a pic and give an update. 

Rocky is a nine month old puppy, born on 6/30/2014. We think he lived in a crate for most of his life. He seemed to have trouble running and jumping and was a blank slate as far as any training was concerned.

His progress has been downright remarkable. He has learned so much in such a short amount of time, he still has problems on the leash. It seems everything outside is new to him and is constantly distracted by nature, but he is getting used to it and is becoming easier to handle.

Rocky is a good natured dog, and seems to love people and other dogs. He is popular at the dog park. His running skills are improving and is developing the poodle gait when running. Compared to my previous standard, he is not nearly as fast (Oliver was a bullet in his prime) but Rocky is getting better. As far as jumping is concerned, Rocky seems to be unaware that he is capable of it. He'll climb into the car and climb on the sofa but won't jump. He did jump over a small dog at the dog park to avoid a collision, but that seemed instinctual. 

He knows he is home now and is very affectionate to us, but a little mouthy. He was a bit destructive, but that could be due to his age. That seems to be calming down a bit. 

We were quite fortunate to find him and to be chosen, lots of applications were received. 

All in all, he is turning into a great standard poodle. 

I attached a couple of pics. One of him getting his first bath by us.


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## Naira (Jan 9, 2015)

He is the epitome of beauty!!!!! Thank you for giving him a loving home! 

My 5 month old is slow as molasses. She's super bouncy when she runs, though like yours won't jump on anything. We played fetch the other day and she was running super fast playing fetch outside. It really surprised me. (We normally play inside and I have never seen her run outside like that) 

Keep us updated! Love the new name.


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## Naira (Jan 9, 2015)

Bump


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Thank you for the Rocky update. He is lovely. 

I am sure that due to living in a crate, mostly, affected his coordination, muscle development and running ability. With time he will sort out most of that. It makes me sad, and angry that he was raised in such a fashion.

You are so very lucky to have found him and he sure scored too!

Keep Us up to date with more pictures and stories. We all love a happy ending to a good poodle story.

Viking Queen


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## mom2m (Dec 24, 2014)

Rocky is one lucky guy to have found his way to you. I'm sure time will sort out most of the reluctance to run and jump.

Enjoy your new family member!


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## Poodle Lover (Mar 24, 2008)

What a handsome boy Rocky is! They do say no one will love you like a rescue. Thanks for giving him a great home.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

He's going to be a great dog, now that he is finally free and in a loving, Poodle experienced home. I agree that once his muscle tone and strength improve, he'll fly.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

He is soooo handsome! So glad to see that Rocky is doing so well! I'm sure he'll only get better and better! I love hearing successful adoption stories and I'm always happy to see love blossom!


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## georgiapeach (Oct 9, 2009)

Thank you for the update! He sounds like he's doing very well, given his background. He should continue to improve with your love and guidance. Please continue to keep us updated!


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

When we first met Rocky, the shelter had deemed him a labradoodle. He was so matted and overgrown, that he was unrecognizable. They shaved him everywhere and he looked almost like a lab. There was something about the shape of his head and his handsome face that looked very familiar to me though. 

When we took him in for his initial exam, one of our vets thought he was a poodle, her partner said labradoodle.

Well I'm no poodle expert, but I took one look at him and knew he is a poodle, at least mostly with a possibility that he may have a small amount of retriever in him. 

Well we did the Mars genetic test and Rocky is indeed part poodle and part......poodle making him a Poodledoodle.  

I knew it all along though we would have loved him anyways even if he turned out to be a mutt.

His training is going well, though his leash manners are horrible. The Oliver subroutines are continuing to download daily, turning him into an awesome dog. He is becoming so similar to Oliver yet is so different. He did fill the void that was left when Oliver died, yet Rocky is a different experience. I'm glad about that, we didn't want to replace Oliver, but we did want to fill the emptiness, and it seems that we were successful.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

poodledoodle. love it! keep up the good work with rocky the rockin' poodle!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Rocky's saga only gets better and better! Your heart will never forget your Oliver, it'll just get bigger, making room for Rocky! Please stick around and don't forget ....we love pictures!!!!


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Since I mentioned Oliver, I thought I would post a pic of him and a couple of his buddies. Also, attached is a pic of Rocky in the same spot. Not sure why Rocky's pic is sideways though.


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

So another month went by and I thought I would provide a Rocky update. He is doing well, still a bit destructive, clobbered my expensive Harmony remotes and xbox one controllers and a side table. Not sure why he finds expensive electronics so tasty. Also destroyed many shoes and sneakers. 

He is strong, by far the strongest poodle we have had, also heavier. He used his strength to get through the fence in the back and terrorized the little girl and the mom(he was just running around, but they are scared of dogs), so we had to replace the fence.

He doesn't seem to get the idea that he can't just take what he wants, this could be due to being deprived of toys when he was younger. 

He finally figured out how to jump and is quite good at it. His running speed is increasing and can now easily keep up or surpass the other dogs in the park.

Leash manners are still terrible.

He is also more affectionate and more playful then my previous poodles, and he appears to be much more protective and is proving to be a very good watchdog, His prey drive is high, birds and small animals are on his hit list. 

He is very smart but stubborn and very impulsive, he see's and reacts.

So even though he came with some baggage, we are working through it and we are seeing improvement.

And he finally looks like a poodle.


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## ApricotsRock (Jan 10, 2014)

Wow he''s stunning!

Is he going through his "teenage" stage? I think all of us experienced it when we thought things were going great and then wham, everything was a struggle.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

He is really beautiful!

I used to tell people that I LOVED Iris always but did NOT Like her very much from about 9 months to 12 months of age. Terrible teenage months. She grew out of it and I liked her and loved her again. Still do....she's almost 13 yo now.

Hang in there. . . Rocky will just blossom one day and he will become the great poodle that is just waiting to bust out!

More updates as things progress, please!

Viking Queen


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Oliverthedog said:


> So another month went by and I thought I would provide a Rocky update. He is doing well, still a bit destructive, clobbered my expensive Harmony remotes and xbox one controllers and a side table. Not sure why he finds expensive electronics so tasty. Also destroyed many shoes and sneakers.
> 
> He is strong, by far the strongest poodle we have had, also heavier. He used his strength to get through the fence in the back and terrorized the little girl and the mom(he was just running around, but they are scared of dogs), so we had to replace the fence.
> 
> ...


I would strongly suggest that he learn who owns what! Whenever he picks up or mouths anything that is yours (even if you might let him have it) Tell him NO! mummies! in no uncertain manner. Give him things of his own. Present them to him with ceremony. Saying "Rocky Bone" or some thing he will recognize. Make sure he has things that are his! to chew otherwise he will chew yours. With time and patience he will learn and become respectful of your property.
Eric:angel2:


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Wow Rocky is looking sooo good! I'm sure by now you've learned to 'puppy proof'
your house, taught him how to 'trade' and showed him how much you love him! But I bet he has taught you a lot too...LOL!!!!!! Keep on updating, we love to read them here!


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

ericwd9 said:


> I would strongly suggest that he learn who owns what! Whenever he picks up or mouths anything that is yours (even if you might let him have it) Tell him NO! mummies! in no uncertain manner. Give him things of his own. Present them to him with ceremony. Saying "Rocky Bone" or some thing he will recognize. Make sure he has things that are his! to chew otherwise he will chew yours. With time and patience he will learn and become respectful of your property.
> Eric:angel2:


Rocky does have plenty of chew toys which are presented quite ceremoniously and we are certainly very stern when he is caught with something that he is not supposed to have, The house is puppy proof, but occasionally a door is left open or something is not put away.


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Thought I would post a pic of what Rocky looked like when he was dropped off at the shelter and another now shot. He has come a long way.


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Rocky turned one on 6/30, so I figured it's time for an update. He has lost a little weight and his stamina is improving. He loves to play ball and walks around the house with a ball in mouth all day long. Unfortunately when the ball rolls under the leather couch, he'll attempt to retrieve it by scratching and clawing and has torn up the leather of our fairly new couch. 

He loves to play fetch, and absolutely loves his toys, though he destroys stuffed animals in seconds, even the supposedly toughest ones.

He is still a bit hyper, and his leash manners are horrible. 

He has proven to be a very protective dog and does not shy away from strangers. If he senses something, he'll follow the person around until satisfied that no threat exists. Very different from Oliver, who would hide behind his mom when he felt a threat existed.

He does seem to be rather fearless. He has fallen into the pool and held on for dear life until rescued ( which took all of 20 seconds) but will still run inches from the edge of the pool. 

He has proven to be a bit aggressive to other dogs, but that could be his desire to play. 

He has also shown signs of incredible intelligence. When spotting a dog on the TV, he ran into the room behind the TV to verify that the dog didn't actually exist. 

We bought a standard poodle figurine and placed it on the floor in front of Rocky. He reacted to it by circling and barking. recognizing the figure to be a dog, but was unsure of it since there was no scent. He did this for a full minute before he was satisfied that it wasn't real. 

His memory is amazing. He'll remember where he left his toys in the backyard or in the house and will retrieve them when it's time to play. 

Adopting a rescue is certainly different then purchasing from a high end breeder. Rocky came with baggage at 8 months old and we are still working through that baggage. Oliver was pretty much perfect from day one. 

With all of that said, we absolutely love this dog. His range of emotions is much broader then Oliver, he has proven to be more loving as well as more trouble which gives him more of an human element.

We are still trying to figure out if he is well bred. Physically he seems to be very good. The shelter refuses to hand over Rocky's paper work for some reason so we can't find out who the breeder was.


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## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

Bless your hearts. Love following your story. Rocky really lucked out - a match made in heaven.


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Something terrible has happened to Rocky. He got a hold of a bottle of Advil and we are unsure of how many he digested. His blood work has confirmed that damage has occurred to his kidneys. He will be at the vet for the next 3 days to try and limit any further damage by administering intravenous fluids.

We are not sure if he'll survive or if he does, what his quality of life will be.

This is especially tough since we just lost my previous dog Oliver in January.


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## ChantersMom (Aug 20, 2012)

Oliverthedog said:


> Something terrible has happened to Rocky. He got a hold of a bottle of Advil and we are unsure of how many he digested. His blood work has confirmed that damage has occurred to his kidneys. He will be at the vet for the next 3 days to try and limit any further damage by administering intravenous fluids.
> 
> We are not sure if he'll survive or if he does, what his quality of life will be.
> 
> This is especially tough since we just lost my previous dog Oliver in January.


Oh dear god! Really praying for a good outcome!!


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## Nicofreako (Aug 19, 2013)

Oh no! Praying and hoping for a good outcome for Rocky. You must be distraught. Hugs.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

How horrible! My thoughts are with you and Rocky - hold on, little man.


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## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

Oh no, how horrible for you. Please God, let this dog have the life he deserves.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

prayers for rocky and for his family.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

OMG, this is a shock. I was just reading the story of how you rescued Rocky and thinking what a gorgeous dog he is. I will say a prayer for him to recover fully! ray:


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

So sorry to hear this! Thinking positive thoughts that he pulls through.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Hoping Rocky pulls through this. Prayers and healing thoughts for that precious boy. My heart goes out to you.


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## cmarrie (Sep 17, 2014)

Absolutely shocking! I keep refreshing hoping there's a good news update. My heart goes out to you, Oliverthedog.


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Prognosis is not good, blood work results were worse then yesterday. Still hoping for a turnaround.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

I'm so very sorry to hear this  Is he in any pain? Praying for a turnaround!


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## Nicofreako (Aug 19, 2013)

*Hugs* Sending loving thoughts to you, and praying Rocky can pull through.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Any update on Rocky? I can't stop thinking about him.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Update?????


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Update...His blood work is improving though he is not out of the woods yet and is still considered in guarded condition. We visited him yesterday and he is active and is eating but still has diarrhea. The doctors are hopefully optimistic as are we.

He is young and strong so that is in his favor.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Come on, Rocky! Keep fighting, boy!


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## Axeldog (Aug 29, 2014)

My heart was in my throat reading this thread. Sending a prayer for you and that Rocky will continue to improve.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Prayers sent from my heart to yours. Hang in there. Your dear boy is lucky to have you for his family.

Viking Queen


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## Nicofreako (Aug 19, 2013)

I literally breathed an audible sigh of relief when I read that things are improving!
I know he isn't cleared to go home yet, but this looks good! Sending good vibes for full recovery to Rocky.


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## shelhey (Jul 16, 2014)

He's really gorgeous, good on you for rescuing him! Thanks for sharing.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Hang in there Rocky! We're rootin' for Ya!!!!! Poodle prayers and good wishes!!!


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

All the best Rocky - you're doing so well, just keep on getting better!!


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Prayers and many, many well wishes for Rocky!


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## PaddysMom (May 7, 2015)

Hang in there, Rocky! Oliver the dog needs you! We all know you can do it!

Big hugs,
Paddy


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## mom2m (Dec 24, 2014)

Keep up the forward progress, Rocky!

Thoughts and prayers are with you all!


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Rocky did it!!!! He's coming home tomorrow!!!

Vet was amazed at how well he is doing and is quite pleased with herself as she should be. She admitted that Rocky's chances were rather slim. 

His creatinine level spiked to four but he is one tough dog and fought his way back. Now it's down to 1.3 which is considered normal. 

We actually could have taken him home today, but this will be his first day off of the IV fluids and we wanted to make sure that he remains stable on his own. We figured it was worth the extra few dollars and our pet insurance will cover 80% of it.

Now the Rocky saga can continue for many years to come.

Here he is from the hospital saying thanks to everyone for their prayers and support.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Hooray!!! Best news all week! Good job, Rocky! You are definitely a fighter  I'm so happy to hear this news!!!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

What excellent news - I am so happy for Rocky and for you!


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

great news! thanks for keeping us in the loop. wishing for many happy years of companionship and love ahead for you all.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Happy news! My Sunday is MUCH nicer now!!!!


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Oh such good news!!!


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## jazzipoodle (Mar 30, 2010)

Yay! What wonderful news, I'm so happy for you and Rocky!


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## Nicofreako (Aug 19, 2013)

Wonderful news! If PoodleForum peeps could reach through their computer screens I am sure Rocky's snout would be covered with PF kisses of joy! 
Good job Rocky!


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Rocky is home and is back to his old playful self. 

The hospital sent him home with 4 different meds. He will need to go for additional blood work next week to see if his kidneys are indeed functioning correctly.

He is urinating quite frequently but I guess thats expected considering his system was being flushed for four days.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Oliverthedog said:


> Rocky is home and is back to his old playful self.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yay!!! Keep on getting better Rocky. Make sure you let us know how the blood tests go next week.


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Rocky does seem to be his old self. He is eating and drinking and is very active. On Thursday he goes for blood work and we'll know how well his kidneys are functioning.

So far his medical bills are around $3,000, but thanks to Embrace pet insurance, out of pocket is around $1400. I took out a catastrophic type policy which costs $25 a month, and has an annual deduction of $1000 and 20% after that. Better policies were considerably more per month.

More updates to follow.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

So happy your update is all 'good news!' But now we need to see some pictures!!!....................:^)


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

Rocky went for his blood work today. The results were absolutely normal.

The Doctors were so thrilled that they will feature him in a veterinarian blog which will include pictures. I'll post the link when they send it to me.

Guess Rocky was the right name for him. He certainly is a fighter and in my eyes a champion. 

One positive thing about all of this is that he slimmed down. He now weighs around 58 pounds and can run much faster. 

Thank you everyone for the support and prayers.


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## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

That was some awful ride. Thank heavens it ended this way. Hugs.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Brilliant! Now be careful what you eat for a while, Rocky, while your humans regain their equilibrium. Weeks of grinding anxiety leave us very drained!


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

I am glad Rocky is doing so well. Tell him he is not to go on the Advil diet again.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

NO MORE HEADACHES ROCKY!!!!!!! Your humans need that Advil, not you!!!


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## Oliverthedog (Mar 10, 2015)

I think Rocky has finally flipped off the puppy switch and flipped on the dog switch. He has changed quite a bit since his health scare. He is even more affectionate and less destructive. He is also more obedient and has shown less dominant behavior. 

An interesting thing happened the other day. One of my sons friends (who has been here before several times) decided to walk into the house unannounced, he just opened the door and walked in. Oliver would have let that slide, but Rocky was up in his face barking loudly (basically saying in dog talk, who the hell are you to just walk into my house unescorted). The guy just backed out of the house and sheepishly asked us to tell my son that he will be waiting outside. 

I love this dog......


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