Grooming Tips: Tame the Wave
by Sandi Eaton, Pembury House Corgis
A PERFECTLY TURNED OUT DOG JUST DOES NOT HAPPEN!
THE WORK YOU PUT INTO THE DOG THE WEEKS AND MONTHS BEFORE THE SHOW IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS!
The first thing that I feel is very important is that when we groom our little friends, we do it with the utmost care as not to cause them any discomfort. A dog who stands quietly is one that has never been combed too vigorously or had its nails unintentionally over heated. And let's admit, one who has been trained to stand steady on the grooming table.
We can accomplish this by using the tools that we use on the corgi, on ourselves first!
You will be surprised how uncomfortable these can be if not used with care.
TOOLS:
Nail Grinder:
Use the nail grinder on your own nail; see how little pressure can cause overheating on your own nail. Change your sanding bands often otherwise you will lose grit and the bands will burn the dog. I use Dremel brand 408. (60 Grit).
Greyhound Combs:
Use the comb on the underside of your forearm. Use it in different angles to see what angle is best as well as the pressure.
Use this comb by angling it on a diagonal angle with the direction of the hair.
Slickers:
These are ouchly little fellows if not used with care. Use only on the hocks and on the feathering of the front legs, with great care and a gentle hand.
Grooma: (For use in the bath)
Use on the inside of your forearm testing for pressure. Use gentle circular motions.
RULES OF THUMB
At least Once a Week:
* Grind nails (I do not prefer to do them on the table)
* Trim hair off of the bottom of the pads (do not remove the hair that covers the nails, or you may look like you have a dog that drags its front feet when it travels) (please refer to "The New Complete Pembroke Welsh Corgi" by Deborah S. Harper pg. 212)
* Full body line combing (please refer to "The New Complete Pembroke Welsh Corgi" by Deborah S. Harper pg. 211)
* Ear check if dirty I gently clean with cosmetic cotton square, with a little mineral oil applied on it.
Every 2-3 weeks I scale teeth if needed.
Hint: If you want to turn over a coat you can bathe your dog weekly with a gentle shampoo, and use the airforce drying method procedure noted below. Crate drying will not work with this method. People who campaign their dogs generally bathe once a week, thus bring in new coat by the stimulation of the bath and the airforce drying method.
Some of you will say, "Won't all those bathes that dry out their skin?" I have to say I have never had that happen, but I do use a good quality pH balanced shampoo. Generally my retired show dogs get a bath every 3-4 weeks. They are our house dogs and I like them to smell fresh and be clean.
So, we are going to a show this weekend.
Lets start out with - what dog are we taking?
A dog with a shorter coat that lies close to the body? Maybe this is a dog that is fluff free or has a fluff free style coat.
A dog with a plush or profuse coat?
A dog that may look a little short or long in the back?
One whose topline, well, can do funny things at times - but never at home, just at the dog show!
A dog that could use just a little more neck?
It is important to know what your dog is! What are his or her faults as well as virtues?
Not every dog gets the same type of shampoo and certainly not the same style of air force drying. Some dogs get bathed a few days before a show and some at the very last minute.
Let's get started on the bath and the dry. We have already done the nails, ears and looked at the teeth, and scaled them if needed.
The Bath:
In all cases I use a tearless baby shampoo on the head, taking care not to get any in the eye or ear canal.
I use the Grooma to gently massage the shampoo in never using it on the legs, face or private parts.
Warm water is always used, I am not a believer in the cold bath method that is supposed to bring in coat faster, it just makes the dog really cold and unhappy.
Even if it did, I still wouldn't do it.
It is my understanding that light, hormones, genetics and health have a lot to do with our coat changes as well as our texture.
Cooler (but not cold) water should be used on our boy's private parts.
Shampoos that I use:
Chris Christensen White on White shampoo. Used on legs, furnishings, and chest. Never on face.
For stubborn foot stains: The Bischon Frise and Maltese breeders I have spoken with use E-Z Groom Crystal White Shampoo, follow the directions on the back of the bottle. It has enzymatic properties that help to break down the rust colored stains from excessive licking.
Body: Any good dog shampoo with a balanced Ph. (please see below for more specifics on shampoos for certain coat types).
Face: Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo, or any tearless baby shampoo.
The Waxy Dog:
This is the dog that has been playing in the pond, rolling in the yard and just generally taking a break from the whole beauty thing.
If you have ever bathed a Labrador you would understand the meaning of this waxy/ oil type coat. It is desired in their breed for water resistance.
This is the dog who when you weave your fingers through his undercoat and against the actual skin may be waxy to the feel:
Protocol:
Dawn Dish Soap, not dishwasher detergent. Do not use on the face. This is not a method that should be used often. It will dry out the coat if used often. The dawn actually strips the old icky waxy oils from the coat. Keep in mind this is for the waxy dog who has not been bathed in quite a while. After bathing with the dawn thoroughly rinse then re-bathe using the below instructions appropriate for your dog.
The tighter coated or fluff free dog:
Bathe this dog as close to the show date as possible.
A good quality shampoo, not one with any added conditioners.
The overly plush or profuse coated dog:
Bathe this dog a day or two in advance.
A good quality shampoo, one with added conditioners is fine. We don't want to over condition our coat and make them soft. Our standard does call for a harsh coat. But let's face it, too much coat can be a real distraction or make our dog look shorter in back as well as neck.
The just right coat:
Bathe the day before the show.
The Use of Conditioner:
Some folks have used a regular human conditioner on the backside of the neck and topline to bring some weight to these areas so that they lay flat, as well as wavy areas in the coat. Keeping in mind we are to have a harsh coat. There is a fine line here, just use discretion. As with all shampoos and conditioners make sure you rinse it well, or the dog may get little flakey scab type things in a week or two. If this occurs re-bathe using no conditioners and dry the dog thoroughly. An application of cortisone may be used to resolve this.
Below is very important information for the show dog or really any dog we want to look spectacular:
I never air dry my show dogs, by this I mean I do not let them run around the house and let them dry themselves. This is the kiss of death for a show dog who does not have a perfectly bone straight coat. You will get waves and curls, and by repeated air drying you may need to wait for the next new coat to get a straight coated dog.
This may surprise you but the method of Air force drying is one the main factors to a perfectly turned out dog!
I take care not to blow any heat on to the testicles; repeated use of heat in these sensitive areas can lead to temporary sterility. If needed, you can protect them by using your hand to defuse the pathway of the air.
Air Force drying rules of thumb:
When to dry against the coat:
If you want the dog look like it has more coat, or you want to "fill in" a loin area, dry against the coat. Take care not to dry against the coat on the neck, and shoulder area. The result of this is the appearance of a shorted neck and not well placed shoulders.
When to dry with the coat:
This is for the dog that carries a fuller coat; this dog may be long in body but appears to be shorter in body because of the optical illusion of his or her coat type. This is the coat that should always be dried with the direction of the coat.
What you have been waiting for...The Horror of the wavy coat!
You will need to get a hair straighter product from the store. This is generally found in the shampoo aisle. I do like to spend a little money on this. I currently use ABBA, Straightening Balm. On a wet coat I take a small amount maybe a dime size rub it on my hands and incorporate it into the ROOTS especially and then down to the ends of the hair shaft. Take the utmost care to disperse the product evenly. I do recommend you perform a dry run at home, so that you know how much or how little to use. You will need to keep the coat damp, not dripping wet and gently pull with your fingers and dry the wavy area. Then pull again for a short while and finish off with cold air, I use a hair dryer set on cold. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES UNINTENTIONALLY OVERHEAT OR BURN YOUR DOG OR THEIR COAT, this can happen in a fraction of a second. A show and a straight coat are not worth it. Taming the wave happens at home and is touched up at the show.
Think of when your hairdresser does your hair. It looks great after she dries it! She is an artist, and you can be too!
Remember, we can take a dog and groom it to bring out faults or even add faults or we can maximize strengths and minimize weak areas.
Once you have dried the dog 110% this means that the dog is dry down to the SKIN! Now, if you cheat yourself here, you will pay for it when you take the dog out of the crate or when it gets up from lying on the floor after the nap it took because of all this tiresome beauty work. What you will see is the dreaded coat that wrinkles, folds and squews. This is usually found on the near the rear of the dog we can call this the "hat head effect". Oh yes folks you have seen it and so have I! Once they have "set" these wrinkles can be a big undertaking to get them out, so take the couple extra minutes to make sure they are dry, it pays off in the long end.
Our basic home work is done. Now we go to the show.
At the Show Grooming:
Being methodical always works for me so that I don't forget something. This can also be used as a reference if you print it and keep it in your tack box
The coat of the corgi can be compared to the story of the 3 bears,
too cold ( the fluff free type coat), too hot (the overly plush coat) and just right!
For the dog who needs to be fluffed up and has no waves.
Here is our protocol:
1. Spray the dog from the head back with water or Super Coat & water suspension. (made by Cindra) back brush into the hair roots. I prefer to use a Mason Pierson human brush for this step. Now dry with the techniques I have stated above.
2. Move on to Chalking (see below for procedure) the legs, muzzle and stifle if needed, while they are drying begin step 3 line combing.
3. Line comb and back gently comb so lift and separate each hair, then lightly comb again with the direction of the coat.
(super coat can have a building effect, meaning the more you use it the more it will stand up your coat. I don't mean for you to use it 4x in a day, but 1x before you go into the ring each day during a circuit. After a couple of days it can get tacky, so after 2-3 days of using it you can just reactive the product by just spraying water on the coat).
For the dog who has a plush coat or a "just right" coat.
Here is our protocol:
1. Line comb. Most of your work was done at home. If the dog has too many lumps and bumps, or the coat stands out too much, take a towel soak in warm to hot water (if it is not too much trouble) ring it out well and drape it over the dog. When draping the towel you would do so like putting a blanket on a horse. For those of you who are not horse people you will take the moist towel drape it without folds or wrinkles high up the dog's neck and extending down the back. You will now slide the towel down the back to where it is needed. By doing this you will not have any wrinkles on the coat caused by the towel.
2. Move on to Chalking (see below for procedure) the legs, muzzle and stifle if needed, while they are drying begin step 3 line combing again and towel treatment
Chalking:
legs, muzzle and stifle (if needed)
you will have to put an extra towel on the table or fold over your towel so that you will end up with the dog standing on a clean towel after chalking
This is the fun part for me! We are assuming that we are working with a clean leg and foot.
1. Very lightly mist with water which ever leg you want to work on first, you will use the same method for each leg and foot. Work on just one leg at a time.
2. Massage the mist down into the hair roots on the leg, this ensures that you disperse the cholesterol evenly. I use Wella Cholesterol see resources below.
3. Don't let the leg dry.
4. Take a small amount of Cholesterol disperse evenly in your palms and work in to the hair roots
5. You will follow the above directions for the muzzle, if the dog is fussy don't push the subject, work on it at home.
6. Now apply chalk. I use harsh coat for terriers. To apply chalk I load up the chalk onto cat brush and push it in to the hair on the leg massaging it in the opposite direction of the hair.
7. While the chalk is setting, go back and line brush your dog as stated above.
8. When chalk is dry and set comb out the majority of the chalk with a slicker. Now be gentle here, YOUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE HAIR STAND ON END on the leg portion, but not on the top of the foot. Once you have the hair standing on set it by lightly spraying it with hairspray.
9. Wipe off pads with damp towel to remove any excess chalk
10. take chalk towel off of table
11. Perfect!!! You have just added more bone and brightened up the legs. Bravo!
Adjustments to the topline
Make adjustments to the topline if needed. For a break behind the saddle you can use a little mousse, back brush with mason pearson leave it standing up until you are ready to take the dog off the table. If the rump has a rise due to hair etc.: don't spray this area with any water etc. Use the wet towel approach as described above in the section for the plush coated dog.
Final Adjustments:
Remove towel if you used one and smooth out the coat on the plush dog. Add moisture by misting to the fluff free style coat and fluff that little one up. Lightly smooth down that erect area that you moussed behind the saddle with your handy Mason Pearson brush. You are ready to go!
Straighten up yourself... and go play with your dog, to loosen him or her up after their fancy grooming session!
Resources:
Cindra (super coat) 1-800-8CINDRA
ABBA, Straightening Balm (their phone no. is 1-800-8484475)
Chris Christensen White on White shampoo http://www.chrissystems.com/
E-Z Groom Crystal White Shampoo 800-777-5899
Wella Cholesterol you can buy it cheaper at Sally's beauty supply.
THE WORK YOU PUT INTO THE DOG THE WEEKS AND MONTHS BEFORE THE SHOW IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS!
The first thing that I feel is very important is that when we groom our little friends, we do it with the utmost care as not to cause them any discomfort. A dog who stands quietly is one that has never been combed too vigorously or had its nails unintentionally over heated. And let's admit, one who has been trained to stand steady on the grooming table.
We can accomplish this by using the tools that we use on the corgi, on ourselves first!
You will be surprised how uncomfortable these can be if not used with care.
TOOLS:
Nail Grinder:
Use the nail grinder on your own nail; see how little pressure can cause overheating on your own nail. Change your sanding bands often otherwise you will lose grit and the bands will burn the dog. I use Dremel brand 408. (60 Grit).
Greyhound Combs:
Use the comb on the underside of your forearm. Use it in different angles to see what angle is best as well as the pressure.
Use this comb by angling it on a diagonal angle with the direction of the hair.
Slickers:
These are ouchly little fellows if not used with care. Use only on the hocks and on the feathering of the front legs, with great care and a gentle hand.
Grooma: (For use in the bath)
Use on the inside of your forearm testing for pressure. Use gentle circular motions.
RULES OF THUMB
At least Once a Week:
* Grind nails (I do not prefer to do them on the table)
* Trim hair off of the bottom of the pads (do not remove the hair that covers the nails, or you may look like you have a dog that drags its front feet when it travels) (please refer to "The New Complete Pembroke Welsh Corgi" by Deborah S. Harper pg. 212)
* Full body line combing (please refer to "The New Complete Pembroke Welsh Corgi" by Deborah S. Harper pg. 211)
* Ear check if dirty I gently clean with cosmetic cotton square, with a little mineral oil applied on it.
Every 2-3 weeks I scale teeth if needed.
Hint: If you want to turn over a coat you can bathe your dog weekly with a gentle shampoo, and use the airforce drying method procedure noted below. Crate drying will not work with this method. People who campaign their dogs generally bathe once a week, thus bring in new coat by the stimulation of the bath and the airforce drying method.
Some of you will say, "Won't all those bathes that dry out their skin?" I have to say I have never had that happen, but I do use a good quality pH balanced shampoo. Generally my retired show dogs get a bath every 3-4 weeks. They are our house dogs and I like them to smell fresh and be clean.
So, we are going to a show this weekend.
Lets start out with - what dog are we taking?
A dog with a shorter coat that lies close to the body? Maybe this is a dog that is fluff free or has a fluff free style coat.
A dog with a plush or profuse coat?
A dog that may look a little short or long in the back?
One whose topline, well, can do funny things at times - but never at home, just at the dog show!
A dog that could use just a little more neck?
It is important to know what your dog is! What are his or her faults as well as virtues?
Not every dog gets the same type of shampoo and certainly not the same style of air force drying. Some dogs get bathed a few days before a show and some at the very last minute.
Let's get started on the bath and the dry. We have already done the nails, ears and looked at the teeth, and scaled them if needed.
The Bath:
In all cases I use a tearless baby shampoo on the head, taking care not to get any in the eye or ear canal.
I use the Grooma to gently massage the shampoo in never using it on the legs, face or private parts.
Warm water is always used, I am not a believer in the cold bath method that is supposed to bring in coat faster, it just makes the dog really cold and unhappy.
Even if it did, I still wouldn't do it.
It is my understanding that light, hormones, genetics and health have a lot to do with our coat changes as well as our texture.
Cooler (but not cold) water should be used on our boy's private parts.
Shampoos that I use:
Chris Christensen White on White shampoo. Used on legs, furnishings, and chest. Never on face.
For stubborn foot stains: The Bischon Frise and Maltese breeders I have spoken with use E-Z Groom Crystal White Shampoo, follow the directions on the back of the bottle. It has enzymatic properties that help to break down the rust colored stains from excessive licking.
Body: Any good dog shampoo with a balanced Ph. (please see below for more specifics on shampoos for certain coat types).
Face: Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo, or any tearless baby shampoo.
The Waxy Dog:
This is the dog that has been playing in the pond, rolling in the yard and just generally taking a break from the whole beauty thing.
If you have ever bathed a Labrador you would understand the meaning of this waxy/ oil type coat. It is desired in their breed for water resistance.
This is the dog who when you weave your fingers through his undercoat and against the actual skin may be waxy to the feel:
Protocol:
Dawn Dish Soap, not dishwasher detergent. Do not use on the face. This is not a method that should be used often. It will dry out the coat if used often. The dawn actually strips the old icky waxy oils from the coat. Keep in mind this is for the waxy dog who has not been bathed in quite a while. After bathing with the dawn thoroughly rinse then re-bathe using the below instructions appropriate for your dog.
The tighter coated or fluff free dog:
Bathe this dog as close to the show date as possible.
A good quality shampoo, not one with any added conditioners.
The overly plush or profuse coated dog:
Bathe this dog a day or two in advance.
A good quality shampoo, one with added conditioners is fine. We don't want to over condition our coat and make them soft. Our standard does call for a harsh coat. But let's face it, too much coat can be a real distraction or make our dog look shorter in back as well as neck.
The just right coat:
Bathe the day before the show.
The Use of Conditioner:
Some folks have used a regular human conditioner on the backside of the neck and topline to bring some weight to these areas so that they lay flat, as well as wavy areas in the coat. Keeping in mind we are to have a harsh coat. There is a fine line here, just use discretion. As with all shampoos and conditioners make sure you rinse it well, or the dog may get little flakey scab type things in a week or two. If this occurs re-bathe using no conditioners and dry the dog thoroughly. An application of cortisone may be used to resolve this.
Below is very important information for the show dog or really any dog we want to look spectacular:
I never air dry my show dogs, by this I mean I do not let them run around the house and let them dry themselves. This is the kiss of death for a show dog who does not have a perfectly bone straight coat. You will get waves and curls, and by repeated air drying you may need to wait for the next new coat to get a straight coated dog.
This may surprise you but the method of Air force drying is one the main factors to a perfectly turned out dog!
I take care not to blow any heat on to the testicles; repeated use of heat in these sensitive areas can lead to temporary sterility. If needed, you can protect them by using your hand to defuse the pathway of the air.
Air Force drying rules of thumb:
When to dry against the coat:
If you want the dog look like it has more coat, or you want to "fill in" a loin area, dry against the coat. Take care not to dry against the coat on the neck, and shoulder area. The result of this is the appearance of a shorted neck and not well placed shoulders.
When to dry with the coat:
This is for the dog that carries a fuller coat; this dog may be long in body but appears to be shorter in body because of the optical illusion of his or her coat type. This is the coat that should always be dried with the direction of the coat.
What you have been waiting for...The Horror of the wavy coat!
You will need to get a hair straighter product from the store. This is generally found in the shampoo aisle. I do like to spend a little money on this. I currently use ABBA, Straightening Balm. On a wet coat I take a small amount maybe a dime size rub it on my hands and incorporate it into the ROOTS especially and then down to the ends of the hair shaft. Take the utmost care to disperse the product evenly. I do recommend you perform a dry run at home, so that you know how much or how little to use. You will need to keep the coat damp, not dripping wet and gently pull with your fingers and dry the wavy area. Then pull again for a short while and finish off with cold air, I use a hair dryer set on cold. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES UNINTENTIONALLY OVERHEAT OR BURN YOUR DOG OR THEIR COAT, this can happen in a fraction of a second. A show and a straight coat are not worth it. Taming the wave happens at home and is touched up at the show.
Think of when your hairdresser does your hair. It looks great after she dries it! She is an artist, and you can be too!
Remember, we can take a dog and groom it to bring out faults or even add faults or we can maximize strengths and minimize weak areas.
Once you have dried the dog 110% this means that the dog is dry down to the SKIN! Now, if you cheat yourself here, you will pay for it when you take the dog out of the crate or when it gets up from lying on the floor after the nap it took because of all this tiresome beauty work. What you will see is the dreaded coat that wrinkles, folds and squews. This is usually found on the near the rear of the dog we can call this the "hat head effect". Oh yes folks you have seen it and so have I! Once they have "set" these wrinkles can be a big undertaking to get them out, so take the couple extra minutes to make sure they are dry, it pays off in the long end.
Our basic home work is done. Now we go to the show.
At the Show Grooming:
Being methodical always works for me so that I don't forget something. This can also be used as a reference if you print it and keep it in your tack box
The coat of the corgi can be compared to the story of the 3 bears,
too cold ( the fluff free type coat), too hot (the overly plush coat) and just right!
For the dog who needs to be fluffed up and has no waves.
Here is our protocol:
1. Spray the dog from the head back with water or Super Coat & water suspension. (made by Cindra) back brush into the hair roots. I prefer to use a Mason Pierson human brush for this step. Now dry with the techniques I have stated above.
2. Move on to Chalking (see below for procedure) the legs, muzzle and stifle if needed, while they are drying begin step 3 line combing.
3. Line comb and back gently comb so lift and separate each hair, then lightly comb again with the direction of the coat.
(super coat can have a building effect, meaning the more you use it the more it will stand up your coat. I don't mean for you to use it 4x in a day, but 1x before you go into the ring each day during a circuit. After a couple of days it can get tacky, so after 2-3 days of using it you can just reactive the product by just spraying water on the coat).
For the dog who has a plush coat or a "just right" coat.
Here is our protocol:
1. Line comb. Most of your work was done at home. If the dog has too many lumps and bumps, or the coat stands out too much, take a towel soak in warm to hot water (if it is not too much trouble) ring it out well and drape it over the dog. When draping the towel you would do so like putting a blanket on a horse. For those of you who are not horse people you will take the moist towel drape it without folds or wrinkles high up the dog's neck and extending down the back. You will now slide the towel down the back to where it is needed. By doing this you will not have any wrinkles on the coat caused by the towel.
2. Move on to Chalking (see below for procedure) the legs, muzzle and stifle if needed, while they are drying begin step 3 line combing again and towel treatment
Chalking:
legs, muzzle and stifle (if needed)
you will have to put an extra towel on the table or fold over your towel so that you will end up with the dog standing on a clean towel after chalking
This is the fun part for me! We are assuming that we are working with a clean leg and foot.
1. Very lightly mist with water which ever leg you want to work on first, you will use the same method for each leg and foot. Work on just one leg at a time.
2. Massage the mist down into the hair roots on the leg, this ensures that you disperse the cholesterol evenly. I use Wella Cholesterol see resources below.
3. Don't let the leg dry.
4. Take a small amount of Cholesterol disperse evenly in your palms and work in to the hair roots
5. You will follow the above directions for the muzzle, if the dog is fussy don't push the subject, work on it at home.
6. Now apply chalk. I use harsh coat for terriers. To apply chalk I load up the chalk onto cat brush and push it in to the hair on the leg massaging it in the opposite direction of the hair.
7. While the chalk is setting, go back and line brush your dog as stated above.
8. When chalk is dry and set comb out the majority of the chalk with a slicker. Now be gentle here, YOUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE HAIR STAND ON END on the leg portion, but not on the top of the foot. Once you have the hair standing on set it by lightly spraying it with hairspray.
9. Wipe off pads with damp towel to remove any excess chalk
10. take chalk towel off of table
11. Perfect!!! You have just added more bone and brightened up the legs. Bravo!
Adjustments to the topline
Make adjustments to the topline if needed. For a break behind the saddle you can use a little mousse, back brush with mason pearson leave it standing up until you are ready to take the dog off the table. If the rump has a rise due to hair etc.: don't spray this area with any water etc. Use the wet towel approach as described above in the section for the plush coated dog.
Final Adjustments:
Remove towel if you used one and smooth out the coat on the plush dog. Add moisture by misting to the fluff free style coat and fluff that little one up. Lightly smooth down that erect area that you moussed behind the saddle with your handy Mason Pearson brush. You are ready to go!
Straighten up yourself... and go play with your dog, to loosen him or her up after their fancy grooming session!
Resources:
Cindra (super coat) 1-800-8CINDRA
ABBA, Straightening Balm (their phone no. is 1-800-8484475)
Chris Christensen White on White shampoo http://www.chrissystems.com/
E-Z Groom Crystal White Shampoo 800-777-5899
Wella Cholesterol you can buy it cheaper at Sally's beauty supply.
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Article Posted: Archive post from old website - posted to new website April 2015
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