Dog sitting tragedy

This morning, Cyan was excited to take the dog outside with her as she did her chores. Unfortunately, those chores include feeding the chickens, and those chickens are just big enough to jump out of their brooder box and leave the shed. And we had a dog.

I was in the garden when she started screaming and I ran (seemingly in slow motion) across the yard to my daughter who was laid flat on the dog, screaming "NO!!!" But, the dog is a dog. And although he is a really nice dog, he still has that "if it runs, catch and kill it" instinct.

Cyan's chicken, Wendy, died about 5 minutes later in Cyan's arms. Cyan feels as though it is her fault... but she really didn't understand that the dog would do that. I hadn't told her what would happen, I just told her to keep the chickens locked up tight when the dog was out. The poor thing has been crying off and on all day.

We had a pretty little burial for the chicken. We put her in a box on fir boughs from the tree, and placed a bunch of wildflowers and lavender in the box with her. Then buried her under where the chicken coop is being built.

We prayed and hugged, and talked about hunter instinct and how dogs are made.

She took the dog for a walk and spent some time forgiving him.

We hugged and cried, and talked about food chains and prey animals.

Then she cried and we hugged some more.

Sometimes it is really hard to have pets. Especially prey pets. They are skittish and easily hurt. And wow... they are broken so quickly.

Sometimes it is really hard to have little girls... they feel everything and think about everything that has ever gone wrong. She has said all day (the last time being just a couple seconds ago) that she wished she could start this day over and it was all just a dream. All I could do was hug her and tell her that this too, shall pass.