Predator & Prey—Neither Praise nor Blame

              In this sequence of Alkaia's first exposure to sheep, Miss Congeniality—for Alkaia's a Bouvier bitch that never barks, growls, whines, snarls or howls—worked herself up to a fever pitch of excitement when she recognised that the white critters ran from the black critter.  After having her first lesson and getting a good workout, she surreptitiously wormed herself into the corral and gave chase to the 'light' sheep already well-accustomed to evading Coyotes.  
         She eventually got close enough that I was able to voice command her to come and sit—neither commendation or condemnation was earned for the chaotic romp—this is not obedience training, it is obedience to natural law, or rather coaxing out that instinctual behavior.  As Mark Twain commented in his Letters from the Earth—

        "My lords, He is making animals. Will it please you to come and see?"  They went, they saw, and were perplexed. Deeply perplexed—and the Creator noticed it, and said, "Ask. I will answer."

        "Divine One," said Satan, making obeisance, "what are they for?"

        "They are an experiment in Morals and Conduct. Observe them, and be instructed." There were thousands of them. They were full of activities. Busy, all busy—mainly in persecuting each other. Satan remarked—after examining one of them through a powerful microscope: "This large beast is killing weaker animals, Divine One."

         "The tiger—yes. The law of his nature is ferocity. The law of his nature is the Law of God. He cannot disobey it."

         "Then in obeying it he commits no offense, Divine One?"

         "No, he is blameless."

         "This other creature, here, is timid, Divine One, and suffers death without resisting."

         "The rabbit—yes. He is without courage. It is the law of his nature—the Law of God. He must obey it."

         "Then he cannot honorably be required to go counter to his nature and resist, Divine One?"

         "No. No creature can be honorably required to go counter to the law of his nature—the Law of God."

         After a long time and many questions, Satan said, "The spider kills the fly, and eats it; the bird kills the spider and eats it; the wildcat kills the goose; the—well, they all kill each other. It is murder all along the line. Here are countless multitudes of creatures, and they all kill, kill, kill, they are all murderers. And they are not to blame, Divine One?"

          "They are not to blame. It is the law of their nature. And always the law of nature is the Law of God. Now—observe—behold! A new creature—and the masterpiece—Man!"