Well, what kids don't know won't hurt them. I don't know that i would tell the kids that the dogs killed the bird. If Splat is good with them but "Plays" a little hard, I would try to make it work.......Frankie would have done the same thing at 9 months old. He has grown out of it. Your Splat is close to the same age as my Molly......she would play with a chicken to death if the situation was right. She is too young to control all the urges just yet. The longer that Splat has successful interactions with the birds, the better chance you have of them continuing.