My little Goddaughter,  Elizabeth, is really an animal lover even at the young age of one. Though she lives with two cats in her family's home, I've found that she's even more of a dog lover.

Her little face lights up whenever she sees my Papillon puppy, Louis. Though she can't say his name yet - he's still the "vuh vuh" ("woof woof") - I'm sure we'll get to some amalgamation of a name sooner than I'd like.

Seeing her get so excited makes me so happy, but it also makes me wary. I want very much for them both to be safe when playing and interacting together. Elizabeth is still very small, but she is toddling around in little shoes, which can be dangerous for my dog's fine-boned paws. On the other hand, sometimes Louis' nails can be rough on her tender baby skin. He also hasn't gotten over the puppyhood tendency to nibble on any item within his reach, whether it's a toy, a treat or bare toes.

In short, I need to be watching out for all my little ones, whether they're human, canine or feline. In this regard, pet owners have just as much responsibility for making their pets behave as parents do with their children.

Here are some tips for ensuring that all those special kids in your life have many happy moments with your pets, and vice-versa.

-All pets, especially dogs, should be completely up-to-date on their shots prior to being around children. This is particularly important with rabies vaccinations.

-Be sure your dog is a "people dog." Don't introduce an aggressive dog to small children; likewise, an overly timid puppy may be traumatized by the chaos of younger children.

-Always supervise young kids with your pets. Nieces and nephews ages 12 and over can most likely interact with a dog on their own, but make sure that they are comfortable doing that before allowing them to be alone with him or her.

-Have toddlers and clumsy older kids remove their shoes prior to paying with smaller breeds of dogs. Stepping on the dog's feet could cause bone breakage.

-Teach kids how to "speak" to your dog - teach them particular commands and how to deliver them so that the dog does not become confused or agitated. Help your nieces and nephews understand how the dog understands certain things. For instance, don't allow a child to tease the dog with a treat after giving a command, because the dog is likely to jump or lunge for the treat if it isn't given right away.

-Make sure any child who is feeding your pets knows which foods are off-limits. For dogs, onions, chocolate, grapes, raisins and sugar-free foods are examples of those that can cause serious harm if ingested. If your nieces and nephews are toddlers, only give them "safe" snacks that are ok for the dog to eat if they fall on the floor, like string cheese or baby carrots. Kids drop a lot of crumbs on the floor, so you may want to extend this even to older kids. Show your nieces and nephews what the dog is allowed to eat and where it is stored so they can find something safe if needed.

Here's to many happy years with your special kids and your pets!

Melanie Linn Gutowski, Savvy Auntie's Associate Editor, is a proud Godmother and ABC.

Photo: Courtesy Melanie Linn Gutowski
Published: August 8, 2010