It is told that in their beginning the Dwarves were made by Aulл in the darkness of Middle-earth; for so greatly did Aulл desire the coming of the Children, to have learners to whom he could teach his lore and his crafts, that he was unwilling to await the fulfilment of the designs of Ilъvatar. And Aulл made the Dwarves even as they still are, because the forms of the Children who were to come were unclear to his mind, and because the power of Melkor was yet over the Earth; and he wished therefore that they should be strong and unyielding. But fearing that the other Valar might blame his work, he wrought in secret: and he made first the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves in a hall under the mountains in Middle-earth.
Now Ilъvatar knew what was done, and in the very hour that Aulл's work was complete, and he was pleased, and began to instruct the Dwarves in the speech that he had devised for them, Ilъvatar spoke to him; and Aulл heard his voice and was silent. And the voice of Ilъvatar said to him: 'Why hast thou done this? Why dost thou attempt a thing which thou knowest is beyond thy power and thy authority? For thou hast from me as a gift thy own bring only, and no more; and therefore the creatures of thy hand and mind can live only by that being, moving when thou thinkest to move them, and if thy thought be elsewhere, standing idle. Is that thy desire?'
Then Aulл answered: 'I did not desire such lordship. I desired things other than I am, to love and to teach them, so that they too might perceive the beauty of Eд, which thou hast caused to be. For it seemed to me that there is great room in Arda for many things that might rejoice in it, yet it is for the most part empty still, and dumb. And in my impatience I have fallen into folly. Yet the making of thing is in my heart from my own making by thee; and the child of little understanding that makes a play of the deeds of his father may do so without thought of mockery, but because he is the son of his father. But what shall I do now, so that thou be not angry with me for ever? As a child to his father, I offer to thee these things, the work of the hands which thou hast made. Do with them what thou wilt. But should I not rather destroy the work of my presumption?'
Then Aulл took up a great hammer to smite the Dwarves; and he wept. But Ilъvatar had compassion upon Aulл and his desire, because of his humility; and the Dwarves shrank from the hammer and wore afraid, and they bowed down their heads and begged for mercy. And the voice of Ilъvatar said to Aulл: 'Thy offer I accepted even as it was made. Dost thou not see that these things have now a life of their own, and speak with their own voices? Else they would not have flinched from thy blow, nor from any command of thy will.' Then Aulл cast down his hammer and was glad, and he gave thanks to Ilъvatar, saying: 'May Eru bless my work and amend it!'
But Ilъvatar spoke again and said: 'Even as I gave being to the thoughts of the Ainur at the beginning of the World, so now I have taken up thy desire and given to it a place therein; but in no other way will I amend thy handiwork, and as thou hast made it, so shall it be. But I will not suffer this: that these should come before the Firstborn of my design, nor that thy impatience should be rewarded. They shall sleep now in the darkness under stone, and shall not come forth until the Firstborn have awakened upon Earth; and until that time thou and they shall wait, though long it seem. But when the time comes I will awaken them, and they shall be to thee as children; and often strife shall arise between thine and mine, the children of my adoption and the children of my choice.'
Then Aulл took the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, and laid them to rest in far-sundered places; and he returned to Valinor, and waited while the long years lengthened.

Если Мелькор вкладывался и у него получались полноценные создания, то Ауле вкладывался не меньше его. Да и Мелодии у них достаточно похожи. Кроме того в Сильме также указывается о сходстве этих двух айнур.
Так что со способностями у Ауле всё в порядке.

Дабы культурно обойти вышеупомянутые грабли, предлагаю наделение творимых сущностей второго порядка негасимым пламенем за счет их творца. И если, как в случае с Ауле, данная вольность получит санкцию свыше, негасимое пламя компенсируется Творцом.

Развитие мысли. Когда творец про негасимое пламя забывает или нарочно не докладывает, на выходе имеем недостаточно самостоятельные сущности. Кстати, Мелькор вовсю вкладывал в Арду себя, оттого его создания самодостаточны (в мире СиЗ).

А гриппующие майар  к дракончикам не допускаются.