Animal Companions. How are they used?

[Ixahinon]

So there is a guy in my group that is really, really touchy on his animal companion. He wants to do anything and everything with it, without consequences.

So here are some questions:

1) Does an animal companion use it's own initiative? If so, does the companion act on it's turn? Or does it have to wait for the Druids turn to command it?

2) Can a druid command a companion as a free action?

[Flob]

So there is a guy in my group that is really, really touchy on his animal companion. He wants to do anything and everything with it, without consequences.

So here are some questions:

1) Does an animal companion use it's own initiative? If so, does the companion act on it's turn? Or does it have to wait for the Druids turn to command it?

2) Can a druid command a companion as a free action?

Its a DM decision for both.
1. Our group usually lets our ranger's animal companion go on the same turn for simplicities sake.

2. We also decided that it should be free to say "attack goblin" and simple things. If you want it to do something complicated, well, you need specific tricks, right?

I'm not too good with animal companions, but thats my 1 cp.

[IonDragon]

1) That's up to the GM, but usually for simplicity my group shares it's initiative.

2) Yes. Read the Link (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm#link) Animal Companion special ability.