How do i train anim.companions?

[Kerilstrasz]

So..
i m thinking taking a riding dog (dont ask why) as my animal companion..
as MM1 states:
Combat: If trained for war, these animals can make trip attacks just as wolves do (see the Wolf entry).

so i figure 2 ways for me to have a "trained for war" rid.dog..
i buy a trained one or i pay a NPC (animal trainer?) to train it for me...

is those the only ways?
i have to state now that i ll get it as Druid's special...
i suppose "trip" special attack isnt considered a trick...
im going to use handle animal to train it for Hunting (probably)...
but i still miss the trip attck...

so.. can i train it?
or it should be buying the animal trained more easy and effective?

[CreganTur]

Training an animal is handled under the Handle Animal skill. IIRC Combat training is generally a DC 20 check.

[Parra]

If its a Druids animal companion, don't they just get one? No need to buy it.
So you simply get a Riding Dog trained for War in the normal method of gaining a new animal companion

[LTwerewolf]

If its a Druids animal companion, don't they just get one? No need to buy it.
So you simply get a Riding Dog trained for War in the normal method of gaining a new animal companion

Negative.
A 1st-level druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below

You would have to train them after you get it.

[Kerilstrasz]

Negative.
A 1st-level druid’s companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below

You would have to train them after you get it.

ok.. and how i train it to get the trip attck?
i just use the "train for a purpose" with handle animal?
and if yes which purpose i choose? hunting is ok?
or should i talk to my DM to set a time and DC for "trip" trick train?

[ahenobarbi]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/handleAnimal.htm

I think you want "Train for purpose: Fighting". Also don;t forget


A druid or ranger gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Handle Animal checks involving her animal companion.

In addition, a druid’s or ranger’s animal companion knows one or more bonus tricks, which don’t count against the normal limit on tricks known and don’t require any training time or Handle Animal checks to teach

And there was a handbook for HA...

EDIT: .... found it

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19871522/The_Handle_Animal_Guide

checkout adding Warbeast template.

[LTwerewolf]

ok.. and how i train it to get the trip attck?
i just use the "train for a purpose" with handle animal?
and if yes which purpose i choose? hunting is ok?
or should i talk to my DM to set a time and DC for "trip" trick train?

For tripping you simply need to go with an animal that's already got it, there's no rule for teaching them out to do it. All of the uses for handle animal go for much more basic tricks, like attack, defend, etc or a general purpose. Given how basic those commands are, it seems as if RAW it's not intended to ever teach an animal combat maneuvers. Also if you were to teach it how to trip, then it would suffer from the same problem as a regular trip from a PC, which provokes AAOs (whereas a wolf trip does not).


You can add warbeast (MM2 p 219) to increase str and con by 3, and wisdom by 2, as well as adding 1 HD, +10 speed, and +2 on ride checks, with an additional +1 to listen and spot.

A wolf is the same size as a riding dog, so you can always go for one of those, which already has trip. With warbeast training they're also totally cool with being ridden (if you make the argument that they wouldn't allow riding without it, which a lot don't).

[Gavinfoxx]

A Riding Dog trained for war IS a typical example, though...

[LTwerewolf]

A Riding Dog trained for war IS a typical example, though...

It says "If trained for war" which means it may or may not be. There's no indication that they are more often trained than not, thus must assume not. Your DM may, however, allow you to just have one trained for war anyhow, and they can in fact make trip attempts just like wolves do.