[3.5] Wild Cohort Question

[Coidzor]

So I've been looking over Wild Cohort and for the most part I pretty much grok it, but I'm not really sure what it means is to be done in this segment of the rules in regards to one's effective character level for advancing the wild cohort:

When selecting an alternative animal cohort, use the list of alternative animal companions on page 36 of the Player's Handbook, but treat yourself as a druid three levels lower than your character level. For example, once you reach 7th level, you can choose an animal cohort off the list of animal companions available to a 4th-level druid.

Does that mean a 7th level character gets the benefits from the wild cohort feat as a 1st level character but with one of the animal companions from the 4th level druid list, so that effectively the animal cohorts are Character Level -0, -6, -9, -12, -15, or -18 based upon what level of druid animal companion they are in terms of the benefits they get according to the Wild Cohort table?

Or is it a 3 level delay for the same -3 to benefits in exchange for moving up each tier of the animal companion list? So that a 7th level character would get a companion from the 4th level list but get wild cohort benefits as a 4th level character?

That is, does it increase the penalty or does it simply change the level at which the different tiers are available?

[Zeofar]

I'm not familiar with the Wild Cohort stuff, but from what you posted, it should work exactly as if you were a ranger. The penalties increase, as you would put it. (So, no, you don't get an animal companion that is infinitely better than the Druid's at the cost of a feat. That would be cool though.)

[Cieyrin]

Looks to me that all that is occurring is they're reiterating the druid penalty. I don't think you're getting double penalized for using a feat to get a companion.