If a dwarf cannot locate a livestock animal it will go grab a piece of applicable food to feed a animal and whistle the animal to them within a certain range, this sets a game waypoint for the creature to beckon to the dwarf, this only applies if the dwarf cannot travel to collect them themselves or there is a explicit reason for not handling the creature.
If the dwarf cannot locate an animal, how can the animal locate the dwarf? Under what situations can a dwarf not locate an animal?
This behaviour makes allowances to collect animals from 1 z level above or below by pulling them up/towards (requiring strength and time penalties to larger creatures)
Why would they pull the animal instead of guiding them like usual?
Animal trainers have additional buffs to this, as with a certain level of training for the animal and experience themselves, they can do it without a food reward purely on command and at a greater range.
Hauling doesn't currently require a food reward. If you're adding a food requirement, I don't really have a comment, except that it doesn't decrease micromanagement and adds to the pathing issue of picking up food first.
Animal trainers can also command regular livestock to do complex tasks (see work animals section) such as commanding them to attack, regardless of benign tokens/timidity for a morale boost (creating a no-quarter situation for the animal), and to explicitly stay within a pasture, this command does not have to be re-applied upon domesticated animals, though anything less than domesticated will occasionally forget and wander from time to time.
Forcing a benign animal to attack doesn't sound very realistic. They want to flee above all else.
A dwarf will always be able to summon their personal pet from whatever distance, a trainer with a personal pet has the most possible advantage.
I thought pets already follow their owners wherever they go?
Guzzlers/Item thieves require mandatory incentives for commands, but with high training and animal training job experience, there is a diminishing chance of the animal recieving its 'treat'
No comment, as with previous food reward.
Command a creature to prone, so that you may equip objects such as armour and mount upon it, which is especially important if you are of small stature like a dwarf
This sounds like adventure mode. It makes things more complicated than a simple mount/equip option. In fort mode you probably wouldn't even notice it happening.
Assign a large pack animal to haul a wagon/plough to a instruction with supervision of someone commanding its movements.
Sounds about the same as setting up a minecart route in fort mode. Not sure what to make of it for adventure mode, except that the player usually isn't even around, so most work happens off-screen anyways.
Assign hunting animals/separate training class of animals to assist in shepherding/civilian duties and encourage livestock to do commands such as to stay put by chasing them back into the pen/serving as a deterrent like a sheepdog.
This one seems useful. Frees up dwarves from having to do it.