Cohort Optimization?

[sir_argenon]

trying to make a character with the dragon cohort feat.  i want him to be gishy but reaching 9's isnt overly important. 

i saw the zhentarim skymage, which is very nice, but thats an evil group, and thats not really what i am looking for.

anyway, is there any methods of making you cohort REALLY strong? kinda supermount!-ish, like stacking paladin/familiar/animal companion levels to bolster its abilities?

looking for any, and all advice here.. thanks. 

[McPoyo]

Make your cohort a cleric or druid and have it polymorph.

Morehelpfully:  any of the supermount builds would work if you used the rules from the DMG to make your cohort your paladin mount.

[sir_argenon]

thank you! i always forget about the stuff in the dmg if its not in the srd. 

so how would that work? i have the cohort first and then make it my special mount?  would it advance as a cohort or a special mount? or both? 

this will go great with that paladin/wizard high one warrior sub level from the CV web enhancement.  stacking familiar/special mount... and if i take a beastmaster level + devoted tracker adds on the animal companion stuff too.. right?

[McPoyo]

It should, yes.