Now ever since patch 3.2 (or somewhere abouts) it was safe to level your pets in a Wrath heroic. Someday it will probably be safe to do the same thing in Cataclysm, but we’re not there yet.
So what can you do to get your pet from level 82 – 85 quickly? Well the easiest thing you can do is tame a level 85 pet. Duh! However, the list of level 83-85 pets available for taming is pretty slim. Most aren’t even families that provide raid buffs/debuffs. Nope chances are you’re going have to do this the hard way.
Here is what I’ve found to be effective. Daily quests. Specifically, Tol Barad dailies. I find that one round of TB dailies (including the ones unlocked from winning the battle) are enough to get a pet from level 82-84.
If you haven’t done these dailies yet, you should. There are some great hunter rewards associated with this reputation, including an epic trinket. I should warn you though that these dailies suck big time. If a quest requires you to kill 10 mobs, you’re guaranteed to end up killing at least 20 before all is said and done.
These quests have some of the fastest respawning mobs in all of Azeroth. It’s brutal, especially if you’re inclined to stop and loot. The good news is that your level 82 pet should be up to the task of handling the level 85 mobs, and you’ll gain lots of experience. Like I said you’re pet should go from 82-84 in one pass.
That last level takes a little longer, and I’ve found that a round of Therazane dailies isn’t even enough to push you to the top.
So that’s how I’m leveling my pets right now, how about you guys? What’s working for you?
Leveling by way of dailies is great. I keep at least 2 pets that need leveling on hand while doing dailies and questing. Leveling your pets in Heroics is "unsafe" but it's very doable under the right circumstances. My pets don't die in heroics as much as I had initially feared (even when they are only lvl 82). If the fight is not pet friendly I pull him back from time to time (let a mend pet go through him) and send him back to the action. It only take about 1.5 heroics to max a pet out. Since I don't pug heroics and my guildies are decently geared…there isn't much issue with the lost dps. If you can talk your healer into throwing a hot on the pet now and then it's even easier. My guildies don't mind because we're going to need those buff soon but I can see were a pug might complain. I've gotten 3 out of 4 of my max level pets to 85 this way, so far. Only about 9 to go. One was for pvp.."bad manners" is fun but not a raid buff 🙁
I've mostly been focusing on pets have raid buffs, etc., but I did take the time level up Terrorpene as soon as I got him. He's awesome!
If that's the molten turtle. He's on my "needs to get tamed" list. I always try to get the rarest and/or nicest looking pet of the family I need. I don't have the patience, or time, for spirit beasts (unless I someday happen to bump into one I probably won't get one). What wolf do you like the best? Mine turned into a damn dog when cata dropped so he's going to get dumped and replaced with one of those gilnean dogs when I have a minute.
Yes, Terrorpene is the moltent turtle. I got very lucky and stumbled upon him while questing in Hyjal.
As far as wolves go, I don't have an affinity for any particular one. In fact, I just tamed a Highland Worg (black saber worg model) simply because it was level 84.
Wolf models are lame right now (except for the spirit beast). Why do they all have to be fluffy? My old one was the one with the ruins on it (name escapes me). I got it so I could actually loot things around him…which is much more difficult with fluffy wolves. Now he's a dog and I have to find a fluffy wolf to replace him with. I think I'll just pick up that black one to save leveling too (next time I'm out there leather farming his friends).