You should of got the "spell" train pet at lvl 10, the one that looks like a Bart Simpson sling-shot. When you use this (not in combat) a list of pet abilities will come up in a training window. Each of these has a point value that you can spend points on.
If there are not many abilites listed, then u need to visit a pet trainer and/or hunt with a variety of pets. The trainer costs coin, hunting doesn't. He/she can be found with a hunter trainer; in the cities always (not Stormwind) and in some but not all towns. Also, these abilites become available at different levels, for instance Prowl at lvl 30, rank 2 at 40 and rank 3 at 50. A pet can only learn 4 "active" abilities, but a pet trainer can unlearn ur pet, same as you can with talents. This guide (http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/guides.html?guide=504) will give you a more indepth answer to your question.
Hope this gives your hubby some peace and quite allowing him to get on with defeating the Horde/Alliance (as applicable).
Oztopher
29 Hunter (almost 30)
- Dino, lvl 28, pet Raptor
- Caesar, lvl 29, pet kitty (dont u call him that; he would rip ur face off)