This is a dumb question but…how do you give a Pokemon an item to “hold”? I’m just starting to train and my dad gave me a Persian to take on my journey, and I want to give him a quick claw. Does he hold it in his mouth?

For the most part, how a hold item is held depends on the actual item, but rest assured that none of them require the pokémon to hold it in its mouth. That’s a good way to end up in the emergency ward of the nearest pokémon center, watching your pokémon’s stomach get pumped.

On a less graphic note, how a hold item is held depends on the item in question. For example, many items, the quick claw included, are usually tied to a cord which is then tied around a pokémon’s neck like a collar. Some pokémon centers also sell special collars that have sewn-on satchels specifically for items to make this easier. Other items, such as the king’s rock, may be worn right away, just like an item of clothing. Then you have other items, such as metal coat, which are not actually items themselves but rather a coat of paint or a thing you otherwise apply temporarily to your pokémon. (Yes, metal coat is literally a metallic film. You remove it by using the polish remover kept in the top half of the jar.)

In very few cases, the item is literally held, but the circumstances for this are extremely specific. For example, if given a twisted spoon, members of the abra line will simply hold it in one of their claws (with alakazam choosing which claw will be holding two spoons), but for many other pokémon, the twisted spoon is simply carried in the aforementioned satchel and/or collar.