Hi! My rockruff has recently evolved into a Midnight, and seems to have taken joy in newfound pointy bits, and has started clawing, nibbling, and grinding his stone outcroppings against walls and cabinet doors, and I don’t know why. My roommates are understandably upset about this, despite our apartment being preemptively reinforced by maintenance. They insist that either I neuter him or grind down his claws and rocks, and neither sounds necessary or ethical, respectively. What do you think?

Actually, I quite agree with you: it’s not necessary. In fact, in some cases, this can lead to long-term pain.

With that in mind, allow me to explain what’s going on with your lycanroc first. In practically every evolution, a pokémon undergoes a certain adjustment period. Some pokémon endure this period better than others and are able to adjust to their bodies within a few hours. Others may be clumsy, may underestimate their new boosts in power (or find it difficult to control), or, like your lycanroc, find new body parts uncomfortable. Think of it like teething. Your lycanroc’s rocky “pointy bits” (as it were) may be a little sore around the bases or otherwise more tender than they look, so your lycanroc is relieving aches and discomfort by “teething” … or, well, rubbing up against anything he can.

Luckily, there is a way to alleviate this problem. First, you can train him to “teeth” on something a bit more appropriate. Whenever you catch him rubbing or clawing (or biting) something he shouldn’t, give him a firm “no” and then immediately follow by giving him an object he can rub, bite, or claw, such as a rock, a toy, or (if you can bring him outside fast enough) an old stump or tree. Do this enough times, and he’ll learn that there is a difference between destroyable objects and off-limits objects.

Second and more importantly, if the pain lasts for more than a week, take him to see your local Nurse Joy. It may be that some skin or tissue is still caught around the base of his claws or mane or that some of his fangs have yet to erupt. Your local pokémon center should be able to “guide” the outcroppings and fangs into place or at least prescribe a few topical medications to soften or numb the skin enough for your lycanroc’s body to adjust.

Best of luck!