Hi Bill! I’ve been having trouble with my Charizard and Feraligatr for a while now. They were both my starters of sorts, the former having hatched from an egg and the latter a gift for the start of my journey but they’ve always been incredibly competitive. First it was because charmander evolved first which caused a fight and then when croconaw evolved to Feraligatr first they went at it again. I’d love to use them for double battles but they constantly attack or trip each other up. Any advice?

Encouraging your pokémon to work out their differences peacefully is, at the risk of offering fantastically unhelpful advice, perhaps the best policy here. Start by trying to mediate their conversations and offering compromises to their differences. Point out ways that their abilities complement each other (Charizard’s flying abilities versus Feraligatr’s swiftness in the water) and offer fair solutions for whatever it is that triggered their competition in the first place. (If they were competing with one another to determine who gets to sleep in a certain spot, for example, suggest that they take turns sleeping in that particular spot.)

Additionally, encouraging them to compete tasks together off the field could potentially strengthen the bonds between them. Have them perform day-to-day tasks such as chores or certain exercises together. Always train them together, and be firm and consistent if you see hints of competitive behaviors. Give them clear goals that they can only complete when working together, rather than ones that develop their strengths separately.

In other words, cooperation can very much be a trained behavior, but you’ll need to be very consistent and firm about teaching them how to interact with one another. That and it may take quite a bit of patience and a lot of sternness on your part to keep them from simply going at it every time you try to teach them cooperation.

Best of luck!

The Totodile Line

Totodile
The Big Jaw Pokémon
Type: Water
Official Registration #: 158
Entry: One of three pokémon traditionally offered to new trainers at the beginning of their journeys in Johto. A small but hardy alligator pokémon, totodile possess jaws strong enough to crush the front bumper of a car. Although it is frequently advised by experts to take caution when handling this pokémon, even those experts sometimes have difficulty avoiding injury from a totodile bite. So, logically, certain Johtonian researchers have reached the admirably sage conclusion that this is the perfect pokémon to offer to young and heavily inexperienced trainers.

Croconaw
The Big Jaw Pokémon
Type: Water
Official Registration #: 159
Entry: The evolved form of totodile, by battle experience. Croconaw’s primary form of attack is to use its huge, powerful jaws to bite down onto its opponent. Once latched on, it never lets go until it loses its teeth, which grow back harmlessly within a day. So to the young and inexperienced trainers mentioned in the previous entry, rest assured that your croconaw’s teeth will grow back shortly after they lose them, which should be one less thing to worry about as you seek medical attention for the reason why your pokémon lost its teeth in the first place.

Feraligatr
The Big Jaw Pokémon
Type: Water
Official Registration #: 160
Entry: The evolved form of croconaw, by battle experience. Despite its bulky appearance, feraligatr is a swift pokémon, capable of rushing at an opponent with blinding speed. Once it corners an opponent, it tears into its victim with its massive jaws, savagely tearing them apart within seconds.

…

Which, in combination with the damage the other two evolution lines can do to a human being, should explain why the author is immensely curious as to how a certain professor gained permission from the Johto League to hand out starters.