I have a Purugly and a Delcatty that have been living with me for years. recently i adopted a young lillipup from a rescue agency, and the mon’s don’t get along with him at all. he likes to chase Delcatty into hiding, and Purugly likes to stalk and and smack him whenever she can. i’m starting to believe that these kinds of pokemon really CAN’T get along after all

Oh no, it’s possible that they all can get along, but they have to have a particular chemistry, just like humans do with each other. Sometimes, cat pokémon and dog pokémon adore one another, and sometimes, they go at it like, well, cats and dogs. And sometimes, the latter occurs for no good reason at all.

Of course, other times, there may be a particular reason, so it would be worth it to observe your pokémon and see if there is a behavior that causes them to interact this way. It’s likely that your lillipup simply needs to be trained to not chase your delcatty, while your purugly needs to be trained to use better problem resolution skills.

Heya bill, big fan! I had a question about a Lillipup I got as a rescue from a mill. She’s really shy and loving, but every now and again she’ll have something akin to an anxious breakdown. Can Pokémon have PTSD? How can I help her without triggering her by accident? There’s only one other Pokémon in the house (Starly) and they typically don’t interact beyond the occasional play session. I don’t know what’s setting lillipup off, but I want her to be comfortable for the rest of her days.

Thank you!

To answer your first question, it depends on the species (some pokémon, such as the slowpoke line, never seem to be affected by anything, including events that would logically induce extreme trauma and stress), but with dog-like pokémon, absolutely.

The most important thing to do when you’re taking care of a rescue—and not simply one with PTSD, but absolutely this as well—is make them feel safe. Provide them with a comfortable home. Give them plenty of food, water, and soft toys. Show them affection, but be slow and speak with a soft, easy tone when you’re around them. Remove anything that might seem threatening, and avoid raising your voice, even if your anger or frustration isn’t even directed at them.

Additionally, establish routines with them. Pokémon with PTSD see routines as safe, as maintaining regular habits gives them a sense of control. They know when they’ll be fed, walked, groomed, and so forth, so it’s easier for them to understand what’s going on at all times and to anticipate what you’ll do next. Thus, always be sure to fill your pokémon’s food and water bowls at the exact same time every day (with kibble high in Omega 3 and other nutrients that can boost serotonin), take them out for walks at a specific time and for a specific duration, and so on and so forth. And on that note, be sure to exercise your pokémon, but don’t engage in battles with them until it’s clear they can handle them. Play-fighting with other pokémon may help you gauge when yours is ready.

General notes out of the way, it’s difficult to say what might be causing your lillipup’s distress unless you’ve followed the above notes to a T. In her case, she may benefit from a calming collar (a special collar treated with pheromones or flower oils to give off a calming scent), herbal supplements, or actual drug therapy, depending on the severity of her episodes and the actual diagnosis Nurse Joy helps you reach. (Yes, you may need to take your lillipup to a pokémon center as well, especially if her episodes are particularly severe.)

Alternatively—or perhaps in addition to the above—observe her carefully. Very rarely does a pokémon do something for no reason, so there may be a source you haven’t noticed yet. Keep your eyes peeled especially for subtle movement or sound around your lillipup whenever she has an episode. Don’t forget to pay attention to what’s going on outside as well, as she may also be alerting you to an intruder.

But really, start by taking her to a pokémon center to determine whether or not she does have PTSD and then work from there (although the above-mentioned tips certainly wouldn’t hurt either).

Best of luck, anonymous!

Did domestic canine Pokemon descend from wilder Pokemon like Mightyena, or is there no real evolutionary history for the overall canine family? (I do hope this makes science. Biology and it’s vocabulary was not my strong suit in school.)

They did indeed! In fact, mightyena are themselves descendants from the same common ancestor as growlithe, lillipup, and so forth.

I could go further into detail as to when, roughly, each species diverged, but this may overcomplicate matters a bit. The important thing to know is that, indeed, mightyena is very closely related to the “dog” pokémon—possibly, even, to the point where a proto-mightyena might have been the common ancestor and that human domestication led to dog-like pokémon adapting into their own species.

It’s actually quite interesting to look at, actually. Each of the dog-like species share similar traits, but it’s very easy to tell why they were domesticated based on what types they’ve become. But that’s neither here nor there, I suppose.

Can you do the Lillipup line, please?

Ah, the lillipup line! Puppy-like lines are certainly some of the most fascinating, although I must say that lillipup isn’t quite as scientifically curious as eevee. Nonetheless…

Lillipup
The Puppy Pokémon
Type: Normal
Official Registration #: 506
Entry: According to the Unovan pokédex, this small, terrier-like pokémon is both brave and intelligent. When faced with an opponent of equal or lesser strength than itself, it will attack to defend its trainer from harm. However, when faced with an opponent of greater strength than itself, it will acknowledge its opponent’s strength and run away. Unfortunately, however, this is only what it does in theory. In practice, lillipup are small, tenacious pokémon that will bark and charge at anything, regardless of power. While this may sound adorable, the author should warn you that this means anything and that it would be extremely prudent to keep lillipup away from anything that may charge a trainer as well. Such as bouffalant.

Herdier
The Loyal Dog Pokémon
Type: Normal
Official Registration #: 507
Entry: The evolved form of lillipup, by battle experience. As herdier grows, the black, cape-like fur on its back hardens and thickens to form a cushion against any blow it may receive. Each hair is coarse, and the older a herdier gets, the coarser and more needle-like these hairs become. It should also be noted that while herdier normally do not shed excessively, the occasional hair loss is normal … which is to say, it may be prudent to get rid of any and all carpeting in your home.

Stoutland
The Big-Hearted Pokémon
Type: Normal
Official Registration #: 508
Entry: The evolved form of herdier, by battle experience. Although many people outside of the research community believe stoutland’s species name refers to its kindness and bravery (traits inferred from its tendency to seek out and rescue lost humans and pokémon in even the fiercest mountainous blizzards), in actuality, it stems from its literal abnormally large heart, which can weigh up to 1.2% of its body weight—possibly even more for those that exercise particularly vigorously. How a three-foot-tall dog can have a heart that large without telekinetic assistance or suffering the effects of abnormally high blood pressure or other coronary issues is still a matter of scientific debate and fascination.