What are different care methods for alolan vulpix compared to normal vulpix?

There are actually a lot of similarities, anonymous. As both are vulpine pokémon, both require the same diet (meat, if not kibble), the same spaces (outdoors to relieve themselves and wide-open areas to run about indoors), and even the same toys (canine chew toys, balls, and soft toys, depending on preference). Moreover, both forms of vulpix share requirements with growlithe, houndour, rockruff, and other dog-like cousins; the difference is that vulpix, being foxes, are a little bit harder to housebreak and leash train. They can be, of course, but it takes a bit more time and patience due to their wilder natures.

The differences between an Alolan and standard vulpix lie in their tolerances to water and heat.

For example, the standard vulpix is partially a fire-type, and like most fire-types, it’s uncomfortable when exposed to high volumes of water. While, like its aforementioned canine cousins, the standard vulpix can be trained to endure water and thus handle a bath, it much prefers to self-groom or have a dry bath consisting of sand and a thorough brushing from its trainer. Additionally, its fire typing means it prefers warmer environments and will often breathe small balls of flame to warm itself up. As such, a trainer needs to be wary of allowing it anywhere near anything flammable, and it’s recommended that they keep their home above 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

By contrast, the Alolan vulpix, being an ice-type, has no problems handling water at all and should be bathed regularly to maintain the cleanliness of its cloud-like tails. However, Alolan vulpix also grow heavily uncomfortable in the heat and thus should be kept cool at all times, even in the summer. If it’s too warm, it may create ice shards around itself to cool itself off, which provide an entirely different domestic hazard for an unwary trainer.

Also, keep in mind that the standard and Alolan vulpix have different types of coats due to the fact that they adapted to different types of environments. The standard vulpix is a short-haired variety that rarely sheds, but it’s very proud of the way its coat shines. It’s necessary, then, for a trainer to brush their vulpix daily to maintain both the smoothness and the shine of this coat; otherwise, the coat becomes dull and matted rather quickly, leading to an irritable vulpix.

Alolan vulpix, meanwhile, are less demanding in terms of personality and more demanding in terms of practicality. As mentioned above, Alolan vulpix have cloud-like tails and manes, which means it’s necessary to brush them to keep their thicker, curlier fur free of dirt and other debris. Additionally, although Alolan vulpix don’t fare well in warmer months, they still have both a summer coat and a winter coat and will shed their fur to cycle through both. It’s not unusual to wake up one autumn morning to find much of your home covered in fluffy, white clouds of fur quite literally everywhere, so invest in a good vacuum cleaner and an equally good pet pokémon brush.

My friends Zoroark recently gave birth and asked me if I want one of the Zorua. What are the proper methods to taking care of a Zorua? What kind of bed/environment/other Pokémon can it have/be with?

Despite what you might think concerning zorua’s natural masking abilities, taking care of a zorua is actually rather easy and comparable to taking care of any other dog- or fox-like pokémon. They need the same levels of time and affection and very similar training exercises to their non-morphing cousins. Likewise, they can be kept in very similar environments, with very similar beds. You may need to find a larger bed for zoroark, but luckily, it can even use the same sorts of beds as arcanine or ninetales (if it sleeps curled up, anyway—it may also sleep like humanoid pokémon, which would require a humanoid bed).

When it comes to the other basics, as with other canine pokémon, zorua are largely carnivorous, and when not fed kibble, they should be fed meat but can eat some vegetables and grains (in small amounts). It would also be a good idea to invest in chew toys or rawhide for distractions, and be sure to set aside some time each day for play and walks, especially during the first couple of years. Additionally, as with all canine pokémon, zorua can be paper-trained but should be let out to relieve themselves. Zoroark can be toilet-trained, but zorua prefer taking care of themselves in the outdoors. A fenced yard will do just as well, but definitely keep an eye on your zorua as it does so, especially if it grows into a mischievous pokémon when it comes to its ability to disguise itself. Finally, while zorua and zoroark are capable of self-grooming, you can supplement their routine with regular baths. Either way, zorua claws should be regularly trimmed, and their teeth should be brushed. This may be a difficult task as most zorua are finicky about these, but offering a treat for sitting still through these procedures may make things easier.

The only thing to keep in mind is that your zorua will eventually learn to disguise itself and create illusions. However, this is less of a problem than most people think. If you raise a zorua from a young age and treat it with kindness and love, then it won’t attempt to use its abilities to escape, contrary to popular belief. However, it will very likely attempt to create illusions for its own entertainment, so always keep your head about you when your zorua is growing into these abilities. The aforementioned distractions will be more important than ever at this point. Whenever you encounter something that is clearly an illusion (be it entire rooms that shouldn’t be there, pokémon you definitely do not have, or even an extra toaster in your kitchen), offer a toy. This will distract your zorua enough to break the illusion. In the meantime, try your best not to react negatively to your zorua’s illusions. Certainly, show your support and enthusiasm to its developing abilities, but don’t show fear or anger whenever zorua tricks you. (And, yes, this will happen.) Eventually, your zorua will outgrow its attempts to trick you, at which point you can train your zorua to use its abilities during more appropriate times, such as in battle or to protect you or your home.

As for which pokémon zorua work best with, it really depends on whether or not you intend on using your zorua for battle and what its personality is like. You may find it easiest to have a pokémon with Foresight at hand to dispel zorua’s illusions, but that would be protection for you, rather than accompaniment for your zorua. Some zorua do well when paired with other canine pokémon, especially houndour or growlithe, as they may form a pack together. Otherwise, in battle, trainers tend to pair zorua and zoroark with crobat, as their speed, combined with their typing, make them ideal counters to most of zoroark’s weaknesses.

In short, most people tend to think zorua are a challenge to raise, but for the most part, they’re fairly easy. Just remember that ultimately, zorua are canine pokémon … and also that they have a fantastic mischievous streak that can be countered with squeaky toys.

i recently came into the possession of three baby pokemon: an igglybuff, togepi, and hapinny. will they make good playmates with each other or should i separate them? what kind of toys should i be giving them? all they do right now is sleep and eat.

Actually, certain baby pokémon do better when placed in groups, rather than separated, even if that group consists of various species. This is especially true with pokémon either known for bringing happiness (happiny) or that evolve via levels of happiness (igglybuff and togepi). This is because socialization helps them develop a healthy mental state and allows them to form the bonds that eventually lead to the development of their abilities or to their evolution, respectively. Likewise, none of those pokémon are particularly discerning when it comes to their companionship (or at least, not generally speaking), so quarrels between any of them are unlikely.

So to answer your first question, absolutely, those three will make excellent playmates.

To answer your second question, believe it or not, the same sorts of toys you would give a human baby often work well for these pokémon. Soft toys, durable plastic toys, and anything that lights up and makes music are all excellent choices—especially the latter if you’d like something that will ensure they’ll stay in one place when you take your eyes off them for a moment. Never give them anything that can fit in their mouths and be swallowed, especially igglybuff (as it will attempt to chew anything). It’s also a good idea to give your happiny a round, smooth stone the shape of a chansey egg (but slightly smaller, so she can carry it), as happiny take comfort from carrying one of these around. Yes, it’s a good idea even if you don’t wish to evolve your happiny right away. Don’t worry—the round stone isn’t happiny’s only evolutionary requirement. Also, keep a stock of these stones on hand, and make sure they’re as close to identical as you can get them. Your happiny may lose her stone often, and it’s worth it to have a replacement ready.

Best of luck, anonymous, and congratulations on the new litter!

how do i properly care for a chinchou?

As one would assume, chinchou are primarily aquatic pokémon. As such, just like many other aquatic pokémon, they’ll need a pool or tank of clean water, and it’s important to keep a regular maintenance routine with it. Your chinchou will be doing everything in its pool—eating, sleeping, excreting wastes, and so forth—so it’s of the utmost importance that you ensure the water’s changed regularly. It may also help to invest in a filter, but this shouldn’t take the place of regular weekly cleaning.

Additionally, don’t forget that chinchou primarily live in the ocean, which means they’re saltwater pokémon, rather than freshwater. Adding sand at the bottom of your pool or tank is one step to making your chinchou feel at home, but the second step must be to add saltwater whenever you cycle its habitat’s water supply. You do this by mixing sea salt (available at most pokémarts and pokémon pet supply stores) with any water you add to your tank or pool. Always be sure that the water is clear and that the pH and temperature are just right before adding it to your chinchou’s habitat. If the water is cloudy, then that means the salt hasn’t been fully dissolved, which means the salinity will be too off-balance for your chinchou to handle.

Granted, yes, chinchou, like all pokémon, are highly adaptable and can survive in freshwater (or even on land), but to maintain its peak health, it should be allowed to swim in saltwater on a regular basis. For most people, it’s easier to keep a saltwater habitat than a freshwater and saltwater one, but if you have more freshwater pokémon than marine pokémon (for example, if you also raise magikarp, goldeen, feebas, carvanha, and so forth), it may be more convenient to keep a freshwater tank for all of them. Just be sure to give your chinchou a saltwater bath a few times a week to give it the nutrients it needs and to maintain the texture of its skin.

Chinchou are also carnivorous pokémon, and in the wild, they thrive primarily on shrimp, krill, some cephalopods (particularly cuttlefish), and small, bottom-dwelling fish. In captivity, it’s recommended to put them on diets consisting of mostly fresh or frozen shrimp or pieces of frozen fish (or, if you can afford it, pieces of squid or octopus). Avoid feeding them canned sardines, anchovies, or other fish, as tempting and cheap as that might be, because the processing techniques often render canned fish too fatty for pokémon consumption—especially in the cases of anchovies and sardines. Every so often, you may feed your chinchou frozen peas to add variance and fiber to their diets. If all else fails, there is, of course, pokémon kibble.

As for entertainment and sleeping arrangements, your chinchou will be perfectly comfortable just sleeping at the bottom of its tank, especially if you’ve lined it with sand instead of rocks. Some enjoy sleeping inside artificial caves, so making or buying one and adding it to your tank may be a good idea. Additionally, most chinchou feel safest when hiding in seaweed forests. While you’re rather limited on what you can grow in a domestic tank (many species of aquatic plants found in the ocean can’t actually be grown at home), you can still invest in a few samples of macro algae to simulate chinchou’s native forests. Yes, as much of a hassle as that sounds, it’s better to use real vegetation instead of plastic plants. Oftentimes, plastic plants do nothing more than accumulate bacteria and present just one more thing you need to clean on your weekly maintenance routines. Meanwhile, if you add real macro algae to your setup, they often help regulate the oxygen and nitrate levels of your chinchou’s water supply while giving them a place to rest and hide. That and they sometimes make excellent between-meal snacks for your chinchou.

So long as there’s plenty of water for your chinchou to swim about in, it doesn’t really need anything else in terms of toys. It will simply spend much of its time swimming along the bottom of the tank or coming up to sun on the surface. The only other thing to keep in mind is that every so often, they discharge electricity (as do all electric-types), and it’s highly recommended that you avoid contact with the water when that happens, as it may accidentally electrocute you in the process. If you’d like to minimize the likelihood of that happening while adding something to your own routine that allows you to interact more often with your chinchou, set up a lightning rod somewhere near your pool and set aside time each day to have chinchou come ashore and do lightning training under your watch. That is to say, set aside time each day to direct chinchou into attacking a lightning rod using its electrical techniques, such as Thunder Wave or Electroball. Not only will this give your chinchou plenty of time to discharge its excess energy in a safe manner, but the training will also be excellent target practice as well as preparation for full-scale battles.

In short, initially, chinchou may be a bit more complicated than most pokémon to prepare a habitat for, and the routine maintenance is not only time-consuming but also an absolute requirement. However, once you get your chinchou’s tank set up and integrate it into its new environment, chinchou are among the least fussy pokémon to care for, as they’re frequently content with just water, food, light, and a bit of sand and algae to sleep on at night.

I found a Dratini and a Spheal, both female, at a nearby lake. (I don’t know why a Spheal is down so far south, but she must be pretty resilient to the summer to still be here.) Both of them are friendly and we have been hanging out for two months. I recently asked them if they would like to be with me more, and they agreed and were caught. Any advice for raising them? Thanks!

The most important thing is to figure out their living situation, considering both are largely aquatic pokémon. This would be a bit more complicated due to the average spheal’s need for slightly colder waters than what a dratini can handle, except it seems your spheal is strangely acclimated to warmer temperatures. (It may be worth it to see if anyone had lost track of a dratini and a spheal by taking yours to a pokémon center, but given their eagerness to be with you, the answer to that question isn’t quite as important as it would normally be in situations like these.)

Thus, you only need one pool, but be sure to make it large enough to accommodate both a dragonair and both of spheal’s evolutions. Dragonite are not quite as reliant on water as its previous forms, so you don’t need to be concerned about space for one. However, walrein can get pretty large, and their space requirements can potentially get rather demanding, so be sure to place this pool outside if at all possible. I would also recommend keeping a close eye on your spheal as it evolves, as its temperature requirements can also shift, and dratini and dragonair—being members of an evolutionary family that isn’t quite as quick to evolve—may not be able to handle the temperatures walrein needs. If your walrein can handle warmer climates as your spheal can, however, perhaps this won’t be as much of a problem. Alternatively, if your spheal’s special ability is Thick Fat, then you won’t need to worry, as this is the likeliest explanation behind its ability to tolerate warmth.

That aside, once you figure out where they’ll be homed, be sure the pond or pool you construct for them is always supplied with fresh water. Also be sure to have a source of drinking water (such as a nearby water bottle), as pokémon should never drink the water they live in. This is, after all, where they will normally relieve themselves. On that note, also be sure to clean the pool or pond as often as possible—once a week at the absolute minimum. Install a filter system to take care of the days in between cleaning, and be sure to test the pH levels each time you clean.

As for food, both are carnivorous and feed primarily on fish. Don’t feed them canned tuna, as this can be too fatty for them. Instead, try to secure salmon or tilapia, but cod and bass will do just as well. If you absolutely cannot afford fish, you may be able to feed them with chicken, but by then, you might as well just give them kibble. For their spheal and dratini stages, food should be cubed, but as they evolve, they’ll gain the ability to handle whole fillets. If you’d like to give them treats, both can eat shrimp, and some people like to give their spheal squid or octopus if it’s available in their region. Additionally, dragonite become omnivorous and typically eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, and meat from land animals in addition to seafood.

When it comes to grooming, both will largely self-groom, especially thanks to their pool. Dratini will shed their skin now and then; simply provide a nice, flat rock for her to crawl onto and rub herself against during this process. Be warned that she may turn defensive towards her spheal friend for a few days during and after shedding. This is completely normal and comes as a result of the fact that pokémon that shed have softer skin that’s not quite as resistant to damage for those few days after their upper layer has been shed. It takes a few days for their new scales (or exoskeletons or what-have-you) to harden or toughen to the consistency the old layer had. This will typically happen four to six times a year for dratini, so if it’s been a couple of months since she last shed, you may wish to prepare (by informing your spheal and keeping her away from her friend for a bit).

In terms of entertainment, spheal enjoy anything that they can balance on their noses, particularly round objects. (Some behaviorists believe they also like round objects because spheal see themselves in them, so it’s much like playing with dolls for humans.) Supply your spheal with plenty of these, and she’ll be happy. Your dratini will likely play with anything you give your spheal; dratini aren’t particularly discerning when it comes to toys.

As for sleep, neither really need beds of their own, and because spheal are warm-blooded, you may not even need a pool heater for your dratini. It may be a worthwhile investment anyway, though, particularly for colder months, but if you do get one, be sure to test it out by observing how your spheal reacts to it. If the water is too warm for your spheal, simply provide a nest of blankets for your dratini to crawl into at nights or bring her inside and allow her to sleep in your bathtub.

Finally, training. Be warned that it may be tricky to train the two together, as dratini, until they evolve, rely largely on physical moves. This is a problem because your spheal’s mainstays are colder moves that could do serious harm to your dratini if she gets caught in them. Thus, it’s wise to train them separately and to use them for single battles, not doubles. Alternatively, use TMs and be extremely cautious when training your pokémon in tandem.

Best of luck, reader, and congratulations on your new pokémon!

Any tips on raising ghost Pokémon? I hear a lot of bad things about them but I recently met a very sweet driftloon who I fell in love with and adopted as soon as I met

Well, it depends on the ghost, anonymous, as each ghost is its own species with its own requirements. I’m a little concerned about the sweetness of this drifloon, however, as drifloon are rather notorious for acting sweet until you grab hold of their strings, at which point they try to carry you away to parts unknown. Of course, the likelihood of it succeeding is slim (as drifloon can’t even lift a toddler on their own), but still, be wary of possible ulterior motives when it comes to wild ghosts.

If the drifloon actually wants to live with you for reasons that have nothing to do with your soul, then I do admit that ghosts are generally easier to take care of than most other pokémon. Mostly incorporeal ghosts such as the gastly and drifloon line are clean in that they don’t need baths, nor do they relieve themselves, thus eliminating two of the less desirable aspects of raising pokémon. They still may make a bit of a mess (as they’re far more mischievous in general than most other types), but this would be limited to typical poltergeist activity. This kind of behavior is difficult to train out of a ghost-type until you bond with it to the point where it takes your requests (for it to stop tossing your possessions about) seriously. Try to occupy it with soft toys instead—anything you wouldn’t mind allowing it to throw about.

By and large, while most ghosts are nocturnal, this is not the case for drifloon, whose normal hunting habits require it to be awake during the day, when its typical prey (small children) are awake. Thus, don’t be surprised if your drifloon keeps the same sleep schedule you do. Additionally, when they sleep, most ghosts prefer to take on incorporeal/invisible forms, to float in an unreachable corner, or to simply rest on a shelf where they can’t be bothered, depending on the pokémon and their usual mode of self-defense. The drifloon family prefers the second method, which means the usual beds I would recommend are not necessary in its case. However, be sure that your drifloon rests in a room without a ceiling fan or uncovered vent, as your drifloon won’t be consciously monitoring where it floats as it sleeps.

Normally, a drifloon’s diet consists of … well, let’s just say there is absolutely no way you can procure what a drifloon normally eats without being arrested. Luckily, drifloon will happily take most human food and poké-kibble as a replacement. As a general rule, ghosts (with the exception of sableye) are omnivores, but most, drifloon included, lean more towards a carnivorous lifestyle than a herbivorous. However, while scientists have argued for decades over the subject of what, exactly, the more incorporeal ghost-types get out of eating (as they don’t seem to need any particular set of nutrients), it’s always worth it to feed them a variety of foods, rather than feeding them exclusively meat. Granted, you could also get away with not feeding them at all, but this may encourage drifloon to go out and hunt your neighbor’s children instead.

As for activities, your drifloon won’t actually need much exercise, and ghosts by-and-large already have a full mastery of their powers by the time they make themselves known to humans. When the two of you get closer, your drifloon may allow you to hold one of its strings, at which point, it’s fine to take it outside and get it some air. Try to avoid taking it outside before it allows you to hold onto it, however. A stiff breeze may separate the two of you, and that would be rather unfortunate.

If you happen to be a trainer, however, it’s worth it to note that most ghosts can learn a variety of moves, and they tend to be eager students. Drifloon is no exception to this. What I mean to say is that it’s worthwhile for trainers to capture ghost-types, as these are quite easy to train (once you get past their mischievous streaks) and quite capable of being rather flexible on the battlefield.

But most importantly, anonymous, keep your drifloon away from small children. Technically, the child won’t be in danger because, again, drifloon can’t carry off a toddler on its own, but it will be just the worst for drifloon’s self-confidence.

Good luck, anonymous!

In a few weeks I’ll be looking after my sister’s clefairy while she’s busy moving. Do you have any advice for looking after a clefairy?

Well, first and foremost, never let a clefairy anywhere near your research equipment.

(I … what? —LH

It’s valid advice! —Bill)

In all seriousness, it’s important to know first how your sister cares for her clefairy normally and stick to those routines. Clefairy are highly intelligent, extremely curious, and slightly mischievous pokémon, and if you deviate from their routine and pamper them in the slightest, they’ll attempt to take advantage of that. Write down everything your sister tells you and stick as closely to that as possible. Most importantly, never let your guard down. Clefairy are cute, they know this, and they will take the first opportunity they can get to disappear on you if you take your eyes off them for a moment.

That having been said, remember that clefairy are heavily influenced by the moon. If your sister’s clefairy is staying with you for more than a month, be prepared to allow it outside for its monthly moon ritual (an energetic dance beneath the light of the full moon). If you have any other pokémon or soft toys, it’s important to have them ready, as clefairy often seek warm, soft things to cuddle next to after it wears itself out from its dancing. Otherwise, a soft bed—preferably one with plenty of blankets it can burrow into—will do just fine to make it feel comfortable.

Additionally, clefairy are predominantly cave pokémon, so they can be kept occupied with boxes or special “clefairy trees,” or scratching posts with multiple branches. If you don’t wish to buy a clefairy tree just for this stay (which is understandable), be sure to keep an eye on your sister’s clefairy to keep it from climbing your furniture and burrowing into your laundry piles. If you can get a few cardboard boxes your sister won’t need for packing, this should be enough to keep her clefairy in line. You likely won’t need to trim your clefairy’s nails (which is an ordeal), but definitely be warned that some clefairy will claw at furniture. Supply your sister’s with soft toys to keep it from doing this. Finally, jingling toys and shiny, crinkling objects are also excellent ways to keep a clefairy occupied, but ask your sister for her clefairy’s preferences.

On a temporary basis, pokémon in general can be fed kibble, but should you wish to give your sister’s clefairy a treat at all, give it nuts or berries. Don’t feed it fairy cakes. It’s a misconception that they like those, and in any case, you very likely don’t want the resulting sugar rush. Of course, also keep a dish of clean water available for it as well.

In terms of waste elimination, most house clefairy relieve themselves in covered litter boxes, but some have been trained to use toilets. If your sister’s uses a litter box, you should change this daily if possible. If your sister’s is toilet-trained, just be warned that toilet training does not include teaching them how to flush. Be aware that an accident may happen because clefairy, normally timid pokémon, may be alarmed by any change of scenery. Just have patience and let your sister’s know where its litter box (or the toilet) is.

As for cleaning it, clefairy can self-groom, but once a week or if it gets into anything particularly vile, you can give your clefairy a bath in a sink using pokémon soap available at most pokémarts. Some clefairy are also trained to brush their teeth on their own; your sister will likely have a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste specially made for hers that’s part of its routine. If it isn’t, don’t worry about it; clefairy teeth can go for a week without being brushed.

A few notes on some common behaviors: clefairy can largely entertain themselves (especially if you give it boxes), but they also enjoy being petted. If your sister’s nibbles at you, that’s usually a sign that it trusts you, and if it butts its curl against you, that means it likes you enough to mark it as its own. (The curl contains scent glands, much like a cat’s cheeks.) Meanwhile, another common sign to look out for is an uncurled tail, usually in conjunction with paler fur. This is usually a sign that your sister’s clefairy is getting sick, so it’s important to take it to the pokémon center as soon as possible. Finally, if your sister’s clefairy starts vocalizing frequently at night, that’s a good sign that the full moon is approaching or that it’s already here. Let it outside and keep a close eye on it for dancing.

Finally, a warning: a clefairy that gets too comfortable in its new habitat will usually try to nest. That doesn’t mean it’s trying to mate. Rather, it means that the clefairy will assemble materials to fashion for itself a nest—materials that usually include soft objects, such as clothing. Every clefairy has the ability to generate a strong adhesive in the backs of their throats that harden into a crystalline substance when in contact with air. These clefairy then use this substance to glue together materials to form that nest—which is to say that if you start noticing your sister’s clefairy gathering your personal items into a pile, it’s a good idea to keep it from spitting on them and gluing them together. If you can’t stop it from doing this, all pokémarts sell cleaners that can neutralize this substance, but it will still be a bit of a challenge to clean. Don’t lose your temper at your sister’s clefairy (for this or anything else), however. Yelling at a clefairy is a great way to scare it, which then may drive it to hide somewhere in your home or even run away—neither of which will end well for something as small as a clefairy.

But most importantly, never let one anywhere near your electronics. Just … just trust me on that.

Best of luck, anonymous!

Hi there! My husband and I are thinking of adopting either a Growlithe or Houndour puppy. Which has better temperament, house broken, health concerns, and recommendations to ‘fire-puppy’-proof our house? :)

In general, growlithe tend to be among the easiest pokémon to train for domestic purposes, hence why they’re far more popular as pets than houndour. Don’t get me wrong, of course. Houndour are also excellent pets and far better guard pokémon. It’s just that they’re less friendly, more stoic, and otherwise pack creatures. They’re not the sort who will be eager to entertain the way growlithe are, and they fare much better when homed with at least one more of their own species. As such, it may be harder to get them to listen to commands than it would be for the notoriously loyal growlithe, which means it may be harder to housebreak them, walk them, and generally train them.

On the other hand, they’re also less excitable than growlithe, and thus, they’re less likely to bark or use their fire abilities excessively. Very minimal fireproofing is necessary for a houndour, whereas a growlithe may howl, pounce, and use Ember in celebration for your return home after a long day at work. Thus, for a houndour, you may only need a handy, charged fire extinguisher in as many rooms as humanly possible, whereas growlithe need training and a constant water-type partner at minimum.

In short, I supposed it would depend on your needs. Growlithe are easier to train and more affectionate, but houndour are quiet and well-behaved by default but not quite as emotionally available as growlithe may be.

One last note, though: if you have small children or are expecting, contrary to popular belief, houndour are excellent choices—far better than growlithe. Not only is this because houndour are generally calmer, but it’s also because their pack instincts kick in around human babies and toddlers. The truth is, you’ll likely find no canine pokémon more protective and concerned for a child’s well-being than a houndour, even though the species is often (wrongly) associated with violence.

Hopefully, this helps, anonymous. Best of luck with your decision.

Hello Bill! I have a sweet little happiny in my care, I was wondering if you had any tips on raising her? Another thing is she is very shy and has a hard time interacting with the rest of my team, any tips on integrating her? Thanks so much!

First, the necessary information. Much like babies, happiny need plenty of sleep. Ensure they have a soft bed and warm blankets. Do not swaddle them but rather loosely cover them if they look cold. Feed them at least twice daily with either kibble or pureed fruits and vegetables, as well as milk for calcium. Baby formula, strangely enough, also works. Happiny will also need a litter box with standard poké filler, and this should be changed daily. Give your happiny a daily bath with gentle soaps in your sink or tub. Finally, happiny should be given durable, soft or plastic toys—never anything with small parts—as well as a polished, round stone that resembles a miniature chansey egg (an oval stone, in other words). Even if you don’t evolve your happiny, the stone does wonders for its mental health.

Now! As for integration, this is a bit tougher. If you still have one or both of her parents, allow them to help you with this. Let them show her that the rest of her team is friendly, and let them introduce her. If you don’t still have her parents or if you adopted her, start with the youngest, gentlest member of your team. Introduce that specific pokémon to her on its own as a playmate. Let that pokémon play with her and “babysit” her, as it were. Once she begins to trust that team member, introduce another one with the first one present. Work your way towards introducing her to your team one by one until she meets the fiercest, oldest members, and have each of your team members play with and care for her in turn. Introducing her to your team all at once may intimidate her, but going slow and allowing her to start with your most approachable members allows her to get comfortable with them at her own pace. Likewise, keeping the members she’s already befriended out as you introduce her to someone new allows her to seek comfort in the friends she’s already made.

Best of luck and congratulations on the new addition to your family, anonymous!

Recently my late wife’s Aggron laid a small clutch of eggs. We turned most of them over to a licensed breeder, but my daughter decided to keep one and use it as her starter when she starts her journey in a few months. The two of us have been taking care of Aggron the past few years, but it had been fully evolved long before I met my wife. Is there anything we should know about raising a young Aron, both for the next few weeks at home, and later when my daughter sets out?

Luckily, you still have the aggron parent. That makes things immensely easier, not only because the aggron will do much of the work to take care of its child for you but also because aron will generally need many of the same things as aggron, just in smaller doses. Aron still need cool, dry places to sleep; rocks to supplement its diet (if you don’t feed it exclusively stone); and plenty of time to battle so it may gain experience and harden its shell. I would recommend a diet of pure stone, incidentally, as well as at least one hour of defensive training a day. Aron’s best traits on the battlefield is its defensive capabilities, so the harder its armor when it begins its time as your daughter’s starter, the better. It may also be worth it to invest in a sand bath of its own, complete with a few stumps or stones for it to Tackle. That way, it can bathe, play, and continue to work on training its defenses, all in one.

The only trouble you may encounter would be at the start of your daughter’s journey. Your late wife’s aggron may cause trouble, as losing her trainer would have been traumatic enough, but with the departure of her child and one of her caretakers, she may see the journey as less an opportunity for the both of them and more the act of losing half its family. It’s important to spend time with her and make it clear that you won’t leave her. If you have any other pokémon, have them bond with her too. If you don’t, consider getting her a long-term mate or ask the breeder who took on most of her clutch if she can visit until the hatchlings are adopted (or if she can spend time on the ranch, caring for any other pokémon—even this interaction will do wonders for her).

As for your daughter and her aron, have those two bond as much as possible. It sounds like the aron will still be young when it leaves home with its trainer, so you’ll need to focus on making the separation from its parent go as smoothly and as non-traumatic as possible. By having your daughter take an active role in caring for it—by feeding it, battling with it, playing with it, and so forth—the aron will bond with her more readily and, therefore, see her as its main family and caretaker, or someone who will be there for it and who it can trust.

In short, take care of the aron the same way as you would an aggron. The same could be said after your daughter begins her journey. She’ll need to continue feeding her aron and battling with it regularly. The only change is that she may need to polish her aron by hand, using a rag and standard steel-type polish, available at any pokémart. It’s just that prior to her departure, ensure that both your wife’s aggron and your daughter’s aron are emotionally prepared for the separation.

Good luck, and congratulations on your daughter’s journey!