#0058 · Kanto · Generation 1

Growlithe

Puppy Pokémon · Fire-type

Growlithe is a Fire-type Pokémon, the Puppy Pokémon, number 58 (#0058) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 19 kg.

Growlithe is the Puppy Pokémon, a brave Fire type whose nose can smell how others feel and never forgets a scent. It is fiercely loyal to its Trainer, and the Pokédex says its bones turn up in Stone Age ruins.

How to pronounce Growlithe

Growlithe is pronounced GROWL-ith. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Growlithe said out loud:

In Japanese it is ガーディ (Gardie).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Growlithe is 0.7 m tall and weighs 19 kg, an orange dog marked with black stripes down its back and legs, with beige fur on its snout, belly, chest and tail. Its nose is its great gift: it reads the emotions of others, and an unfamiliar scent in its territory makes it roar to flush out the intruder.

Behaviour

Growlithe is friendly and faithful to people but a fierce guard. It stands up to bigger foes, barks and bites to drive off trespassers, and a well-trained one waits motionless until given an order. The Pokédex says wild ones must be tough to hold their ground against Rockruff.

Habitat

The Pokédex habitat is grassland, while the Hisuian form lives in coastal highlands. In Scarlet and Violet it roams Paldea and, through The Teal Mask, Kitakami; it is not available in Legends: Z-A.

Powers

Its Abilities are Intimidate and Flash Fire, with Justified hidden. It bites with Bite and Fire Fang, charges with Flame Wheel and throws Ember and Flamethrower. Hisuian Growlithe is a Fire and Rock type with volcanic rock in its fur and a fragile rock horn it rarely uses. With 70 base Attack and Special Attack it is a modest early attacker.

Name origin

Growlithe may combine 'growl' and 'lithe' (flexible). Its Japanese name, Gardie (ガーディ), may be a pet-name form of 'guard' or 'guardian', for a guard dog.

Design inspiration

Growlithe appears to be based on shisa, lion-dog guardian statues of Okinawa and Japan, or the related komainu, which stand in pairs. Its stripes recall a tiger, or brindle dogs such as the Kai Ken. Megumi Mizutani designed the Hisuian form. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

A Fire Stone turns Growlithe into Arcanine, and Hisuian Growlithe becomes Hisuian Arcanine the same way.

In the games

Hisuian Growlithe has story roles in two games: two of them are supporting characters in Legends: Arceus, and in The Teal Mask Perrin owns one and later gives you another. Growlithe debuted in Generation I, and the Kantonian form also appears in 2-star Tera Raid Battles in Scarlet and Violet.

In the anime

James owned a Growlithe called Growlie as a child, which first appeared in 'Holy Matrimony!'. A Hisuian Growlithe belonging to Perrin made its animated debut in 'Encounters at the Crystal Pool'.

Fun facts

• Hisuian Growlithe was one of the first two Hisuian forms shown to the public, alongside Hisuian Braviary.
• A Spaceworld '97 demo hints that Growlithe once had a smaller puppy-like pre-evolution named Pudi (プディ).
• Bulbapedia sees it as a mirror of Vulpix: both evolve with a Fire Stone and have a regional form, but Growlithe is 75% male while Vulpix is 75% female.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Growlithe (Pokémon) · Serebii: Growlithe (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 55
• Attack: 70
• Defense: 45
• Sp. Atk: 70
• Sp. Def: 50
• Speed: 60

Growlithe’s base stat total is 350. Its highest stat is Attack and Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Growlithe weak to?

Growlithe takes extra damage from Water (2×), Ground (2×), Rock (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Grass (½×), Ice (½×), Bug (½×), Steel (½×), Fairy (½×).

Evolution

How does Growlithe evolve?

Growlithe evolves into Arcanine (Fire Stone; Hisuian Growlithe: Fire Stone).

The whole family: Growlithe, Arcanine.

Forms

• Hisuian Growlithe (Hisuian form): Fire/Rock-type, base stat total 350 (HP 60, Attack 75, Defense 45, Sp. Atk 65, Sp. Def 50, Speed 55). Abilities: Intimidate, Flash Fire, Rock Head (hidden).

Abilities

• Intimidate: Lowers opponents' Attack one stage upon entering battle.
• Flash Fire: Protects against Fire moves. Once one has been blocked, the Pokémon's own Fire moves inflict 1.5× damage until it leaves battle.
• Justified (hidden ability): Raises Attack one stage upon taking damage from a Dark move.

Moves

Moves Growlithe learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (39)

Growlithe can learn 39 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Charm, Agility, Scary Face, Protect, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Thief, Fire Spin, Facade, Snarl, Swift, Flame Charge, Endure, Sunny Day, Dig, Psychic Fangs, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Rest, Substitute, Will-O-Wisp, Crunch, Heat Wave, Flamethrower, Play Rough, Helping Hand, Reversal, Fire Blast, Wild Charge, Outrage, Overheat, Flare Blitz, Close Combat, Tera Blast, Roar, Double-Edge, Temper Flare, Curse.

Egg moves (6):Covet, Double Kick, Double-Edge, Morning Sun, Raging Fury, Thrash.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 75% male, 25% female.
• Egg groups: Field.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 190 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Attack effort value.
• Base experience yield: 70.

Pokédex entries

They patrol their territory in pairs. I believe the igneous rock components in the fur of this species are the result of volcanic activity in its habitat. (Legends: Arceus)

Extremely loyal, it will fearlessly bark at any opponent to protect its own trainer from harm. (Silver, SoulSilver, Shield)

It has a brave and trustworthy nature. It fearlessly stands up to bigger and stronger foes. (Gold, HeartGold, Y, Sword)

A Pokémon with a friendly nature. However, it will bark fiercely at anything invading its territory. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

It has lived alongside humans since ages ago. Its bones have been found in excavations of ruins from the Stone Age. (Ultra Moon)

While it's quite friendly toward humans once it's grown used to them, in the wild it must be quite fierce to defend its territory from Rockruff. (Ultra Sun)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Slowest Fire type in Gen 1: 60 Speed.
• Taller than 34% of all Pokémon (0.7 m).
• Heavier than 40% of all Pokémon (19 kg).
• Base stat total 350, ranked #701 of 1,025.
• One of 81 Fire-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 58 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 50 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 190: about 24.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 1 alternate form.
• Appears in 16 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Growlithe (Pokémon), Serebii: Growlithe (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (GROWL-ith): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Fire-type Pokémon · Growlithe vs Arcanine · Kanto region guide · Intimidate ability · Flash Fire ability · Justified ability · Compare Growlithe · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 1 Fire-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with G · What does the Fire Stone evolve? · Dog Pokémon

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