#0261 · Hoenn · Generation 3

Poochyena

Bite Pokémon · Dark-type

Poochyena is a Dark-type Pokémon, the Bite Pokémon, number 261 (#0261) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 0.5 m tall and weighs 13.6 kg.

Poochyena is the Bite Pokémon, a small Dark type that snaps at anything that moves, then loses its nerve if the target fights back. In Ruby and Sapphire it is the wild Pokémon that attacks Professor Birch in the opening scene.

How to pronounce Poochyena

Poochyena is pronounced poo-chee-EN-uh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Poochyena said out loud:

In Japanese it is ポチエナ (Pochiena).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Poochyena is a quadruped that looks like a hyena crossed with a dog, 0.5 m tall and 13.6 kg. Its body is grey with a black face, throat, paws and belly, and it has red eyes with yellow whites, a red nose, two pointed teeth sticking up from its lower jaw and rumpled, shaggy fur where its tail begins. The Pokédex notes that its fangs are large for its body.

Behaviour

Poochyena bares its fangs and barks fiercely, but the Pokédex says this is really a show of its cowardly nature. It bristles the hair on its tail to scare foes and hunts in packs, chasing prey until it tires. If the prey strikes back, it may turn tail and flee.

Habitat

The Pokédex lists grasslands, and Bulbapedia adds savannas and forests. In Scarlet and Violet it is found across Kitakami in The Teal Mask, including one-star Tera Raid Battles.

Diet

The Pokédex says Poochyena is an omnivore that will eat anything.

Powers

Run Away guarantees escape from wild battles, Quick Feet raises its Speed with a status condition, and the hidden Ability Rattled raises Speed when Dark, Ghost or Bug moves hit it. It learns Bite, Crunch and Play Rough. Its best base stat is Attack at 55, and its Speed is only 35.

Name origin

Poochyena combines 'pooch' and 'hyena'. The Japanese name is Pochiena (ポチエナ), which may join Pochi, a common name for pet dogs in Japan, with 'hyena'.

Design inspiration

Bulbapedia says Poochyena appears to be based on hyenas and wolves, though its small size, tenacity and love of biting also resemble a Tasmanian devil. These are fan readings.

Evolution notes

Poochyena evolves into Mightyena at level 18.

In the games

Poochyena is the wild Pokémon the player must fight off, using their starter, when it attacks Professor Birch in Ruby and Sapphire, its debut games. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness, three Poochyena brothers form Team Poochy and specialise in catching criminals. It is not available in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Several Poochyena debuted in 'Get the Show on the Road!' by attacking Professor Birch, as in the games. In 'A Bite to Remember', Max made friends with a Poochyena that belonged to Katrina and helped it evolve.

Fun facts

• Poochyena and Mightyena share the Bite Pokémon category with Drednaw, according to Bulbapedia.
• Its base stat total of 220 is the lowest of any Dark type.
• Early art, Ken Sugimori's official art among it, gave Poochyena a partly grey mouth instead of a red one, and Mightyena a black nose.

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

Base stats

• HP: 35
• Attack: 55
• Defense: 35
• Sp. Atk: 30
• Sp. Def: 30
• Speed: 35

Poochyena’s base stat total is 220. Its highest stat is Attack.

Type matchups

What is Poochyena weak to?

Poochyena takes extra damage from Fighting (2×), Bug (2×), Fairy (2×) moves.

It resists Ghost (½×), Dark (½×).

It is immune to Psychic moves.

Evolution

How does Poochyena evolve?

Poochyena evolves into Mightyena at level 18.

The whole family: Poochyena, Mightyena.

Abilities

• Run Away: Ensures success fleeing from wild battles.
• Quick Feet: Increases Speed to 1.5× with a major status ailment.
• Rattled (hidden ability): Raises Speed one stage upon being hit by a Dark, Ghost, or Bug move.

Moves

Moves Poochyena learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (37)

Poochyena can learn 37 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Charm, Mud-Slap, Scary Face, Protect, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Thief, Trailblaze, Facade, Snarl, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Dig, Foul Play, Psychic Fangs, Sleep Talk, Rest, Taunt, Dark Pulse, Substitute, Crunch, Shadow Ball, Hyper Voice, Play Rough, Helping Hand, Nasty Plot, Tera Blast, Roar, Spite, Super Fang, Uproar, Lash Out, Double-Edge, Endeavor.

Egg moves (3):Astonish, Covet, Poison Fang.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Field.
• Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
• Catch rate: 255 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Attack effort value.
• Base experience yield: 56.

Pokédex entries

Poochyena is an omnivore - it will eat anything. A distinguishing feature is how large its fangs are compared to its body. This Pokémon tries to intimidate its foes by making the hair on its tail bristle out. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)

At first sight, Poochyena takes a bite at anything that moves. This Pokémon chases after prey until the victim becomes exhausted. However, it may turn tail if the prey strikes back. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)

It has a very tenacious nature. Its acute sense of smell lets it chase a chosen prey without ever losing track. (FireRed, LeafGreen, Y)

A Pokémon with a persistent nature, it chases its chosen prey until the prey becomes exhausted. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X)

It chases its prey until the victim becomes exhausted. However, it turns tail if the prey strikes back. (HeartGold, SoulSilver)

It savagely threatens foes with bared fangs. It chases after fleeing targets tenaciously. It turns tail and runs, however, if the foe strikes back. (Emerald)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Slowest Dark type: 35 Speed, shared with 1 other.
• Lowest base stat total among Dark types: 220.
• Shortest Dark type in Gen 3: 0.5 m, shared with 1 other.
• Slowest Dark type in Gen 3: 35 Speed.
• Lowest base stat total among Dark types in Gen 3: 220.
• Taller than 19% of all Pokémon (0.5 m).
• Heavier than 34% of all Pokémon (13.6 kg).
• Base stat total 220, ranked #994 of 1,025.
• One of 69 Dark-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 107 gray Pokémon.
• Number 10 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 49 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 255: about 33.3% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 6 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: Poochyena (Pokémon), Serebii: Poochyena (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (poo-chee-EN-uh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Dark-type Pokémon · Hoenn region guide · Run Away ability · Quick Feet ability · Rattled ability · Compare Poochyena · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 3 Dark-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · Field egg group · Pokémon that start with P · Dog Pokémon · Wolf Pokémon

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