The stat budget goes to damage. Attack and Sp. Atk carry the offense, Defense doesn't even come close. A Puppy Pokemon on a slow 1.25M XP grind, worth 1 Attack EV per KO.
It has a brave and trustworthy nature. It fearlessly stands up to bigger and stronger foes.
It’s very friendly and faithful to people. It will try to repel enemies by barking and biting.
Type-wise, Growlithe takes extra damage from Water, Ground, and Rock. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Flash Fire grants an additional Fire immunity, reshaping the matchup chart.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Ground, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Grass, Ice, Bug, Steel, Fairy |
Greninja can KO Growlithe with Surf (125-147%). Excadrill threatens a KO with Earthquake (104-123%).
 Greninja WaterDark | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityBattlebond ItemLife Orb NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Greninja builds →Dark Pulse55-65% Ice Beam21-24% Surf 2x125-147%KO U Turn9-10% | ||
 Excadrill GroundSteel | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityMold Breaker ItemLeftovers NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Excadrill builds →Earthquake 2x104-123%KO Rapid Spin18-21% | ||
 Dondozo Water | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityUnaware ItemLeftovers NatureImpish Moves View Dondozo builds →
| ||
 Glimmora RockPoison | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityToxicdebris ItemRed Card NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Glimmora builds →Power Gem 2x83-98% | ||
 Krookodile GroundDark | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityMoxie ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Growlithe View Krookodile builds →Earthquake 2x95-112%KO Knock Off31-36% Close Combat38-45% | ||
Growlithe doesn't evolve by leveling. You'll need an evolution item to push it forward to Arcanine. Evolving adds up to 205 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Growlithe easily with 278 breeding partners from the Ground egg group.
Don't let the NFE status fool you. Growlithe with Eviolite hits bulk numbers that compete with final forms. Spread EVs and Bold nature maximize that, and Intimidate handles the rest.
Best Build
Growlithe best EVs are Defense and Sp. Def
Bulky Support Moveset
- Morning Sun
- Will O Wisp
- Wild Charge
- Flare Blitz
Recommended Teammates
Wall Moveset
- Will O Wisp
- Morning Sun
- Roar
- Heat Wave
Recommended Teammates
Legends: Arceus uses different battle mechanics.
Competitive build content is not applicable for this game. Select a main series game for builds.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
TMs carry this one. Growlithe learns Overheat and Flare Blitz naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Dark and Normal and beyond give it real matchup play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
A solid spread overall. Growlithe gets Flare Blitz and Flamethrower for same-type damage alongside coverage across 9 types. It won't blow anyone away, but it doesn't leave you stuck either.
The egg pool carries weight here. Body Slam and Burn Up aren't available any other way for Growlithe, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Overheat and Burn Up for solid options.
The egg pool carries weight here. Covet and Double Kick aren't available any other way for Growlithe, and they meaningfully change what it threatens. Stack those on top of Overheat and Flare Blitz for solid options.
moderate rates across 10 locations for Growlithe in mid-game routes. Scroll the sorted list below and pick whichever spot sits closest to your current route. The rate differences between locations are worth comparing.
Best Locations to Catch Growlithe in Scarlet & Violet
Growlithe appears in 10 walking locations at Lv. 17-65 across Scarlet and Violet. Not all encounters show up in every version, so check which ones match your game.
Growlithe starts showing up in mid-game routes at decent spawn rates across 2 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Best Locations to Catch Growlithe in Legends: Arceus
Growlithe appears at moderate rates across 4 spots in endgame routes. Sort by Best below if you want the highest rate, or Earliest if you want the quickest access point in your playthrough.
Best Locations to Catch Growlithe in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Walking encounters at Lv. 58-63 across 4 spots for Growlithe. Sorted by progression so you can see what's reachable at your current point in the game.
Growlithe is available from early-game routes onward at high spawn rates. 21 encounter spots give you plenty of options. Grab one early and it'll be ready to evolve or train by mid-game.
Best Locations to Catch Growlithe in Sword & Shield
Growlithe's encounter pool splits between Shield and Sword. You've got 21 walking spots at Lv. 7-47 total, but your version determines which ones actually show up.
Growlithe is meant to evolve into Arcanine. At 350 BST, the stats aren't there for competitive play yet. Pre-evolution Pokemon rarely hold up against fully evolved threats.
Intimidate is what you want on Growlithe. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Flash Fire, Justified) work on paper but Intimidate is what makes Growlithe worth using.
At base 60 Speed, it won't be moving first often. On offense, Growlithe is leaning toward the physical side (base 70 Attack). Defensively? Fragile, can't afford to take many hits.
You can run Growlithe through the first few routes without issues. 350 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Arcanine as fast as you can.
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Growlithe has appeared in 21 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received a Hisuian form in Generation 8, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLAHisuian
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves