Houndour

The Dark Pokémon
#228 - Houndour
Evolve	Houndoom
Debut	Pokémon: Gold Version Pokémon: Silver Version
Species Info
Type	+ +
Height	0.6 m (2'00")
Weight	10.8 kg (23.8 lbs.)
Color	Black
Gender Ratio	1♂ : 1♀
Ability	Early Bird / Flash Fire
Hidden Ability	Unnerve
Egg Group	Ground
Icon		Sprite
		File:228sprite.png
Footprint
30px
Base Statistics
Hit Points	45	Speed	65
Attack	60	Sp. Attack	80
Defense	30	Sp. Defense	50
Training Info
Catch Rate	120	Hatch Steps	5,120
Base Exp.	114	Effort Points	SpA
Happiness	35
To Lv.100	Slow

Kanto #	Johto #	Hoenn #	Sinnoh #
< 228 >	< 209 >		< 176 >
Unova #	Johto (IV) #
	< 214 >

Houndour is a dark dog-like Pokémon that was introduced in the second generation games. Its evolved form is Houndoom.

Information

Houndour resembles a dog, and they were known for their perfect teamwork. Houndour hunt as a coordinated pack and use a variety of cries to communicate with each other. They use barks that only they can understand to check each other's location. Houndour uses different cries to convey its emotions, and the cries they use when pursuing prey are different from those used to communicate with the other Houndour. At dawn, a Houndour will usually howl to announce the surrounding area as its territory.

It seems to be primarily a nocturnal species. Houndour evolves into Houndoom at Level 23.

Appearances

Mainstream Games

In Pokémon: Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver, Houndour could be rarely found on Route 7 at night, although they were more common in Crystal. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, it also appeared at the Safari Zone's Savannah area at all times of day with enough Forest objects present. Houndour could also be caught at the Pokéwalker's Volcano Path course, from which it could be transferred to HeartGold/SoulSilver.

In FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald, Houndour could appear at the Altering Cave with the use of an e-card, and in Emerald Houndour could be rarely found at the Safari Zone's extension. In Platinum, they uncommonly appeared at Route 214 and Valor Lakefront at all times of day, but they were more common at night. In Black, Houndour could appear at Route 9 during swarms.

Other Games

In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, a Shadow Hondour could be snagged from Cipher Peon Resix at the Shadow Pokémon Laboratory, and after being purified it could be transferred to any of the third generation color versions. In Pokémon Trozei!, it appeared at the Phobosphere, Endless Level 19, Forever Level 19 and Mr. Who's Den. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Teams, it could be recruited at the fifth through seventh floors of Silent Chasm, the first eight floors of Howling Forest and the twenty-fifth through twenty-seventh floors of Joyous Tower, while in Explorers of Time and Darkness it was recruitable at the first seventeen floors of Shimmer Hill and Final Maze. In Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia, it could be found at Cargo Ship and Oil Field Hideout. Houndour was also found in Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs at Oblivia Ruins and the Fire Temple.

Other Appearances

Other Media

• In the Pokémon anime, Houndour have made several appearances over the years. One episode of the Johto series featured a group of Houndour that stole food to help their wounded leader, but Ash's group were eventually able to get the Houndour treatment. Houndour has also been used as an antagonist into two of the Pichu Bros. shorts, and one has appeared as one of Cassidy of Team Rocket's Pokémon.
• In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Houndour made several appearances in the Gold/Silver/Crystal arc as one of the Masked Man's Pokémon, overwhelming Gold's Pokémon in Ilex Forest early in his journey and trying to fight Lieutenant Surge. This Houndour was able to summon others by howling, although Surge was able to escape them by having a group of Electrode explode.

Trivia

• Its name is a combination of "hound" and "dour" (which means harshness) and may also be intended as a play on "hundur", which is the Icelandic word for "dog".