Houndour is a quadrupedal, {{wp|dog|canine}} {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} with short, black fur and a red underbelly and muzzle. Its ears and tail are both short and pointed. Two fangs protrude from its upper jaw, and its triangular nose is black. There are white bands on its ankles and rib-like ridges on its back. Houndour appears to have a simplistic, stylized skull on its forehead with the eye orbits creating eyebrow patterning above its actual eyes. It also has circular, red paw pads on each of its three-toed paws.
Houndour is a quadrupedal, {{wp|dog|canine}} {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} with short, black fur and a red underbelly and muzzle. Its ears and tail are both short and pointed. Two fangs protrude from its upper jaw, and its triangular nose is black. There are white bands on its ankles and rib-like ridges on its back. Houndour appears to have a simplistic, stylized skull on its forehead with the eye orbits creating eyebrow patterning above its actual eyes. It also has circular, red paw pads on each of its three-toed paws.
Houndour is an intelligent Pokémon that forms packs to hunt for prey and shows unparalleled teamwork. As seen [[EP150|in the anime]], it will not abandon a pack member who is sick. It communicates using various barks and howls. Barks are used to determine the location of a pack member during a hunt, which only they can understand, while howls are used as a declaration of ownership over territory. They are known to be loyal and obedient to their {{pkmn|Trainer}}s. Houndour can typically be found around {{DL|List of Pokémon by habitat|Rough-terrain Pokémon|rough terrain}}. As mentioned in {{g|Sleep}}, Houndour is known to howl while it sleeps.<ref>''[[Pokémon Sleep|Sleep Style Dex]]''</ref>It is believed that Houndour is dreaming of hunting alongside the rest of its pack.
Houndour is an intelligent Pokémon that forms packs to hunt for prey and shows unparalleled teamwork. As seen [[EP150|in the anime]], it will not abandon a pack member who is sick. It communicates using various barks and howls. Barks are used to determine the location of a pack member during a hunt, which only they can understand, while howls are used as a declaration of ownership over territory. They are known to be loyal and obedient to their {{pkmn|Trainer}}s. Houndour can typically be found around {{DL|List of Pokémon by habitat|Rough-terrain Pokémon|rough terrain}}. As mentioned in {{g|Sleep}}, Houndour is known to howl while it sleeps.<ref>''[[Pokémon Sleep|Sleep Style Dex]]''</ref> It is believed that Houndour is dreaming of hunting alongside the rest of its pack.
===Evolution===
===Evolution===
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{{Availability/Gen|gen=VII}}
{{Availability/Gen|gen=VII}}
{{Availability/Entry2/None|v=Sun|v2=Moon}}
{{Availability/Entry2/None|v=Sun|v2=Moon}}
{{Availability/Entry1|v=Ultra Sun|area=[[Poké Pelago]]{{tt|*|Only begin appearing after the player reaches Poni Island}}}}
{{Availability/Entry1|v=Ultra Sun|t=FFF|area=[[Poké Pelago]]{{tt|*|Only begin appearing after the player reaches Poni Island}}}}
{{Availability/Entry1/None|v=Ultra Moon}}
{{Availability/Entry1/None|v=Ultra Moon}}
{{Availability/Entry2/None|v=Let's Go Pikachu|v2=Let's Go Eevee|area=Unobtainable}}
{{Availability/Entry2/None|v=Let's Go Pikachu|v2=Let's Go Eevee|area=Unobtainable}}
Houndour is a quadrupedal, caninePokémon with short, black fur and a red underbelly and muzzle. Its ears and tail are both short and pointed. Two fangs protrude from its upper jaw, and its triangular nose is black. There are white bands on its ankles and rib-like ridges on its back. Houndour appears to have a simplistic, stylized skull on its forehead with the eye orbits creating eyebrow patterning above its actual eyes. It also has circular, red paw pads on each of its three-toed paws.
Houndour is an intelligent Pokémon that forms packs to hunt for prey and shows unparalleled teamwork. As seen in the anime, it will not abandon a pack member who is sick. It communicates using various barks and howls. Barks are used to determine the location of a pack member during a hunt, which only they can understand, while howls are used as a declaration of ownership over territory. They are known to be loyal and obedient to their Trainers. Houndour can typically be found around rough terrain. As mentioned in Pokémon Sleep, Houndour is known to howl while it sleeps.[1] It is believed that Houndour is dreaming of hunting alongside the rest of its pack.
Houndour hunt as a coordinated pack. They communicate with each other using a variety of cries to corner their prey. This Pokémon's remarkable teamwork is unparalleled.
Houndour hunt as a coordinated pack. They communicate with each other using a variety of cries to corner their prey. This Pokémon's remarkable teamwork is unparalleled.
Multiple Houndour debuted in Hour of the Houndour. One of them got sick, prompting the rest of its pack to steal food in order to aid it. Ultimately, Ash helped the ailing Houndour to a Pokémon Center.
In Pokémon Adventures, Gold is attacked by and defeated by four Pokémon, including a Houndour, when he enters the Ilex Forest, and is then warned to stay out by the Masked Man in You Ain't Nothin' but a Houndour and The Ariados up There. This Houndour is later used against Lt. Surge during his battle against the Masked Man, where its howls summon a herd of wild Houndour to aid it in battle. Although their constant howling prevented Lt. Surge from moving, he is able to have multiple Electrode use Selfdestruct to knock them down, allowing Surge to flee during the confusion.
Houndour has the lowest base Defense stat of all Fire-type Pokémon.
Origin
Houndour seems to be based on the legends of hellhounds, black dogs, and possibly Cerberus of Greek mythology. Its skeletal adornments may be a reference to the hellhounds' and black dogs' associations with death and allude to the association of dogs with bones as their food, especially in cartoons. They may also be inspired by the grim reaper, and the bands around its ankles resemble shackles. Its build and coloration are similar to a Dobermann, and it also somewhat resembles the extinct Tasmanian wolf due to the stripe-like bony ridges on its back. Its pack-hunting behavior and eerie howling are reminiscent of wolves.
Name origin
Houndour may be a combination of hound and dour (grim, dreary, severe).