Pokémon come in all shapes and sizes, and you can often see the inspiration behind the design of the Pokémon quite clearly. Real-life animals have always been a source of inspiration for the imaginative ones, with dogs often serving as a primary inspiration for a Pokémon's design. Fans have been discussing the influences of dogs on Pokémon designs, so here is every dog-inspired Pokémon we could find sorted by Pokémon generation.
Every Dog in the Pokémon Franchise
Generation 1
- #37 Vulpix
- #38 Ninetails
- #58 Growlithe
- #59 Arcanine
Generation I is where everything began for the franchise. The first 151 Pokémon entered the Pokédex, and the Red, Blue, and Yellow Pokémon games were released, and later remakes of the Gen I games like Fire Red, Leaf Green, and Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee would come out as well. These four Pokémon are part of a classic design theme throughout the franchise: Fire Dogs. There is a slight difference in that Vulpix carries a few more fox influences than Growlithe. However, all four of these Pokémon are Fire-types and this is a theme that will continue throughout every Pokémon generation.
Generation 2
- #209 Snubbull
- #210 Granbull
- #228 Houndour
- #229 Houndoom
- #235 Smeargle
- #243 Raikou
- #244 Entei
- #245 Suicune
Generation II is one of the most beloved generations in the Pokémon franchise. Gold, Silver, and Crystal were the first games of the franchise, and the HeartGold and SoulSilver remakes are games that hold up even today, over a decade after release. These dog Pokémon are again highlighted by the three legendary dog Pokémon, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. However, we again see the Fire Dogs in full force through Entei, Houndour, and Houndoom. Additionally, some Pokémon designed around specific breeds like bulldogs and beagles are present through Snubbull, Granbull, and Smeargle.
Generation 3
- #261 Poochyena
- #262 Mightyena
- #263 Zigzagoon
- #309 Electrike
- #310 Manectric
Generation III featured the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald games, and the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remakes. Less dog Pokémon make their appearance in this generation with just the Dark-Type Poochyena line and Electric-Type Electrike line. Gen III also figures popular HM slave Zigzagoon which takes the appearance of a dog before evolving into a more ferret-looking Pokémon in Linoone.
Generation 4
- #447 Riolu
- $448 Lucario
Generation IV is marked by the Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum games, and the very recently released Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond remakes. Some of the most beloved games in the Pokémon franchise for their depth and new Pokémon and evolutions to existing Pokémon only feature two new dog Pokémon. However, Riolu and Lucario are some of the most iconic Pokémon out there. Riolu and Lucario draw inspiration from the Jackal, and Lucario's high-powered Fighting-Type moves made it a mainstay on most Gen IV teams.
Generation 5
- #506 Lilipup
- #507 Herdier
- #508 Stoutland
- #570 Zorua
- #571 Zoroark
Generation V featured some of the most story-driven games in the franchise in Pokémon Black and White, and Black and White 2. The dogs in Generation V are classic Pokémon from the generation, from the early route Lilipup line, to the shapeshifting dog/fox combination Zorua and Zoroark.
Generation 6
- #676 Furfrou
Pokémon X and Y mark the Generation VI main games, as does the Pokémon Furfrou for the dog Pokémon here. Furfrou is an early game poodle Pokémon, and is the only explicitly dog-inspired Pokémon in this generation, marking what some fans viewed as a bit of a shift in the Pokémon design.
Generation 7
- #744 Rockruff
- #745 Lycanroc
Generation VII and the Alola region brought some changes to the classic Pokémon format in the Pokémon Sun and Moon, as well as Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon games. They still do have some of the classic dog-inspired Pokémon, with Rockruff and Lycanroc leading the way in this generation.
Generation 8
- #827 Nickit
- #828 Thievel
- #835 Yamper
- #836 Boltund
- #888 Zacian
- #889 Zamazenta
The newest Generation, Gen VIII (Sword and Shield), is perhaps the recognition and appreciation that dog Pokémon have deserved all along. While there are some classic early route Pokémon in the fox-inspired Nickit line and the Electric-dog Boltund line, the most notable Pokémon of the entire generation are the box legendries Zacian and Zamazenta, the Pokémon who help drive the games' stories.
