Introduction

Pokémon are one of the greatest joys in life. They’re our friends, our colleagues and our family. They live beside us so harmoniously nowadays that sometimes it is hard to remember that these are wild creatures at heart. This guide aims to advise you on how to care for your Pokémon, including keeping them healthy, happy and fit. Providing the right level of care is no small feat, as each species has a multitude of different personalities, wants and needs. This is in no way a comprehensive guide – for that you’ll need to take time in getting to know your own Pokémon the hard way – but this will hopefully be a good stepping stone to building that relationship.

In this guide, you will find a combination of care advice and stories. There will be one advice sheet for each Pokémon, including where to find it, how to prepare your home for its arrival, how to keep it fighting fit, and how to make sure it is happy and healthy. In between these, you will find the stories. Some of the these will be my experiences, while some will be tales from the friends I have made over the years, including Pokémon lovers in all sorts of roles. Here, we will share with you the scary times, the epic battles, the sad times and those precious moments we hold dear.

About me and my Pokémon breeding centre

My journey with Pokémon started many years ago. I, too, started out with wild dreams of fighting my way to the top of the leagues to become the Pokémon Master. Let me tell you, I came close! However, I stumbled onto what I now see as a greater and more difficult task: a Pokémon Breeder. We aim to find a deep understanding of every Pokémon that passes through our centre, from their personality and psychology to their physical and mental needs.

We also try and perfectly match trainer and Pokémon, aiming for healthy, prosperous relationships. Some people that come to our centres are trainers looking for a new battle partner, parents looking for a companion for their children or businessmen seeking working Pokémon. The best breeders are those that are credited by the International Breeder’s Association (IBA). Please be careful to find a registered breeder, as there are too many unlicensed thieves out there who sell mistreated and sick Pokémon that often have behavioural issues. Bandit groups like Team Rocket are also known to be involved, claiming to have ‘trained out’ unwanted traits. No true breeder will make any such claims.

I do hope you enjoy my stories and find them useful on your journey to be the very best.