You finally made it past Rock Tunnel. You’re standing in the grass on Route 8, just outside Lavender Town, and there it is—a wild Growlithe. If you’re playing Pokemon Fire Red, this is a big moment. Growlithe is one of the coolest Fire-types in the Kanto region, and let's be honest, Arcanine is basically a legendary in everything but name.
But here’s the thing. Most people catch Pokemon Fire Red Growlithe, get excited, run straight to the Celadon Department Store for a Fire Stone, and evolve it immediately.
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That is usually a massive mistake.
If you evolve Growlithe into Arcanine the second you get to Celadon City, you are effectively locking your powerhouse out of its best moves forever. Unlike modern games where you can just visit a Move Reminder at any PokeCenter, Fire Red is old school. It's punishing. If you don't plan ahead, you end up with a level 40 Arcanine that only knows Bite and Roar. Not exactly "Legendary Pokemon" energy, right?
Where to Actually Find Your Fire Puppy
First, let's talk logistics. You can’t find Growlithe in Leaf Green. It’s a Fire Red exclusive. If you're rocking the green box, you’ll need a link cable and a friend.
In Fire Red, you’ve got three main spots:
- Route 8: This is the earliest spot, right between Lavender Town and Saffron City.
- Route 7: The short path leading into Celadon City.
- Pokemon Mansion: Deep in the basement on Cinnabar Island.
The Route 8 encounter is the one most people go for. It’s right there as soon as you get out of the dark cave. You’ll usually find them around level 15 to 18. It’s perfect timing because Erika’s Grass-type gym is just a few steps away in Celadon.
The Evolution Trap: When to Use the Fire Stone
This is the "expert" part of the guide. Stone evolutions in Generation 3 are tricky. Once Growlithe becomes Arcanine, it stops learning moves by leveling up. Period.
Wait. Why does that matter?
Because Growlithe learns Flamethrower at Level 49.
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If you use that Fire Stone at level 25, your Arcanine will never learn Flamethrower naturally. You'd have to shell out 4,000 coins at the Celadon Game Corner to buy the TM35. Now, if you’re rich or love the slots, go for it. But for a standard playthrough, waiting until level 49 is the "pro" move.
Wait, it gets better. Arcanine learns Extreme Speed at level 49 as well.
If you level Growlithe to exactly 49, let it learn Flamethrower, and then immediately use the Fire Stone, your newly evolved Arcanine will try to learn Extreme Speed right then and there. It’s the ultimate power spike. You go from a little fire dog to a god-tier sweeper with the best Fire move and the best priority move in the game in one single level.
Stats and Why Arcanine Carries
Let's look at why you actually want this thing on your team. Pokemon Fire Red Growlithe starts out decent, but Arcanine is a beast. We’re talking about a Base Stat Total (BST) of 555. To put that in perspective, that’s higher than all the Kanto starters (Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise) and even higher than Dragonite’s pre-evolution.
Arcanine’s stats are incredibly well-rounded:
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- Attack: 110
- Special Attack: 100
- Speed: 95
In Fire Red, "Fire" is a Special category (the physical/special split didn't happen until Gen 4). So, while Arcanine has a massive Attack stat, its Flamethrower still hits like a truck because of that 100 Special Attack. Plus, you can teach it Dig (TM28) to take advantage of its high physical Attack. This makes Arcanine a nightmare for Poison types and even other Fire types.
The Secret Weapon: Intimidate vs. Flash Fire
When you catch your Growlithe, check its ability. It’ll have one of two.
Intimidate is generally considered the "best" for a casual playthrough. The moment Arcanine enters the battle, the opponent’s Attack drops. This makes Arcanine surprisingly tanky against physical hitters.
Flash Fire is more niche. It makes you immune to Fire moves and boosts your own Fire moves if you get hit by one. It’s cool, but honestly, how many NPCs are spamming Fire moves against your Fire-type dog? Not many. Go for Intimidate if you have the choice.
How to Build the Perfect Arcanine
If you want to absolutely steamroll the Elite Four, here is the moveset you should aim for.
- Flamethrower: Your bread and butter. 100% accuracy. Massive damage. Wait for level 49 or buy it.
- Extreme Speed: Priority is king. If the enemy is at 10% health and faster than you, Extreme Speed ends the fight before they can touch you.
- Bite (or Crunch): Growlithe starts with Bite. It’s great for flinching slower enemies, and since it's "Special" in this generation, it uses Arcanine's good Special Attack stat. It's essential for dealing with Sabrina's Psychic types or Agatha's Ghosts.
- Dig / Aerial Ace / Iron Tail: This is your coverage slot. Dig is found early and helps against the Electric and Rock types that usually wall Fire Pokemon.
Is it better than Ninetales?
Honestly? Yes.
Vulpix and Ninetales are the Leaf Green equivalents. While Ninetales is faster and has some cool utility like Confuse Ray, it lacks the raw physical power and the sheer presence of Arcanine. Arcanine can function as a mixed attacker, meaning it can hit hard from both sides. Ninetales is mostly just a special soak.
Actionable Tips for Your Playthrough
If you just caught your Growlithe on Route 8, here is exactly what you should do next:
- Don't evolve it yet. I know the Fire Stone is sitting there in the shop. Resist the urge.
- Head to the Celadon Gym. Use Growlithe to burn through Erika's team. It’s basically free XP.
- Grab the Amulet Coin. If you’ve caught 40 different species of Pokemon, talk to Professor Oak’s aide on Route 16. Giving Arcanine the Amulet Coin to hold will double your prize money, which helps if you decide you don't want to wait until level 49 and just want to buy the Flamethrower TM.
- Teach it Dig. You find the TM for Dig in Cerulean City after helping the guy whose house was robbed by Team Rocket. It’s a lifesaver for the mid-game.
- Check the Nature. If you’re a perfectionist, look for Adamant (+Attack, -Sp. Atk) or Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Attack). But honestly, Jolly (+Speed) is the real winner here.
Arcanine is arguably the best non-starter Fire type in the game. It’s loyal, it’s fast, and it looks incredible. Just remember: patience is a virtue. Hold onto that Fire Stone until you see that level 49 notification. Your future champion will thank you for it.
Go check your bag—if you’ve already used the stone on a level 20 Growlithe, don't panic. You can still save the build by grinding the Game Corner for TMs, but it’s going to cost you some serious time at the slot machines.