Original subtitles

(growling) (gentle music)

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Top predators steal the show.

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

But in their shadows, a family of small wild dogs

uses cunning and adaptation to make ends meet

in a dog eat dog world.

From the hardy Arctic fox to the desert jackal,

the shy raccoon dog to the much loved red fox,

these wonderful successful survivors

are the real headliners.

They might be underdogs, but with their resilience,

they always come out on top.

There is one wild dog that fires the imagination

and has the power to send shivers down our spines.

The wolf.

An incredible predator that stalks our dreams

and haunts the forests.

But there are other dogs just as remarkable

living in their shadows.

A young wolf has picked up the scent of a red fox.

But the fox knows what to do.

This is a dog eat dog world,

where only the smartest survive.

The wolf can't locate the source of the smell.

And eventually gives up.

It's not easy being the underdog,

but foxes have had plenty of practice.

And as a result, they have become masters of stealth

and adaptability.

There are some benefits to having wolves

in your neighborhood.

The bigger pack hunting cousins can bring down

much larger prey.

The fox knows they are probably tired after the hunt

and sleeping off full stomachs.

Magpies and ravens have beaten him to the kill,

but they will be useful watchdogs

as he makes his cautious approach.

Luckily, the wolves seemed preoccupied.

They would kill any other kind of dog on site,

not for food, but to get rid of any competition.

A second fox appears on the scene.

You'd think they'd never met, but they know each other well.

Exaggerated body postures are a way of avoiding conflict.

But before they have the chance for a food fight,

the bouncers arrive.

The party is by invite only.

As the day draws to a close,

the hungry fox completes one last patrol of his territory

and finds the other fox.

This is his mate.

Foxes are usually monogamous and this pair

has mated several times before.

Now, as the air carries the tiniest hint of spring,

they begin to gain their courtship rituals.

It's been a long, harsh winter,

but finally there are signs of change.

The female's been using the den to escape the cold,

but it will soon have new purpose.

February, the perfect time to start family planning.

Their sex life is intense for a while.

The female only ovulates for a week or so.

And the male only has a brief window

when he's at his most virile.

After several attempts, it will take nearly two months

to find out if their efforts were successful.

While the red foxes wait for winter's end,

other underdogs face very different conditions.

Apart from Antarctica,

the dog family has colonized the world.

Here in Namibia, the force of the southern ocean

pounds a beach that's the daily beat

for an African black backed jackal.

She's hungry, and today there are slim pickings,

unless she's willing to risk her life.

Her territory overlaps with the breeding beaches

of tens of thousands of Cape fur seals.

These blubbery behemoths are very aggressive

and way beyond the female's hunting capabilities.

But in the midst of the throng,

there are much more manageable seal pups.

The challenge is finding a safe path to get to them.

The stakes are high.

Her mate made a bad choice and paid the ultimate price.

He has left the female to raise their cubs alone.

She's feeling the pressure, but try as she might,

she can't penetrate their defenses.

She's forced to go home empty handed.

It's not easy being a single mum.

Looks like it's flies for supper.

Not much to quell a growing pup's hunger.

A spring evening in the north finds our male fox

heading back to the den.

But things have changed.

The female's gone to ground and she does not want company.

Despite the brush off, the male won't give up on his mate.

During the vulnerable last days of pregnancy,

he'll bring food to her and do his best

to stay out of her way.

Under the cover of darkness, another underdog emerges.

This is the lowest of the low,

bullied and out competed by red foxes

and undoubtedly killed by wolves,

the secretive raccoon dog keeps a low profile.

This female has carved out her own niche,

staying close to the edge of waterways,

trying to avoid interactions with her larger cousins.

But it's not all bad.

As darkness falls, the ponds become alive with tasty frogs.

Unlike the agile fox, the raccoon dog is a plodder,

taking its time to sniff out any potential meal.

It's eyesight is unusually poor for a dog,

but it's compensated for by its powerful sense of smell

Tonight she's jumpy, not wanting to run into her neighbors,

but she doesn't need to worry,

the female red fox wouldn't be making her rounds tonight.

In the dead of night, she goes into labor.

She's an experienced mum and helps with each delivery.

Red foxes have between one and 13 pups,

but tonight there are six new faces,

an average sized litter.

Smaller than a stick of butter,

the cubs are deaf and blind.

They can't control their temperatures yet

and will be totally dependent on their mother's

care and warmth.

For the next three weeks, she won't leave their sides.

Raising a family is the biggest challenge

the underdogs face,

and the next few months will be critical.

It's especially hard when you have to do it alone.

The jackal pups are starving,

and with new urgency, their mother is forced

to once again brave the beach.

Success, a stillborn pup.

Not much, but enough to ensure the survival of her brood.

(gentle music)

Underdogs are well-established almost pole to pole.

In the furthest north of their range,

a bleak windswept landscape does not look very inviting.

Though the northern hemisphere is enjoying spring,

it has yet to break here.

But life goes on for the hardy Arctic fox.

These are ice age survivors,

their thick coats blocking some of the winds bite.

They have got by through adaptability, but tired of scraps,

they are drawn to new arrivals.

The snow geese have arrived to breed.

Alert and aggressive, they are not easy targets for the fox.

But the fox knows if she's patient,

the geese will lay on quite a feast.

To the south, spring has transformed the landscape.

Love is in the air.

The sweetest serenade,

but the great bustards are doing their best

to attract the ladies.

The racket doesn't seem to bother the mother fox,

who's stretching her legs after weeks underground.

He's got the moves, but the Barry White of birds

is quickly forgotten when his ladies spot the fox.

But mum needs to get back to her den.

(gentle music)

The pups are totally dependent on her care.

She'll provide rich creamy milk for 10 weeks,

giving her little ones the best possible start in life.

Their faces are developing and in the next few days

they will open their eyes.

She knows there is a dangerous world out there

where only the fittest will survive.

But for now, the litter can depend on the safety of the den

and their mother's love.

By her woodland pond, the raccoon dog mum is alert.

She's weary.

Her cubs mature faster than the red fox cubs,

and for the first time she's letting them leave the den.

All of the dog family has a natural curiosity

and the youngsters are fascinated by their surroundings.

Curiosity doesn't just kill cats,

so their mother is constantly on guard.

She has plenty to worry about.

Raccoon dog fur is highly prized by the fashion industry.

And of course, she's at threat from larger predators.

But ironically, despite the threat,

it's a disused fox den that has become

the raccoon dogs home.

There are 32 kinds of parasites that prey on raccoon dogs,

so it's good to get out of the den and air their coats.

The raccoon like face masks that give

these little dogs their names are already

well-developed in the pups.

Though they are enjoying fun and games now,

these are the least social of dogs

and the pups will all go their separate ways

by the end of summer.

The appearance of the larger red fox vixen

brings family time to an end.

The snow is finally clearing from the Arctic tundra

and in a gap between boulders,

another litter of underdogs has arrived.

Small and compact, Arctic foxes are well adapted

for the cold.

But because of their chilly home in the north,

their breeding cycle kicks off about two months later.

But not only does it start late, it needs to finish early.

The race is on.

These pups must be ready to leave the den

in just four weeks.

During the summer months,

the sun barely dips below the horizon.

The male fox stays close to the den,

ready to defend his family from intruders

and collect food for his mate.

Beachcombing, he strikes it lucky.

Living in the toughest place on earth,

Arctic foxes can't afford to be choosy,

and a washed up fish caucus is foxy fine dining.

What he can't manage, he scent marks so that

no one else steals his leftovers

while he delivers takeout to his mate.

The Arctic summer's short, but in the forests to the south,

it's in full swing.

The lush green canopy costs cool shadows over the foxes den.

(gentle music)

The female red fox has used this den for years.

The chambers cover several square meters,

but it's still not enough space for her growing young.

The six week old pup's feeling the need

to broaden his horizons.

And while the rest of his family is sleeping,

the little male takes his first tentative steps.

The smells, sights and sounds are sensory overload

for the little male.

He sits in awe, trying to take it all in.

He doesn't yet know what it means to be an underdog,

but he might be about to find out.

(dramatic music)

A wolf has picked up his scent.

Luckily, the pup seems to sense the danger.

Now he just needs to find his way home.

That's one adventure he won't forget in a hurry.

Life's tough for these little guys,

and with many dangers to face,

most won't make it to their first birthdays.

The pup seems relieved to be back with his siblings.

In another month or so, they'll leave the den all together,

then the challenges really begin.

But for now, mother keeps them close.

This quality time will be short-lived

and all seem happy to make the most of it.

The frustrated wolf will go hungry.

It's not always top dogs that come out on top.

The goose colony is now well-established

on the Arctic tundra,

and the Arctic fox is on his way to find breakfast.

His morning mission is to find unguarded goose eggs.

The first is an abandoned nest.

Perhaps the eggs were infertile,

or maybe the wolves have already claimed the parents.

Either way, it's a great start,

if the fox can get clear of the colony.

He stashes this one.

Caching is a common fox behavior,

gathering as much as he can while there are rich pickings.

And putting some aside in case he falls on hard times

in the future.

Not all geese are willing to hand over their eggs,

but the Fox has agility and cunning on his side.

He tries to draw their fire away from the nest.

Then completes the perfect heist.

It takes a bit of practice, but he's soon on a roll.

He seems to mark the empty nests off on his list.

The geese do their best, and luckily plenty will hatch

to ensure the goose colony stays healthy

for next year's plundering.

With a well-stocked larder, the father fox grabs a gosling

to take home for dinner.

Although they are only a few weeks old,

the cubs have already cultured a taste for meat.

They will be fully weaned at just one month old.

In the shortest of seasons, every calorie counts.

The pups already resemble their parents,

with the compact bodies and tiny rounded ears,

features to minimize surface area against heat loss

in their frigid home.

The little ones are already fiercely competitive over food.

The toughest have worked their way up the pecking order

and eat first.

And it's these youngsters who will have

the best chance of survival.

Here more than anywhere, the underdogs have to be tough.

In a few months, they'll have to take care of themselves,

which will be especially difficult

when they have to face their first Arctic winter.

(gentle music)

Although they had a headstart in life

and are about a month ahead of the Arctic foxes,

the reds are at a similar state,

now spending much of their time outside the den.

They never wander too far and are drawn back

by mother's milk.

But even staying this close to home

doesn't guarantee their safety.

The bank of the den opens out into a sunny playground,

but it also puts them in view of another family.

Sandstone cliffs above the den are home

to a nest of eagle owls,

the largest and most deadly of their kind.

Like the foxes, their young are growing fast

and will soon leave home.

Right now, they need as much food

as their parents can supply.

These are the eagles of the owl world

and can bring down prey heavier than themselves.

A three kilo fox cub versus a four kilo bird

with a two meter wingspan and deadly talons.

(dramatic music)

The first death in the family,

but the loss of one cub will give the eagle owl chicks

the best start in life.

Parents everywhere are preparing to send their little ones

out into the dangerous world.

Snow only sits in the last shadowed gullies,

providing a playground for the Arctic foxes.

Their hunting instinct is strong,

and they practice their mouse catching maneuvers.

But childhood can't last forever.

Despite their pleading,

mum isn't willing to feed them anymore.

They are being forced to fly the nest.

The time has come for them to prove their worth.

Left alone, they are confused,

looking around for their parents and wondering

when the next meal might arrive.

Scraps around the den won't keep them going for long,

but a bit of movement nearby draws their attention.

Hundreds of kittiwake chicks that have

recently flown the nest gather here

to practice their foraging skills.

Soon they will leave the breeding grounds.

But when there are hundreds of animals,

there will always be casualties.

The sick and injured get left behind,

and their misfortune might just give the fox cubs

the helping hand they need.

(tense music)

They might be sitting ducks

but they are also great target practice

and packed with nutrition.

The pups are soon realizing

their Arctic playground is a buffet.

For the underdogs, opportunism and adaptability are the key.

They'll learn not only to hunt, but to scavenge,

dig for insects and sample berries.

Here, they must eat anything edible.

(gentle music)

On the banks of his wetland home,

the male raccoon dog is searching for food for his family.

He can smell success.

Pond turtles lay their eggs in the soft dirt

and now the young are hatching.

The tiny reptiles instincts tell them to head

straight for the protection of water.

The male is ready to intercept any he finds.

But he also knows there will be another

even easier feast awaiting him.

Not all of the turtles will hatch,

and where their nests have been opened,

an egg breakfast awaits.

There is a lot of food, but not enough to share.

A golden jackal has the same idea.

If the raccoon is the underdog,

then the jackal is the middleman.

An in-between, bigger than a fox,

but not quite a wolf.

Because of its larger size, the jackal is a true threat

to the other smaller wild dogs.

But secretive in its behavior,

this family is staying deep in the forest.

Perhaps their distant wolf cousins are keeping them on edge.

The pup nozzles mum to encourage her to regurgitate food.

But before she has the chance, she's mobbed.

Jackals are big enough to bring down small deer.

A powerful boar would be pushing it.

But the threat of jackals is enough

to stop the wild pig in its stride.

The cubs are curious, but it's a dangerous game.

Boar can be very aggressive.

But this time, its nerves get the better of it.

As summer draws in, the mother red fox spends

ever more time away from the den.

Her pups have totally outgrown their nursery

and will only have a few short days left to enjoy it.

They're ever more intrigued by the sights and sounds

of the outside world.

It's time the youngsters mastered the art of hunting.

Red foxes are generalists,

turning their hands to almost anything edible,

but rodents are their favorite prey.

But there is someone else looking for a game

of cat and mouse.

Sensitive ears hone in on a potential victim.

Huge, soft feet enable it to move silently

through the forest.

Dogs are supposed to chase cats,

but here it can be the other way round.

(tense music)

The mother fox returns too late.

From her litter of six, only two have survived.

A male and a female.

These are the mother's last hope

and soon they will have to go it alone.

The pups get ever more independent and are soon

competently moving away from home in search of food.

Meadows are a great place to go hunting.

She's after rodents, but her presence still puts

the roe deer on edge.

One doe is especially nervy.

She has a late fawn hiding in the hedgerow.

While their mothers are busy,

roe fawns instinctively know to lie perfectly still

using their dappled coats to blend in with the ground.

But lying still when there are predators on the prowl

is a gamble.

The mother barks, trying to draw the fox away.

But the young vixen is only after mice.

Even huge red deer are unnerved when the male cub

tries the same hunting techniques.

Both pups are off to a great start,

proving that they are capable of feeding themselves.

(bright gentle music)

The young vixen is hugging the woods,

the place of her birth.

But her brother's venturing further afield.

For both foxes, this is a time of great change

and they must be ready to take anything

the world throws at them.

Late summer rains are just a taster

of the hardships to come.

Colder air brings changes to the landscape,

as lush greens are replaced with the goals of autumn.

The raccoon dog family have dispersed,

leaving mum in peace.

These incredible little underdogs have a unique trait

that sets them apart from all others.

They can hibernate.

But to get them through the winter,

they need to build up their fat reserves.

The female's bulging belly is testimony to her success.

Soon she'll need to find a quiet spot

where she can curl up and switch off,

lowering her metabolism until warmer weather

tempts her back out.

A stranded fish is the idea of high protein meal

she's been craving.

Perfect for a bedtime snack.

It's not long before the forests

have their first dusting of snow.

In the northern forests, winter's come hard and fast.

The raccoon dogs might sleep it off,

but most animals have to face their biggest challenges,

finding food and staying warm in the unforgiving snowscape.

An eagle spots the male fox trying to cross a lake.

Like most predators, it hones in on weakness.

The fox is limping.

Who knows what accident befell him,

whether he was hit by a car or attacked by another predator.

But the eagle seems to sense his time is near.

Weak and unable to feed himself,

the young male doesn't last long in the cold.

His body, a welcome feast for hungry birds.

Only around 20% of foxes survive their first year.

The weather gets worse and the young vixen

also struggles against the elements.

She hangs out around the birds, hoping for scraps.

But she has company.

(tense music)

Dogs of all sizes have to struggle against the elements

and take every feeding opportunity they can.

None of them can afford to be choosy.

But this time it's she who is following them.

Because they have numbers on their side,

wolves are well-equipped to bring down the other weakened,

hungry creatures of the forest.

The ravens know to follow the wolves

if they want to find food.

And this time the vixen is using the same trick.

Of course, wolves are still deadly.

They'd kill her on sight.

So she hangs back at a safe distance

and respectfully lets them eat first.

Luckily they wolf their food.

And, with bellies full, turn to play.

This is the moment she's been waiting for.

With such courage and adaptability,

her chances are looking good.

She's learning to exploit every possible food resource.

Even her big, bad neighbors.

Winter is the ultimate test and she's passed.

Slowly, the days get longer and warmth breeds life

into the landscape.

It's the tail end of winter for the Arctic underdogs

and a few of the litter has survived

the six months of freezing darkness.

And they have done so through their adaptability.

As the first ice-free beaches open up,

one of the yearling males explores the tide line.

Seafood makes for an exciting seasonal treat.

Though getting into a big, healthy mussel

is a problem that's hard to crack.

Though he's not yet reached his first birthday,

the young male's fully mature.

He starting to feel the urge to set up home

and begin a family.

He barks, proclaiming his territory.

A nearby female sings back.

(dramatic music)

But as he gets closer, he recognizes her scent.

It's his mother.

Enthusiastically, he rushes to greet her,

but the feeling is not mutual.

The female's ready to breed again

and doesn't want previous offspring hanging around.

She makes her feelings clear.

From now on, he is on his own.

In the warmer south, another young fox

has survived her first winter.

The young vixen is in great shape and mousing like a pro.

But instead of eating the rodents,

she carries them back into the forest.

She's enthusiastically greeted by hungry cubs.

But these are not her own.

They are her new brothers and sisters.

She has stayed with her parents

to help raise their next brood.

Unlike the Arctic foxes,

she won't be ready to breed for another year.

Though they are not considered pack animals,

it's quite common for red foxes to live

in extended families.

Mum is still here to provide milk,

but she has less pressure to hunt as well.

It means the young female gets to practice at being a mum

until her turn comes around.

And with an extra carer, it will give the pups

the best possible start in life.

Though they might be underdogs, they excel at it,

and always seem to come out on top.

(gentle uplifting music)