Plot Synopsis

DOGS IN THE WILD is a three-part NATURE documentary series that features many species of canids, the family of wild dogs, which are the most widespread carnivores on the planet. One family, 37 different faces. From the recognizable and familiar like foxes, wolves, African wild dogs and coyotes to the lesser-known ones like the Japanese raccoon dog, fennec fox, dholes and dingoes, canids have conquered every continent except Antarctica. DOGS IN THE WILD made its U.S. debut on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 8pm on PBS (check local listings). Episodes include:

"Meet the Family" (U.S. premiere on Wednesday, February 8, 2023): In the series opener, meet the many species of canids, the family of wild dogs. They are the most widespread carnivores on the planet. The formidable Arctic wolf can travel great distances across the tundra, while in Southern India, dholes have 11 distinct calls to stand out from the pack. Tiny fennec foxes in the Sahara Desert hunt small game at night, and the long-legged maned wolf chows down on fruit in South America.

"Secrets of Success" (U.S. premiere on Wednesday, February 15, 2023): How do wild dogs survive and thrive in the wild? In Episode 2, discover the secrets to their success, from black-backed jackals that leap skywards to catch prey to agile gray foxes that climb high into the trees. African wild dogs vote on a hunt by sneezing while swift foxes find dens in the Wyoming prairie to hide from predators. Japanese raccoon dogs in populous Tokyo find refuge in quiet shrines.

"Defending Wild Dogs" (U.S. premiere on Wednesday, February 22, 2023): Join scientists and researchers across the globe as they go to extraordinary lengths to understand wild dogs. See the groundbreaking discoveries that are crucial to saving this incredible animal family, such as the vets treating captive African wild dogs suffering from "broken heart syndrome." The Japanese wolf is thought to be extinct, but new evidence may suggest otherwise. In the Sahara Desert, people are working to save the world's smallest canid, the fennec fox, from further endangerment by the tourist trade.