Overview: Follow the unforgettable journey of a family of wild dogs in Zimbabwe and witness rarely seen behavior, from tender moments with newborn pups, to the thrills of hunting wildebeest, to close encounters with their greatest enemy - the lion.

DVD Verdict: In 'Nature: Dogs In The Land of Lions' we follow along this unforgettable journey of an African wild dog family, filmed over two years in Zimbabwe.

When lions kill her mate, a wild dog mom suddenly must raise two generations of pups all on her own without the help of a pack. We watch along as they all grow, all learn, all fall, and all get back up again along their chosen terrain.

Directed by Robyn Keene-Young and Narrated by Tom Harges, this brand new PBS Nature hour is one of their best yet. Given the beforehand knowledge that this African wild dogs are fast eaters, with a pack being able to consume a Thomson's gazelle in 15 minutes, sure we initially fear them and stand off from liking them here.

Indeed, learning furthermore that in the wild, the species' consumption rate is of 1.2–5.9 kg per African wild dog a day, with one pack of 17–43 specimens in East Africa having been recorded to kill three animals per day on average, doesn't help matters much either.

But about halfway though, 'Dogs in the Land of Lions' takes viewers along a different, more intimate path. Now into the heart of an African wild dog family, when lions kill her mate, a wild dog mother called Puzzles suddenly must raise two generations of pups all on her own without the help of a pack.

Out comes, rather immediately, the loyalty and selflessness that sets wild dogs apart from other large, social carnivores in this deeply intimate portrayal of motherhood.

But in this unforgiving Zimbabwe wilderness, it turns out the top dogs are the big cats. Lions are the wild dogs' ultimate enemies. The young dogs provide some lighthearted moments while discovering the world around them, but as they grow up, they must face these eternal enemies on their journey to independence.

I won't give the ending away, for yes, they do come face-to-face with their famous foe, but suffice to say, 'Dogs in the Land of Lions' is a compelling hour to spend in front of the TV. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.