How does the Arctic fox take care of its young?

Initially she digs an earth to protect both herself and the newborn cubs. Once born, she licks them clean, licks their perianal region to stimulate them to urinate and defecate (they're unable to do this on their own until they're about three weeks old and can die without her stimulation), grooms them and suckles them. Once the cubs are on solids (increasingly from about four weeks old), she will hunt for them, bringing back larger prey items (rabbits, hares, birds etc.) to the earth while eating smaller ones (mice, voles etc.) herself. Both she and the dog fox lose weight over the cub rearing period as they devote all their effort to providing for the cubs and protecting them from danger (other foxes, dogs, and people). In some areas, family members may also pitch in to raise the cubs, these subordinates play with the cubs, feed them, groom them, defend them from predators and -- in some cases -- may even lactate in order to suckle them.