People Pets

Sneak Peek: SuperFetch's Zak George Teaches Old Dogs (and Cats!) New Tricks

By Amy Jamieson

10/01/2009 at 05:00 PM EDT

Sneak Peek: SuperFetch's Zak George Teaches Old Dogs (and Cats!) New Tricks

Ever fantasize about having your dog fetch you a drink from the fridge? Well, as dog trainer Zak George from the new Animal Planet show SuperFetch will tell you, no dog is "unteachable."

"Some dogs can learn more than others," says George, who has trained thousands of canines to perform tricks in his career. "We try to cater each trick to each dog's ability level. So if you've got a dog that is really hyper and likes to jump, they might be a good dog to teach how to ride a bike. If you've got a dog that likes to play with socks, maybe we can teach them how to do the laundry."

On his new show, premiering Oct. 3, he'll instruct everyday pets to perform these practical tasks and more. His training philosophy is simple: He believes in "positive reinforcement" and says training a dog is just like teaching a 3-year-old to learn something new.

"You can teach a cat tricks just like you can teach dogs tricks," says Zak, who has three talented pups of his own. "You have to know what makes them tick and what they're willing to work for. The golden rule of teaching any animal a trick is making it worth their while."

Click above to watch Zak George's border collie Venus perform some amazing tricks! Tune into SuperFetch on Oct. 3 at 8pm ET/PT on Animal Planet.