Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Extreme dog tricks are fun for animal-loving families.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
In SUPERFETCH, professional animal trainer Zak George helps pet owners teach their dogs to perform unusual tasks like retrieving pizza from the delivery guy, taking out the trash, and digging for keys in a purse. Each episode tells the stories of two dogs and their owners who -- for a variety of eccentric reasons -- need George's help teaching their animals these extraordinary tricks. After meeting the dogs, George gives their humans tips on training for the desired skills, then checks back in a few times throughout the training period to check on their progress before the animals' big debuts.
Is It Any Good?
A self-taught dog expert whose training videos on YouTube unwittingly launched his career, George has a natural affinity for canines that's obvious in all of his animal encounters. His respect for them translates into a positive training method that gets results for owners while keeping the dogs happy, which George makes clear is his top priority. This lighthearted show celebrates the bond between dogs and their humans and reminds us that amazing potential exists in every animal.
Families -- especially those with pups of their own -- will like SuperFetch's amusing take on the often-tedious training process. George doesn't shy away when his students just aren't up to the task at hand (or paw), but he's always ready with another idea for encouraging them to master their new skill. And his basic techniques are easily transferred to viewers' own needs, so families that watch just might be able to inspire their pets to greater usefulness (or at least obedience) at home.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the show's intent. Do you think it's aiming to teach, entertain, or both? What did you learn from it? How does it compare to other shows you've seen about animals and training?
What are some of the responsibilities of pet ownership? How do these responsibilities change depending on the type of pet you own? If you could have any animal, what would it be? Why?
Kids: What do you want to be when you grow up? Does your choice relate to any particular hobby or interest? What kind of education or training will you need? What do you think you'll like about that job?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 3, 2009
- Cast : Zak George
- Network : Animal Planet
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 16, 2020
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