Dylan Efron Admits He Takes 'DWTS' Judges' 'Input' 'Seriously' as He Gushes Over Partner Daniella Karagach: 'She's the Best'

Dylan Efron admits he takes Dancing With the Stars judges' "input" very "seriously."

"Derek [Hough] is always talking about how he wants me to be more of a leading man, and we always put that into effect. Their comments definitely weigh into how we practice the next week," the reality star, 33, who partnered with Banfield Pet Hospital in celebration of National Senior Pet and Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month, exclusively tells OK!.

The handsome hunk, who has become a fan-favorite this season on Dancing With the Stars, also credits his partner, Daniella Karagach, for keeping him on track. "She's so similar to me in the fact that we're willing to go all in. I could have been with a lot of pros, but I wouldn't be half as good as I am right now because she's willing to go that extra mile with me. She's willing to drop her plans to come train extra with me and really put in the time and effort to turn me into a dancer," he gushes. "She really is the best. I know I can listen to everything she says and just try to do my best to make it happen. It was a perfect pairing for me."

Though the two look like they are in sync, he admits they are "always disagreeing."

"As far as choreo and dance go, I'm mostly agreeing with her," he quips.

The Traitors alum says being on the ABC series has been "one of the coolest experiences of my life."

"I've never danced, but I've always admired dancers, so to be able to learn from the best, it's what I love the most in life. I love learning new things, and dance has been incredibly challenging, but I love the challenge," he says, adding that it's been "more" work than he thought.

"I've always been athletic my whole life. I've never been the most athletic — there are professional gymnasts and athletes on our show, so I was never that good. I was on the bench in my junior year of high school. I've always been athletic, but I've never been the best, so I know that's helped me. It's the same with counting. I was always a B student, never an A student, so tell me to memorize all these different eight counts, my brain doesn't compute it. I think where I am not the best at anything, I rely on my work ethic. I love pushing myself, and that's my superpower in this. I'm willing to put in the hours and dedicate my life to this," he continues.

From winning The Traitors to being a frontrunner on DWTS, Efron says it's been "an incredible year" for him. "It's so weird because so much has changed and so little has changed. I know when the show is over, I am going to go back to the beach, hang with my girlfriend and be with my dog Booey. I'm going to go on road trips and be the exact same person I've always been. I'm so thankful for this and enjoying it, and I know I'll remember it for the rest of my life. I'm 33, I am who I am, and I can't wait to get back to my normal life, too. It's such a weird feeling — being grateful in the present as it is all happening," he explains.

Since Efron is all about spending time with his loved ones, including his pup, a German shepherd, it made sense with him to partner with Banfield Pet Hospital to celebrate National Senior Pet and Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month, highlighting senior pets ready for adoption at shelters across the U.S.

Older animals in shelters can often be overlooked: according to the ASPCA, some shelters see senior dogs adopted at half the rate of their younger dogs and puppies. To help six deserving shelter pets find homes, Banfield will cover each of their adoption fees and provide a complimentary Senior Care Optimum Wellness Plan (OWP) — offering a full year of comprehensive preventive care. The cause is near and dear to Efron's heart as a proud rescue dog owner of a senior pet: Booey.

"The timing is crazy because it was right before Dancing With the Stars started, and I took Booey to the vet. When he was younger, I never took him to the vet because he never got fleas or had any issues, but now he's getting older, I am taking him a lot more just to make sure everything is good," he shares. "When I took him to the vet, they said, 'He's a senior dog now.' I was like, 'No, he's still a puppy.' When I told him his age, he was like, 'Yeah, he's lived over half his life.'"

"I was like, 'That's true.' He still acts like a puppy, but he's getting older, and I know he's got so much more life to live. It makes me want to do something for the senior pets because they get overlooked in shelters. It's cool to be able to spotlight this during National Senior Pet Month," he adds. "As a pet owner, you want to protect them, and having preventative care helps ease anyone's mind if that were to happen. Once you're a pet owner, you're going to protect your dog; it's your family."

Before Efron got Booey, he was looking at puppies, but a dog trainer told him he would have to train them and spend time making sure they would behave. "He was saying all these dogs, especially when they're adopted, know they want a home. Of course, everybody loves puppies, but they don't have any reason to listen to you, while older dogs do. So, if you can adopt a senior dog, you're adopting a best friend for life. That message stuck with me. It's just about highlighting these senior dogs and knowing that no matter what, they're your best friend," he concludes.