Bed Bug Sniffing Dogs: Man’s Best Friend Is A Bed Bug’s Worst Enemy

Discovering a bed bug problem in your home is as inconvenient as it is unsettling.

And it’s more unnerving considering us humans almost wiped out bed bugs in the 1950s via pesticide treatments. The wily household pests developed a resistance to pesticides, allowing them to aggressively reproduce their populations and torment homeowners and tenants worldwide once more.

So how can humans get rid of bed bugs that have evolved beyond man-made pesticides? Well, that’s two ways. You can hire pest control experts who utilize Integrated Pest Management (IPM), such as heat treatments and chemicals to effectively rid your home of bed bugs.

However, the second solution is a four-legged friend who knows how to sit, stay and come on command.

According to a study conducted by the University of Florida, trained and certified bed bug sniffing dogs are nearly 100% successful at detecting infestations.

This is opposed to the approximate 35% accuracy rate of even the best-trained human bed bug inspector. In short, a trained bed bug control technician can only detect visible signs of bed bugs in a room, however a dog can literally sniff them out, even if there are no signs available. Carry on reading to discover just how incredible a bed bug sniffing dog’s nose is!

Bed Bug Sniffing Dogs Are Beasts Who’ll Remove Your Burden

It only takes one pregnant bed bug hidden in your home to create a full-blown bed bug infestation.

Utilizing their heightened sense of smell, a bed bug detection dog can track as little as one bed bug. This is even in the most unlikely of places through walls, floors, and even underground. Whether they’re hiding behind an outlet, under a baseboard, or inside your child’s stuffed animal, no bed bug is safe when sly bed bug sniffing dogs are on the job.

Ultimately, dogs have smell receptors that are 10,000 times more accurate than a human. In other words, their nose is strong enough to detect substances at concentrations of one part per trillion.

A bed bug detection dog can successfully identify bed bugs at all phases of their life cycle, from eggs to nymphs to adults. In addition, they can crawl into tight spaces that human inspectors cannot.

Ultimately, a K9 inspection can be far more thorough and accurate than alternative bed bug removal methods. So how does a bed bug dog inspection work in practice?

A K9 inspection involves bed bug dogs alerting pest removal technicians. After this, technicians have a good idea whether the removal of mattresses and box springs is necessary. Once intruding bed bugs have been identified in any area, bed bug sniffing dogs will perform what is called a ‘passive alert’. This is where a bed bug detection dog points out any infested area to the technician they are working with.

Expertly trained, these bed bug dogs can also differentiate live bed bugs and bed bug eggs from the markings of an older infestation, for instance, empty egg shells and caste skins. This all helps to determine the severity of a particular bed bug infestation.

A Dogged Training Regime

Bed bug sniffing dogs aren’t simply recruited from the street and hired on the spot. They undertake rigorous certification and training programs to ensure their aptitude.

Did you know it takes at least 600 total hours of training before a single K9 is eligible to perform a proper bed bug dog inspection? Typically, training is spread over two months and it costs approximately $10,000 for a dog to be able to detect bed bugs. Once fully trained, bed bug dogs can smell through walls, floors and even underground long before humans can see any visible warning signs.

So there you have it – man and dog working in unison like a well-oiled, bed bug extermination machine!

Leave Bed Bug Control And Bed Bug Removal To The Professionals At Terminix Canada

When a bed bug infestation is wreaking havoc in your home, you need a permanent, safe solution that guarantees results.

Select Terminix Canada locations nationwide have access to their own bed bug sniffing dogs. Terminix Canada’s trained K9 inspection team and their handlers have certification from the National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association (NESDCA).

The locations that don’t have a trained K9 inspection team aren’t any less effective however. All of our technicians are expertly trained and licensed to spot bed bug infestations and effectively clear your home of them using our Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

To find out more about the bed bug removal options available in your town or city, visit, find your nearest Terminix Canada branch and give them a call. Now you’ve discovered the power of a bed bug dog inspection, give this foolproof solution the green light, get rid of bed bugs, and love your space again.