A trained detection dog can pick up the scent of live bed bugs and viable eggs tucked inside a sofa frame, behind old baseboards or in a gap near an outlet. For Glen Ellen inns, rentals and larger properties with a guest cottage, a K9 team can cover many rooms in one short visit.
When a Dog Earns Its Fee
- Inn rooms or a permitted rental between guests, or right after a complaint.
- Properties with a main house plus a cottage or studio.
- Older homes with long runs of trim and floorboards.
- Bites with nothing found by eye.
- Checking that a treatment worked.
How the Search Works
- StartThe handler explains that the dog responds only to living bugs and eggs that could hatch.
- SweepThe handler guides the dog along beds, chairs, trim and wall edges.
- SignalThe dog sits or holds its nose on the source.
- ConfirmThe handler looks at each alert to verify it.
Choosing a K9 Team
Ask where the dog was trained, who certified it, how often it practices and how its alerts are checked. Be wary of any company that wants to treat a whole inn or every building on a property based on one unconfirmed alert.
Getting Ready for the Search
- Keep your own dogs and cats away from the rooms being searched.
- Skip scented candles, diffusers and strong cooking that day.
- Do not spray for bugs in the days before.
Questions About K9 Inspections
Can a dog check several guest rooms in one trip?
Yes. A K9 team can move through a row of rooms fairly quickly, which is why small inns and hosts with more than one rental often choose it.
If the dog alerts, do I definitely have bed bugs?
Not yet. The handler should confirm each alert by sight, and no treatment should be planned on an unconfirmed alert.
How your call is handled: Bed Bug Control CA is a free referral service. When you call or send the form, you are connected with an independent, licensed pest control company that serves Glen Ellen. That company inspects, quotes and does the work.