K9 Bed Bug Detection

Bed bugs can be an anxiety-inducing experience for any business owner. The associated negative customer experiences these little hitchhikers cause often leads to bad publicity and poor reviews. Since bed bugs are experts at hiding, it can be very challenging to recognize that a possible infestation could be happening under your watch.

The success, and timeliness, of a bed bug treatment often depends on the magnitude of the infestation. If bed bugs are not detected at their earliest onset they can quickly populate and spread throughout the property, which makes their eradication more difficult, drives costs up, and increases the chance of a customer interaction.

Early detection is the key to any of our commercial bed bug removal programs and our professionally trained bed bug detection dogs ensure that no bed bug hiding spot is left unchecked.

What is a Bed Bug Detection Dog?

Every day canines are hard at work helping in the battle against bed bugs! Our bed bug detection dogs have been specially trained to determine where bed bugs are hiding with amazing accuracy. The dog’s sensitive sense of smell allows them to easily recognize the scent of live bed bugs, and bed bug eggs. Our bed bug dogs are so accurate that they can differentiate between live and dead bed bugs!

How Orkin Canada’s Canine Bed Bug Detection Service Works

The Orkin Canada K9 team will sweep an area using the trained bed bug detection dog. The handler will guide the dog through the area, letting the dog sniff in every applicable space where bed bugs could be hiding. Our bed bug dogs are trained to alert when they have discovered a bed bug scent. Once a dog has alerted to a possible bed bug, the handler will make a visual inspection to confirm the dog’s findings.

Reporting

After a bed bug K9 inspection has been completed, you will receive a snapshot report of the findings. This will give you a full picture of exactly what is happening at your commercial property. The report will include which areas contain bed bugs, and the level of infestation.

Confirmation Of Success

It can be difficult for a human pest control specialist to ensure there are no live bugs present during a follow-up inspection; their eyes do not compare to the accuracy of a dog’s nose. Our bed bug dogs will only alert to the presence of live bed bugs, so they are the perfect tool for confirming whether a treatment was successful.

Types of Canine Bed Bug Detection Programs

K9 Pre-Scheduled Detection Program

The most efficient method to be proactive in identifying if you have bed bugs or not is to always be on the search for them. On a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis we will search a section or your entire property for live bed bugs. This can include properties that include hotels, offices, theatres, modes of transportation, and many more.

On Demand Bed Bug Confirmations and Block Inspections

Instead of having a technician respond to confirm a suspected bed bug sighting you may want to consider our K9 services. Our dogs are faster, more efficient, have far greater accuracy, and are generally more cost effective than their human counterparts.

Detection and On Demand Treatment

For situations that require an immediate response for bed bug confirmation Orkin Canada can deploy a K9 Service with additional pest control technicians. The canine will alert the handler to an infested area, which will then be quarantined by your expert Orkin Canada technician and then treated accordingly.

Detection and Preventative Treatment

Orkin Canada’s bed bug sniffing dogs are ideal for situations that require long term reassurance, and a proactive approach to bed bug detection. Orkin Canada will go through a section of the facility with the K9 to confirm if there is any bed bug activity on the premises. If the K9 alerts to activity, and we confirm it with a visual inspection, we will recommend preparing that area for a full treatment.  All other areas within the vicinity of any detected bed bugs should be inspected to ensure the issue is contained.

Bed Bug Dogs Training & Certification Process

The K9 and the handler go through a rigorous training program as a team. At the end of the program, a 3^rd party certification body verifies that each canine team is capable of accurately detecting live bed bugs, and then issues a certification. Once in the field, our K9 teams are tested every quarter and recertified annually.

K9 Safety

The K9 Handler will always inspect an area before the bed bug dog enters the inspection area. The K9 cannot be taken into areas that have had recent treatments. There are other safety protocols which the handler must abide by. The handler has the right to refuse inspection in areas they deem to be “not safe” for the K9 to enter.

Common Industries Suitable For K9 Bed Bug Detection Services

Though any industry might be vulnerable to a possible bed bug infestation, some industries are more prone to regular infestations. These industries might include:

• Hospitality Industry (Hotels, Motels, Cabins, Casinos)
• Restaurants and Food Service (Fast Food Restaurants, Fine-Dining Restaurants, Pubs, Bars, etc.)
• Schools & Education Institutions (Universities, Colleges, High Schools, Middle Schools, etc.)
• Offices and Call Centres
• Retail Stores
• Energy Industry
• Transportation Industry (Airplanes, Taxi cabs, Trains, Ride-sharing vehicles, etc.)

Canines have been used in a variety of industries due to their scent detection efficiency and accuracy. Some other examples of industries that utilize canine scent detection are bomb detection, avalanche rescue, drug and firearm detection, and missing persons detection.

A History of Orkin Canada’s K9 Bed Bug Detection Services

In 2008 Orkin PCO Services, now Orkin Canada, invested in a K9 Bed Bug Detection program. This quickly proved to be an extremely accurate and efficient method compared to human technician inspections. Our program is now one of the largest of its kind in Canada with services available in all provinces and territories; with our main hubs being Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Moncton, and Halifax.

The majority of our dogs are rescue dogs obtained from shelters. Our expert trainer evaluates their temperament, drive, and overall health and then hand selects the right dogs for our program.

All canines have been paired with a long-term primary handler and a secondary handler. The dogs live and work with their handlers. The K9’s motivation for detecting bed bugs is through a food or toy based reward. Throughout a workday the handler will strategically hide bed bug scents as confirmation of detection accuracy.

K9’s will continue to play a large role in the extermination of bed bugs and in many other industries for a variety of applications.

Learn more about Lindsay and Tetris from Orkin’s K9 Team

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