All too often, bed bugs cause more psychological damage than physical. Part of the reason for this is the fact that they’re hard to identify. Finding signs of bed bugs can be difficult, especially in the early stages. The pests are expert hiders, and their bites might not show up on certain individuals.
This can make some people think they’re going crazy since they don’t have proof. So, how do you find proof? One popular method that exterminators use these days is canine inspection.
However, some people may require proof that canine bed bug inspection accuracy is a dependable way of finding infestations. Luckily, we’ve organized this article for you. In it, we’ll discuss the accuracy of the method, as well as the pros and cons. Let’s get started!
Early Signs That You Might Have an Infestation
Before you can call in a canine bed bug inspection, you first need to suspect that you have pests in your home. So, what are some of the warning signs? One of the most recognizable signs is bites on your skin. Unfortunately, this isn’t always foolproof. Sometimes the bites won’t show up on certain people.
Other times they might be mistaken for flea bites. If you think that your bites are from fleas, then it’s better to be safe than sorry by scheduling an inspection. After all, 84% of pest control professionals were contacted about some other type of pest when it turned out to be bed bugs. Besides bites, smears and stains can also be a sign of bed bugs.
This is from the fecal matter and blood left behind when the bugs are crushed. The final sign might be difficult for some people to identify: their smell. Bed bugs leave behind a distinct sweet and musky smell that makes them easy for professionals to identify.
How Do Canines Find Bed Bugs?
As you might guess, canines find bed bugs by smelling them. A dog’s sense of smell is much more amplified than a human’s. Think of how tracking dogs are used to find scents. The same applies to bed bugs.
As we mentioned before, these pests give off a sick, sweetly pheromone that allows canines to pinpoint them. While this smell might be noticeable by humans, it doesn’t tell them where the infestation is. Dogs on the other hand can pinpoint the exact location which helps exterminators adequately deal with the bed bugs.
Canine Bed Bug Inspection Accuracy
If you’re going to spend money on a canine inspection for bed bugs, then you want to make sure that it’s effective. So, exactly how accurate is this type of inspection? The answer: pretty effective, but not perfect. One ABC 20/20 news segment tested how accurate these canines are at detecting bed bugs.
They hired two actors in a bed bug-free apartment to test eleven different pest control companies. Seven of the pest control canines correctly identified no bed bugs. Unfortunately, four signaled non-existent bed bugs. As such, you should make sure that your pest control inspection team is legitimate before hiring them. You can do this by asking for their qualifications and requiring visual evidence of the bed bugs.
Benefits of Canine Bed Bug Inspection
The first benefit of canine bed bug inspections is accuracy. Since most of the time we need to rely on sight when finding them, a properly trained dog is much more likely to sniff out the bugs. Dogs can also identify bed bugs at all stages of their development, even when they’re almost microscopic. This is the stage when the human eye wouldn’t even notice them.
Canines are also fast at their job. The typical visual inspection takes a long time. What’s more, it’s usually pretty invasive. The inspection team will need to move furniture and even go into crawl spaces within the property. Dogs on the other hand waste no time in each room. The result is a less invasive and quicker inspection process.
Finally, a canine inspection can save you money in the long run. By accurately identifying the exact location, you can eliminate the bugs at their source. This is much preferable to spending a ton of money on treatment, only to have the bed bugs come right back. If you want to learn more about the benefits that come with canine bed bug inspection, then make sure to check out our full guide here.
Drawbacks of Canine Bed Bug Inspection
There aren’t many drawbacks to canine bed bug inspections, but there are some things you should be aware of. The biggest problem has to do with the dog’s reliability. Unfortunately, there’s a serious demand for dogs that can detect bed bugs. This has led to some quality control problems with certain companies.
Inadequately trained dogs can lead to false alerts when it comes to bed bugs. Other times, the dogs can be working long days. This inevitably leads to mistakes. Most of the time this is due to inadequate pest control companies. As such, you may want to ask for the dog’s training certification. This will help identify whether or not the company is qualified to be checking for bed bugs.
Ready to Take Back Your Home From Bed Bugs? Call Custom BedBug
As you can see the canine inspection is typically a dependable way to identify the pests in your house. However, to ensure canine bed bug inspection accuracy you should always go with a company you trust. So, how do you find such a company? If you live in the midwest, then look no further than Custom BedBug.
Not only will we help identify and treat your bed bug problem, but we’ll also give you future prevention advice. We know how stressful these pests can be, so we do everything in our power to make it as easy as possible. So, if you’re ready to get control of your life back, then call us today and schedule an inspection.
