May 18, 2022
Having your own home is a responsibility because you need to protect it. After all, a house is perhaps the most expensive investment an average person can make. This means safeguarding your home from significant threats such as natural disasters to the tiniest dangers such as bedbugs. Here is our guide to bed bug pest control.
Bedbugs are a common problem everywhere because they bite you in your sleep. While their bites don’t exactly hurt, they can still be an annoyance. The good news is that many companies offer bedbug inspection services using dogs. These bedbug-sniffing dogs are what they sound like: dogs who sniff out bedbugs. While they’re highly efficient, some people often have reservations because they don’t think they can do it.
This begs the question: are bedbug-sniffing dogs reliable? We’ll discuss all the details in this article, so read on below to get started.
Bedbug-sniffing dogs are trained to detect bedbugs for several reasons:
The only way to get the job done fast is to use specialists. Dogs can detect bedbugs more quickly than humans because they have a better smell.
Having a bedbug-sniffing dog is more cost-effective than having humans do it. While these dogs require training, they don’t need the same amount of sleep and food as humans do.
Even if they have a very keen sense of smell, humans are still limited in what they can sense. On the other hand, dogs have a much better chance of detecting bedbugs even when they’re hidden. Some dogs can even smell bedbugs when they’re encased in concrete.
Bedbug-sniffing dogs are usually trained by a professional to become well-acquainted with bedbugs’ scents. While some dogs are trained to detect the odor of bedbugs, others are trained to detect live bedbugs specifically. These dogs are generally trained from an early age.
Bedbug-sniffing dogs have to be healthy and have a robust immune system. They also have to have a very keen sense of smell, which is highly genetic. Professional trainers usually train these dogs to detect bedbugs by placing the bed bug scent in various training devices. As you can imagine, this process can be expensive and takes a lot of time and effort.
Long story short: yes, bedbug-sniffing dogs are reliable. However, it all depends on the dog’s training and how well it can detect bedbugs. Continued scent detection activities and ongoing training are a must.
Conversely, how long a dog has been trained is also a factor. It usually takes several months to a year before a bedbug-sniffing dog can be reliable. The average training period from start to finish is usually 600 hours. Because of this, it’s best to use a dog that has been trained for a long time and has a good record of detecting bedbugs.
Of course, you don’t just stop at the dog finding out where bedbugs are because you need to get them removed. Naturally, you’ll need to hire a pest control company.
The pest control company you should hire must have a good record of removing bedbugs and must have experience treating them. Remember that bedbugs are surprisingly resilient, and getting rid of them isn’t as easy as you might think.
Of course, the best option is to prevent bedbugs from getting into your home in the first place. Check your personal belongings as well as your clothing. You should also keep the floors of your house vacuumed and clean to prevent bedbugs from nesting in your carpets. Instead of a regular vacuum, use a vacuum to suck bedbugs into the bag.
If you must travel, ensure your suitcase is well-insulated, so you don’t bring any bedbugs home with you. When you get home, inspect your bag thoroughly. You should also clean any textile items as soon as possible.
Bedbug-sniffing dogs are highly effective in finding bedbugs without fail. While they require training, they’re also much more reliable than people. All that matters is finding a reputable company with good experience ridding homes of bedbugs.
Discreet Bedbug Inspections provides top-quality services for bedbug inspection in NYC. We rely on our highly-trained bedbug-sniffing dogs to carry out our work, and we can also develop solutions to ensure that your home is safe from bedbugs at fair prices using our pest control partners. Reach out today to book an appointment!