Why use a bed bug dog?
At Trust K9 we are used to the look of surprise when we tell people what we do. “A dog that sniffs out bed bugs?” people say in disbelief. Well yes indeed.
Dogs are used to detect all number of things because of their keen sense of smell. Dogs use scent more than their other senses to interpret the world. A dog’s nose has around 60 x more scent detecting cells than a human!
Dogs are used to detect scent in many fields including the Police, Coast Guards, Armed Forces and Custom Control. So then the next question we are asked is, why do people need a bed bug dog?
Early Infestations
Although bed bugs are visible to the naked eye you only really start to see physical signs of bed bugs once a bed bug infestation is 4-6 weeks old. Customers often come to us when they know they have stayed somewhere that they have since found out has bed bugs.
Recently we had a couple whose son had been travelling in Australia and had left his luggage in their house for a week whilst he sorted out a flat-share. He later told them he had been bitten repeatedly by bed bugs whilst travelling and so they naturally were worried he had bought them into their home. Happily, one of our bed bug dogs, Alfie, was able to give them the all clear!
Catching bed bugs early usually means that Trust K9 or other bed bug specialists will be able to get rid of them more quickly.
Large Areas
Anywhere with a large number of rooms to search will benefit from using a bed bug dog. Bed bug canines take just 2-3 minutes to search a room, meaning they can search hundreds of rooms a day in hotels, hostels and care homes etc.
We are seeing a shift in attitudes with Hotels using us to proactively monitor their rooms, so that if a problem is detected we can eliminate the bed bugs before they cause the guests too much grief!
Peace of Mind
If you have ever been unlucky enough to get bed bugs, you will understand how much they can get into your head, as well as your bed.
We often get call-outs to people who have had bed bugs previously and think they may have got them again. If you cannot find physical evidence it can be hard to determine if you actually have an infestation or whether you are being paranoid about either another biting insect or skin complaint.
A bed bug dog gives our customers peace of mind. Either to let them know they don’t have a bed bug infestation and can sleep easy, or if they do have one – we can get rid of them quickly.