A trained dog can pick up the scent of live bed bugs and viable eggs hidden inside a couch frame, under loose baseboard or in a crack in the drywall. On Fowler farm parcels with more than one house, and in rental properties with several units, a K9 team covers many rooms quickly.
Good Times to Use a Dog
- Vineyard or orchard parcels with a main home and other houses.
- Duplexes and small apartment buildings after one tenant reports bites.
- New homes where bites started after a move and nothing is visible.
- Rechecking a home after treatment to confirm the result.
- Hard-to-search rooms packed with stored boxes.
How the Search Works
- Set upThe dog is trained to respond only to live bed bugs and viable eggs.
- SearchThe handler guides the dog past beds, sofas, trim and outlets in each room.
- SignalThe dog sits or points its nose at the source.
- CheckThe handler verifies each alert by eye.
Questions for the K9 Handler
Find out where the dog was trained, which group certifies the team, how often they run practice searches and how they confirm alerts. Be cautious about any offer to treat every house on a Fowler parcel because of a single alert that no one verified.
Preparing for the Search
- Put your own pets in a room that is not being searched, or take them outside.
- Skip scented candles, plug-in fresheners and strong cooking odors that day.
- Avoid bug sprays for several days beforehand.
K9 Search Questions From Fowler
Can one visit cover the main house and the second home on our land?
Yes. Searching every dwelling on a parcel during a single trip is one of the best uses of a dog team, and it shows exactly which buildings need treatment.
Does a dog alert prove the house has bed bugs?
No. The handler must confirm every alert visually before any treatment plan is written.
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 Fowler. That company inspects, quotes and does the work.