A detection dog picks up the scent of live bed bugs and viable eggs through fabric, trim and narrow wall cracks. Many homes in the newer eastern Clovis neighborhoods are large, with several bedrooms and a guest room, and a K9 team can screen all of them quickly so only the rooms with bugs get treated.
When a Dog Is Worth It
- A big home has 4 or more bedrooms to check.
- Bites continue but no bug or stain has turned up.
- A landlord needs several units screened in one visit.
- A family member visited from a home with a known problem.
- You want a final check once treatment is complete.
How a Dog Search Runs
- Warm upThe team uses a dog trained to respond only to live bugs and viable eggs.
- SearchThe handler leads it along beds, couches, trim and walls.
- SignalThe dog sits or points where the scent is strongest.
- VerifyThe handler checks each signal and records what is confirmed.
Questions to Ask the Team
Ask who trained and certified the dog, how often the team practices with known samples, and whether the handler inspects every alert before calling it positive. Be cautious if someone suggests treating a whole building from a single alert no one has confirmed.
Getting Ready for the Visit
- Close your own pets in a room outside the search area.
- Avoid scented candles, strong cooking and air fresheners that day.
- Do not use any bug spray in the days leading up to it.
Questions About K9 Inspections
Will my dog distract the detection dog?
Not if your pet is shut in a room that is not on the search list. Working dogs stay focused, and the handler keeps control the whole time.
The dog alerted in one unit. Does the whole building get treated?
It should not. The handler must confirm each alert, and treatment should go where bugs are actually verified.
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 Clovis. That company inspects, quotes and does the work.