A trained detection dog can pick up the scent of live bed bugs and viable eggs inside a sofa frame, behind old paneling or in a gap along the floor. On Sebastopol properties with a main house plus a cottage or ADU, a K9 team can cover every building in one short visit.
Where a Dog Earns Its Keep
- Parcels with a guest cottage, ADU or converted outbuilding.
- Hosted rooms and guest houses, between stays or after a complaint.
- Older homes with paneling, trim and floorboard gaps.
- Bites continuing when nothing is found by eye.
- Confirming that a treatment worked.
How the Search Is Run
- StartThe dog is trained to alert only on live bed bugs and viable eggs.
- SearchThe handler walks the dog past beds, seating, baseboards and outlets in each room.
- SignalThe dog sits or holds its nose on the spot where it smells bugs.
- VerifyThe handler checks every alert by sight.
What to Ask a K9 Team
Find out where the dog was trained, who certifies the team, how often it practices and how alerts get confirmed. Be wary of any company that wants to treat every building on a parcel because of one alert nobody has confirmed.
Getting Ready for the Dog
- Keep your own dogs, cats and farm animals away from the search areas.
- Avoid candles, incense and strong cooking smells that day.
- Do not spray any bug products in the days before.
Questions About K9 Inspections
Can the dog search the main house and the cottage in one trip?
Yes, and that is one of the best uses for a dog on a rural parcel. Several small buildings can often be covered in a single visit.
If the dog alerts, do I definitely have bed bugs?
Not until the handler confirms it. Each alert should be checked by eye before any treatment is planned.
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 Sebastopol. That company inspects, quotes and does the work.