A trained detection dog can smell live bed bugs and viable eggs tucked into a recliner, an RV dinette cushion or a crack behind the baseboard. On Pala parcels where a main house, a casita and a camper all get used, a K9 team can clear a lot of space in one short visit.
When a Dog Makes Sense
- Lots with a main home plus a casita, manufactured home or trailer.
- An RV or camper back from a trip or a race weekend.
- Ongoing bites with no bugs found by eye.
- Guest rooms that sit empty until family visits.
- Confirming that a finished treatment worked.
How the Search Goes
- StartThe handler explains that the dog responds only to living bed bugs and eggs that can still hatch.
- SweepThe handler leads the dog past beds, seating, trim and outlets in each space.
- AlertThe dog sits or points its nose at the source of the scent.
- ConfirmThe handler must confirm every alert by eye before any treatment is planned.
What to Ask the K9 Team
Find out who trained and certified the dog, how often it practices and how the handler confirms an alert. Think twice if a company wants to treat every building on the property after a single alert that nobody has verified.
Getting Ready
- Keep household pets out of the rooms being searched.
- Skip scented candles, plug-in fresheners and heavy cooking on search day.
- Avoid insect sprays in the days before the search.
Questions About K9 Inspections
Can one visit cover the house, the casita and the RV?
Yes. Checking several buildings in one trip is where a K9 team shines, and it shows which ones really need treatment.
We keep horses and working dogs. Does that interfere?
Keep your dogs shut away from the search area during the visit. Horses in a corral or pasture are fine, but mention them so the handler knows what to expect.
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 Pala. That company inspects, quotes and does the work.