A trained detection dog can smell live bed bugs and viable eggs through fabric, wood trim and narrow wall cracks. For a big Sanders Ranch or Carroll Ranch home, a dog can cover every room far faster than a person working alone.
When a Dog Is Worth It
- Large hillside houses with many bedrooms and a guest wing.
- Homes with a room or suite rented to a college student.
- Bites keep coming but nobody can find a bug or a stain.
- Guest rooms used only on holidays.
- A final clearance check after treatment.
How the Search Works
- CalibrateThe dog is trained to react only to live bugs and viable eggs.
- SweepThe handler guides it along beds, sofas, baseboards and wall edges.
- AlertThe dog sits or points where the scent is strongest.
- ConfirmThe handler checks every alert and notes what is verified.
What to Ask Before Booking
Ask how and where the dog was certified, how often the team trains on known samples, and whether the handler inspects each alert before calling it positive. Be cautious about any company that wants to treat the entire house because of one unconfirmed alert.
Getting the House Ready
- Keep your own pets out of the rooms being searched.
- Avoid scented candles, sprays and strong cooking that day.
- Do not apply any pesticide in the days before the visit.
Questions About K9 Inspections
Our family dog lives here. Will that throw the search off?
Usually not. Close your pet in a room that is not on the search list, and the handler will keep the working dog on task.
One alert from the dog means the whole house gets treated?
It should not. The handler must confirm each alert by looking, and treatment should go only where bugs are 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 Moraga. That company inspects, quotes and does the work.