How Accurate Are Bed Bug Dogs?
WouterIf you’ve ever wondered how accurate bed bug dogs are, the answer isn’t as simple as you may think. While these dogs can detect bed bugs, they are also often mistaken as “false alarms.” That’s largely the fault of the handler. In order to get your dog to be accurate, you need to understand the biology of the bed bug, and how it behaves in different environments.
In one recent study, the ABC program 20/20 aired a segment that demonstrated the accuracy of bedbug dogs. To demonstrate their effectiveness, the team staged an allegedly bedbug-free home in the New York City area. While the “homeowner” was a professional actor, the bedbug dogs alerted four of the 11 pest control teams that inspected the home.
A bed bug dog’s nose is much more sensitive than a human’s, making it an excellent detection method. In one study, two dogs trained in Florida were 98% accurate at detecting bed bugs in a hotel room. In a different study, four canine detection teams were tested and showed substantial variation in scent detection rates. Overall, the false-positive rate was 15%. The study also noted that the canine detection teams didn’t work together for long periods of time.
A trained bed bug dog team can check many rooms and areas in a day. Depending on the location and airflow, the dogs can also detect traces of unrelated smells such as mold. During a single inspection, an experienced handler can eliminate a high percentage of false-positives by flagging ambiguous locations.
