Indiana Woman Wonders if Her Dog Could be Trained to Detect Bed Bugs
Hi, it's me, I'm the one who wants to know if my dog can be trained to detect disgusting bed bugs and other rodents.
Meet Molly
This is Molly. She spends a lot of time in the bed, so it makes sense to go ahead and train her to sniff out bed bugs. She loves to hunt for things and occasionally brings her treasures into the house. Recently, Molly brought us a bunny rabbit, an animal's leg, and a mouse.
Way to MOLE
Then there was the time she brought a mole into the house. It lived in the walls for days until she sniffed it out, and we could set it free.
Can Any Dog Be Trained to Detect Bed Bugs?
For this answer, I did some extensive research. K9 Detection Services in Newburgh, Indiana has six dogs that are trained or beginning to train for bed bug detection. Five of them are German Shepherds or a mix. One little cutie is a Beagle mix. A few of them have been rescued from local shelters, so they weren't bread to be detection dogs.
According to ORKIN
The dog’s breed is actually less important than his or her drive and ability to learn. Training typically starts when a dog reaches a year and a half to two years old, and it takes between six and eight weeks to complete. While some breeds are better than others, for the most part dogs are selected based on their inherent drive to complete the job.
How to Train
Well, doggy! I took one look at what dailypuppy.com said you need to begin training your dog to detect bed bugs, and decided that I'm out!
- Dog
- Bed bugs
- Bed bug eggs, skin casting, and fecal matter
- 5 salt shakers
If Molly wakes up and discovers anything in the bed, there is a good chance that she will just eat it and the problem will be solved.
Read More: Indiana City Named One of the Cities with the Most Bed Bugs
Check out these 50 fascinating facts about dogs:
LOOK: Here Are 30 Foods That Are Poisonous to Dogs
10 Actors Who Adopted Animals From Movie And Sets
More From WDKS-FM
