Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed bug pest control firms (PCOs), Bed bug k9s, etc.
The dogs can be very very wrong - I never had BBs afterall
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ohbugger
newbite
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 18
Posted 7 months ago
Thu Apr 16 2009 21:34:52
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I just finished 2 treatments for an "infestation" that was "confirmed" by the K9s back in February. After 2 treatments, I was still getting bites. I had two different dogs come back (from the same PCO) and they both alerted all over my apt. (the first time the dog only alerted to about 5 specific spots). I never saw a bed bug in my apartment and the reports from the PCO after the treatments said that there was no live activity - yet the dogs alerted and I was getting what seemed like bites.
Well, they couldn't tell me if the bugs the dogs were picking up were live or dead or give me any information. In fact they never physically inspected the spots where the dogs alerted they just rewarded the dogs. They just said the dogs were definitely picking up a very strong bedbug scent. I went and had a 3rd treatment after which I had several bites on my stomach.
I was starting to think that the whole bagging thing was a mistake and that I probably had spread them during my preparation, so I called Killer Queen (my hero) whose tactics are very different. He came in and inspected my entire apartment - ripping everything apart. Turns out.......I NEVER HAD BED BUGS TO BEGIN WITH!!!! He couldn't find one single trace of a bed bug living or dead - no live or dead bugs, no fecal matter, no casings - nothing! All he found were carpet beetles and carpet beetle larvae where the dog alerted.
Here's the deal. The dogs are being trained to pick up the bed bug scent only, but when some of these handlers bring in the dogs, they just reward the dog for alerting WITHOUT INSPECTING THE SPOT WHERE THE DOG ALERTS! So, what's happening is the dogs are starting to alert to different bugs (which maybe they first smell at the same time as they smell a bed bug) and because the handlers aren't inspecting they end up rewarding the dogs for alerting to other bugs and now the dog will continue to alert to these other bugs.
So I, too, can now say that Killer Queen was the answer to my prayers. If it hadn't been for him, I'd still be up all night, itching like crazy, paranoid beyond belief and unnecessarily filling my apartment with chemicals. I only wish I had called him before I called Assured Environments. It was an unbelievably traumatic 2 1/2 months.
So please, be very very careful and no matter who you use....make sure they inspect. I think the dogs can be a good tool when used responsibly and in conjunction with a physical inspection.
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reepicheep
junior member
Joined: May '08
Posts: 45
Posted 7 months ago
Thu Apr 16 2009 21:38:39
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So what was it that was causing your bites? Are you still getting bitten?
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ohbugger
newbite
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 18
Posted 7 months ago
Thu Apr 16 2009 21:42:21
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It's either an allergic reaction to the carpet beetle larvae or something else. I never had many bites but what I did have seemed to fit the pattern of a few in a row. It's possible that I just started noticing things I hadn't before. The two times I noticed a lot of "bites" that seemed more like a rash, was after the treatments. I trust that I don't really have them now after KQ inspected. It also makes sense because I had never seen a BB, but I have seen carpet beetles and carpet beetle larvae and my t-shirts have holes in them.
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Infofreak
junior member
Joined: Apr '09
Posts: 74
Posted 7 months ago
Thu Apr 16 2009 21:57:48
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ohbugger....I am sure I inspected way more than any body on this planet could ever do , I bought lights , LEDS , magnifying glass , I bought new white sheets , I called a police detective friend bring me some luminol but he said that it reacts to other things and thought I was crazy and I was, I thought the luminol would lead me to the bugs since they might leave blood . I still want to try it out but the bugs are gone , and it took me 8 months to find one . Be careful you might have what I had a few good hiders that get hungry 2-3 times a month
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ohbugger
Killer Queen is correct about the importance of visually confirming K9 alerts. Confirming the alert is an important quality control procedure.
If a K9 alerts & we break out our flashlight... then find evidence of live bed bugs in the location of the alert... we can say that the K9 alert was 100% accurate.
Locating physical evidence is the gold standard to confirm the accuracy of a bed bug inspection. Not every K9 alert will be confirmed due to the ability of bed bugs to hide within inaccessible locations.
Are you still experiencing marks on your skin? I am curious to hear if you continue to react to the unknown source & whether you are ultimately successful in identifying the source with some degree of certainty.
Was KQ able to locate any other biting pests?
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 5,547
Posted 7 months ago
Thu Apr 16 2009 23:22:08
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I think it's time we stopped talking about k9s in general, and talked instead about specific k9 teams.
They're not all the same, are not all trained to do the same thing, and the quality of the handler-dog team's work does not seem to be the same.
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bugbuster
junior member
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 63
Posted 7 months ago
Fri Apr 17 2009 17:09:00
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The teams ohbugger used were both from Assured Environments. The dogs were Max and Bugsy. And neither their handlers nor the sales guy from Assured conducted anything more than a cursory inspection. Furthermore, when the technicians came in to treat, all three times, they never found ANY evidence of bedbugs.
When KQ checked her out (thanks, KQ), he saved a larva which she let crawl over her wrist and arm. Three days later, she is starting to get 'bites' in exactly the spots where the larva crawled. So in addition to the similarity in presentation, there also appears to be a similar delay.
She and I are still going to get bite tests from Lou Sorkin, so we know going forward how we'd react to actual BBs. For newbites reading along, ohbugger is my sister.
While we don't discount the possibility of, what I referred to in an earlier post, as a 'pet bedbug' - the well-hidden loner or two who feeds occasionally - it certainly seems that carpet beetles are the culprit in her situation.
KillerQueen rocks!!!
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ohbugger
newbite
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 18
Posted 7 months ago
Fri Apr 17 2009 19:58:10
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Neither of the K9 handlers did any inspection whatsoever when the dog alerted. They just rewarded and kept walking with the dog until the next alert and then it just repeated.
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Infofreak
junior member
Joined: Apr '09
Posts: 74
Posted 7 months ago
Fri Apr 17 2009 20:08:19
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ohbugger - 9 minutes ago »
Neither of the K9 handlers did any inspection whatsoever when the dog alerted. They just rewarded and kept walking with the dog until the next alert and then it just repeated.Shady. at best
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senior member
Joined: Mar '08
Posts: 596
Posted 7 months ago
Fri Apr 17 2009 21:02:25
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Thanks for the kind words guys! I’m glad I was able to help confirm … well nothing!
I have been following many K9 teams as of late, and I can tell you first hand the findings are disturbing. The two teams you mentioned above, as well as others, have proven useless because of lazy and or unprofessional practices.
Just last week I performed an inspection behind a K9 that alerted inside many apartments, while I inspected 5 units, 4 surrounding a confirmed 5th infestation. The surrounding units did not have any complaints & my findings were 0 problems yet these units were "hit” on by the K9. Again, and again, and again, the handler just rewarded the dog when it sat down! It's something else that these teams will not even attempt to confirm the findings of the K9.
I have concluded my own feelings about K9 teams and dogs in general as I have done plenty of research on them and I have seen them in the field. Many people contact me after K9 inspections or will ask me for an inspection. I have been looking for a team that I could call on to do inspections for people when asked for K9’s.
I have been recommending one team I feel good about. I don’t really have the time needed for human detection because my time is consumed by doing treatments. This team/owner has a very strict protocol for his handler and he assures me his handler does everything in his power to confirm the findings or the dog.
He offers K9 detection and nothing else .. Not a pest control salesmen. He is not looking to sell you a bed bug treatment but rather just confirm if you have a bed bug problem or not.
Nobugs: If I’m allowed? People can PM me if they are looking for a recommendation for K9 services? If not you can remove this portion of my post.
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spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,405
Posted 7 months ago
Fri Apr 17 2009 21:18:08
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KillerQueen - 10 minutes ago »
The two teams you mentioned above, as well as others, have proven useless because of lazy and or unprofessional practices.Again, and again, and again, the handler just rewarded the dog when it sat down! It's something else that these teams will not even attempt to confirm the findings of the K9.
Astonishing, and not in a good way.
Jim
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Infofreak
junior member
Joined: Apr '09
Posts: 74
Posted 7 months ago
Fri Apr 17 2009 21:31:04
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I said it all along beware of dogs , They aren't that good , You need a good in depth human inspection no matter what if the dog hits you still need a human inspection , be careful of dogs
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bugbuster
junior member
Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 63
Posted 7 months ago
Sat Apr 18 2009 10:18:36
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Cave canem!
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BugBuster
"Cave Camen"
Thanks, I'm going to post that on my gate at home :)
Does anyone know how to translate "Beware of the human "into Latin?
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Infofreak
junior member
Joined: Apr '09
Posts: 74
Posted 7 months ago
Sat Apr 18 2009 16:12:43
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Hunc tu caveto - Beware of man
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Thanks
Hunc tu caveto ! Would be the more accurate term.
When there is a problem with a K9 teams accuracy the problem usually originates with the handlers practices rather than the K9s ability.
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