A trained dog can smell live bed bugs and viable eggs through sofa fabric, behind baseboards and inside narrow cracks. In Novato it is most useful in 1960s and 1970s apartment complexes, attached condos and townhomes, and larger houses where bites continue but no bug has ever been seen.
When a K9 Search Is Worth It
- A visual inspection found nothing yet the bites keep coming.
- The home has 4 or more bedrooms plus an in-law unit or guest cottage.
- Visitors slept in several rooms over a holiday stay.
- An apartment or condo manager wants neighboring units screened after a report.
- You want a final clearance check once treatment is done.
How the Dog Search Runs
- ArrivalOur handler arrives with a dog trained only on live bed bugs and viable eggs.
- SearchThe dog works beds, furniture and wall lines one room at a time.
- AlertThe dog points or sits at the exact seam or gap.
- ConfirmThe handler examines every alert and records only proven finds.
K9 Searches in Novato Housing
Novato counted 21,271 housing units in the 2020 Census, and about 1 in 3 occupied homes is rented. In a complex where units share walls and hallways, a dog can screen several apartments in the time it takes to inspect one by eye. In a large single-family home, it can clear unused bedrooms quickly so our technician focuses where the dog alerts.
Preparing for the Dog
- Keep your own pets out of the search area.
- Skip scented candles, air fresheners and heavy cooking that day.
- Stop using any spray or powder several days before the visit.
K9 Search Questions
Our dog lives with us. Does it need to leave?
Put your pet in a room we are not searching, or outside, while we work. Our detection dog stays on leash with the handler and only covers the rooms on the plan.
The dog sat by the guest bed. Will every room be treated now?
No. The handler checks each alert for live bugs, eggs or other proof, and we only treat locations that are confirmed.
How it works: Bed Bug Control CA runs its own bed bug inspections and treatments. We book an inspection at your Novato home at a time that suits you. Treatment starts only after you approve the written quote.