Bed bug sniffer dogs: how they work and when they are worth it

A detection dog can search a hotel corridor in the time it takes a person to check two rooms. That speed is why dogs have become a regular part of bed bug work in hotels, halls of residence and buildings with many flats. They are not magic, though, and knowing what they can and cannot do helps you decide whether to pay for one.

How a sniffer dog finds bed bugs

Bed bugs give off a distinctive smell, from chemicals they release to communicate and from their droppings. Dogs are trained over months to recognise that scent, using live bed bugs and eggs in sealed containers, and to ignore dead bugs and old shed skins, which mean nothing for treatment.

On a survey, the handler leads the dog around each room, along the bed, the headboard, sofas, skirting and curtains. When the dog picks up the scent it gives a trained signal, usually sitting or pointing with its nose. The handler marks the spot and moves on.

How accurate are they?

In controlled tests, well-trained dogs find bed bugs most of the time. In real buildings, accuracy is lower and varies more between dog and handler teams. A study by Cooper, Wang and Singh (2014) tested commercial dog teams in apartments and found an average detection rate of about 44%, with wide differences between teams and some false alerts. Results from training conditions do not always carry over to a lived-in flat.

That is why good practice, set out in the BPCA’s code for bed bug management, is to confirm every dog indication by eye before treatment. A dog tells the inspector where to look; the inspector finds the bug, the egg or the droppings.

When a dog survey is worth it

Hotels, guest houses and hostels

After a guest report, the room in question is usually obvious. The question is whether the rooms either side, above and below are involved. A dog can clear a floor quickly and keep rooms on sale that would otherwise be closed as a precaution.

Student halls and short-let portfolios

Operators with dozens of units use dogs for routine surveys, often before a busy season. In Edinburgh that means before August, when the Festival fills every bed in the city.

Whole buildings

Where several flats in a block or tenement have had cases, a dog survey across the building shows the extent quickly.

When it is less useful

For a single flat or house with clear signs, a dog adds cost without adding much. A visual inspection will confirm the problem and map the rooms.

What a dog survey costs

Dog teams are usually priced by time or by the number of rooms. As a guide, expect about £150 to £300 for the first hour, with lower rates per room for large surveys and contracts. These are typical UK figures; Edinburgh is in line with them.

Getting the most from a survey

• Do not treat, clean heavily or use sprays in the days before. Strong smells can confuse the dog.
• Keep pets, food and other distractions away from the rooms being searched.
• Ask for a written record of each room, with what the dog indicated and what was confirmed by eye.
• Treat confirmed rooms promptly and check the rooms around them again after treatment.

For hotels and short-let operators, our page on hotels and short lets covers what happens after a positive survey.