Phoenix welcomes a new certified bed bug dog.

By Keith Coddington Cimex K9 of Phoenix, AZ would like to introduce our latest certified bed bug dog, Kohl.

Kohl is a 2 year old Dutch Shepherd.  All of Cimex K9s dogs are either owner surrenders or from rescue organizations.  Although Kohl comes from an excellent breeding line, he was too much for his prior owner to handle due to his strong desire to work.

Although Kohl has this very strong work ethic he is also a very sweet boy that loves other dogs and people.  He is remarkably calm while doing his job detecting bed bugs for how much energy and drive he possesses.  His stamina and focus while on the job is second to none which makes him a pleasure to work with.

Just as with all of our dogs, Kohl is trained to passively alert meaning he will sit and point when he detects bed bug odor.    All of the handlers at Cimex K9 were third party certified with Kohl this January.

Besides detecting bed bugs, Kohl also loves competeing in dock diving competitions.  During his first competition in January of 2012 he placed 2^nd in the senior division of the Splash Dogs Competition in Tempe, AZ.

For more information on Cimex K9s bed bug detection services call 888-928-4364

Many Arizona Businesses to implement Proactive Bed Bug Dog Inspections

Cimex K9 has been offering bed bug dog detection services since 2009.  Most of our clients are located in the Phoenix metropolitan area, but we service the entire state. April 12, 2014

Unfortunately for Arizonians the bed bug epidemic undoubtedly is just in the beginning stages.  We here at Cimex K9 have noticed a drastic increase in bed bug activity this winter not only in Phoenix but throughout the entire state.  Unlike past years where the bed bug activity seemed to decrease during the winter months this year has shown a drastic increase in activity from our perspective.

Many businesses throughout the state have decided to take a proactive approach using our bed bug detection dog service rather than waiting for customer complaints.  This service help protects the reputation of the business, provides peace of mind and allows infestations to be discovered in the very early stages which allow treatments to be easier and less expensive.

We recommend most establishments adopt a quarterly inspection schedule to provide adequate monitoring to practically eliminate the possibility of customers encountering bed bugs.

There are products on the market for bed bug monitoring and detection, however nothing can beat Cimex K9’s impeccable track record.  Over the past two years at the thousands of properties we have inspected our search teams have yet to let a customer down by not letting even the smallest infestation go unnoticed and ensuring every canine alert is in fact an active infestation.

Please contact us for more information.  Feel free to check our track record with the Better Business Bureau and additional references are available on request!

Keith Coddington

President

Cimex K9, LLC

888-928-4364

Importance of hiring a third party Bed Bug Detection Dog Service in Phoenix, AZ

By Keith Coddington Cimex K9, LLC would like to stress the importance of hiring a third party bed bug detection dog service.  Here in Phoenix and Nationwide there are unethical scams taking place regarding the use of bed bug detection dogs to convince customers they need costly bed bug treatments when it is not necessary.

Unfortunately we have seen this ourselves in the Phoenix area more than once as we have searched locations right after a previous company insisted there was a major bed bug problem that needed to be addressed immediately.  One thing in common with every issue like this is that even though their dog is alerting in various locations they cannot provide visual proof of the infestation as the infestation simply does not exist.

For some reason I have seen consumers just assume since a bed bug detection dog is being used that it is not necessary to verify anything and just trust the pest control company that is operating them.  Please insist on evidence and protect yourself as the dog handler may be paid on commission for selling the treatment!  If that is not a conflict of interest I don’t know what is.

Also, just because your canine service is provided to you through a regular pest control company it does not necessarily mean it is not a third party.  Many pest control companies subcontract out their bed bug canine work to a third party as is the case with most of the jobs we perform.  Feel free to ask your company if they contract out their canine services as this will minimize the conflict of interest.  Also, make sure the bed bug detection dogs are certified!

If you have any other questions feel free to contact Phoenix, Arizona based  Cimex K9 at 888-928-4364

Keith Coddington

Founder, Certified Detection Dog Trainer

Consumer beware: Investigate before you hire a Bedbug Dog! Phoenix, Arizona

By Keith Coddington There is no doubt that the nationwide bedbug epidemic has turned into an enormous business opportunity which looks extremely attractive in today’s economy.   The bedbug epidemic is nationwide and Phoenix, Arizona has not been spared.  Experts agree the bedbug problem will get much worse before it gets better.

There will be more and more start-up companies trying to cash in on this opportunity which is not necessarily a bad thing, however consumers need to be sure to research the company they are about to hire especially when it comes to bedbug dogs.

The problem is that there is currently no set standard, license or industry-wide recognized certification for bedbug detection dogs teams.  As of now anyone can simply claim they have a trained bedbug detection dog.   A system of consistent quality control in this highly specialized field is lacking.  The good news is that there are several different organizations already addressing this issue and a long-term industry-wide solution is on the horizon.

Cimex K9 is promoting and currently working on the implementation of a state sponsored certification process for search teams to ensure consumers are protected and receive the best quality service possible.

So you may wonder:  How do I hire a reputable detection dog company?

1.       Ask if the dogs are certified.  If so which certification agency?  Ask for proof.

2.       Is the certifying organization operated by the same person that trained and sold the dog?  If so this is a conflict of interest and you should be very skeptical of the legitimacy of this type of “certification”.  The organization must be an independent uninterested third party.

3.       Certification must be of the Team which includes the dog and handler.

4.       Is the certification in real-world conditions?  Is it a double-blind test?

5.       Who trains and maintains the detection dogs?  There is a difference between handlers and trainers.  Trainers train the dogs and the handlers from scratch.  Handlers are trained to use a dog that has already been trained, and aren’t qualified to train other handlers and dogs.  Not many areas have actual trainers on-hand  to maintain the detection dog teams, but when available this is an issue worth considering from a quality control perspective.

6.       Ask for references.  Of course any business will always give out the customer’s names that have had good experiences with them.  The best reference for a bedbug detection dog would be to ask for an apartment complex that has used their bedbug detection dogs frequently over the past year.  This can give you a much clearer picture of the company’s performance.

7.       Does the company, trainer and/or handler have any prior experience with detection dogs?

If the company you are about to hire can’t easily answer all of the questions above you may want to look elsewhere.  Until there is a set industry standard regarding bedbug detection dog certifications the questions above are the best way to ensure protection for the consumer.

-Keith Coddington

owner/trainer

Cimex K9, LLC

888-928-4364