[Insect Detection] The Nose Knows

David Latimer doesn’t have formal pest control training. But his technicians Charlie, Julie and Jack work all across North America.

Latimer works as a master trainer at FSI K9 Academy in Vincent, Ala., teaching dogs how to properly identify active termite and bed bug infestations. Latimer works full time as the chief of police nearby in the small Central Alabama town of Harpersville, and started the company eight years ago to help public safety officials better investigate fires and crime scenes, as well as PCOs find insect pests.

Latimer said he knows “just enough to be dangerous” when it comes to pest management. But now, his detection dogs work from British Columbia to Puerto Rico and from California to North Carolina.

DETECTION DOGS. Latimer said dogs can be used to identify almost any scent, as long as it is unique, and have long been used to help police locate an arsonist’s gasoline-stained clothing, find bodies and track escaped prisoners.
“That’s what they were designed to do: hunt something using its sense of smell,” he said.

Latimer began training termite dogs in 2000, and mostly uses beagles. Not because they have any special abilities over other dog breeds, but because they are often requested by customers. “I’ve used everything,” he said, including Labradors and rat terriers. “Most any dog with the right drive and training is capable of scent detection work.”

The dogs he trains come from the area Humane Society and various other rescue groups. People from all across the country are always eager to give him dogs they can’t handle. They call him up and tell him they’ve got a dog that’s crazy, off-the-wall, bouncing all over the place.

“I say, ‘I’ll be right there. That’s my kind of dog,’” Latimer said. A good scent detection dog needs “high energy, a lot of drive” to be successful: “Try getting on your hands and knees and sniffing hard through your nose for five minutes.”
 
TRAINING FOR TERMITES. It takes Latimer about three months to properly train a dog to identify a scent. The insect detection dogs are trained to alert — sit and point their nose — to the presence of live termites. When they make an accurate alert, Latimer or one of his four trainers rewards them.

“They only alert to the presence of live termites, not old damage, so they can measure the effectiveness of a treatment program,” he said.

A few years ago, Latimer also started getting calls from PCOs who needed help finding bed bugs. But he didn’t think they were serious.

“I thought this was a joke,” he said. “I thought bed bugs were an urban myth until that time.”

And with the recent resurgence of the tiny pests, he’s been leasing more dogs for bed bug detection. PCOs can lease a trained scent dog for a three-year term at a cost of a $1,500 down payment and $150 a month. It costs about $5,500 to purchase a dog outright.

HOW TO HANDLE DOG HANDLING. Latimer said detection dogs can make a great addition to a PCO’s service offerings, but was quick to say that dog handling might not work for all companies.

“Dog handling is not for everybody. Dog handling is hard work,” he said “It’s a real commitment. It’s not for every company. It takes time, and…it’s easy to jump into and have unreasonable expectations for the results.”

He suggests PCOs contact other companies who already have detection dogs, and ask the trainer they plan to work with for references. A detection dog requires the same amount of attention as an employee. And caring for a dog on a daily basis — bathing, feeding and training — can really change the way a company operates.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s termite or bombs, you’re going to have a relationship develop there. That’s going to change your day-to-day life,” Latimer said. “If you’re not ready for it, it can be a somewhat onerous proposition for someone already spending 10 to 12 hours a day trying to run his business.”

The author is assistant editor of PCT magazine.

Advice on Adding Dog Detection to Your Company’s Service Offerings

• Check with other PCOs about their experience using dogs
• Ask the trainer you plan to work with for references
• Be aware of all the added expenses and time commitments that come with a dog, such as training, bathing and feeding