[Termite Control] K-9 Inspectors: The Real Story

Everywhere I go fellow PCOs ask me, “How’s the dog doing?” The dog is Elvis Pest Lee, our company’s termite detection canine. He’s doing fine but having a dog help with inspections is not a gravy train.
Elvis was trained at the Florida Canine Academy by certified Master Trainer Bill Whitstine. My operations manager and I took off to Florida for 40 hours of dog-handling training, which included first aid, feeding and how to perform an inspection. I was excited beyond belief at the prospect of lower liability due to the accuracy of the dogs, the thought of performing more inspections than ever before and possibly finding more termites (which equals more termite control work). The facts after one year with the dog are different than I expected.

THE CONS. The dogs are extremely accurate, don’t get me wrong. I have found infestations working with Elvis that I’m positive we would have overlooked without him. He has assisted us by pointing out activity or lack thereof. But he has caused doubt as well. The NPMA-33 form, which we use, calls for “evidence of visual infestation.”
On one inspection our K-9 alerted us to termites in several different areas of the home. The basement was finished and there was no visual evidence of an infestation. We came back five days later with a boroscope and hand tools to see if visual evidence could be obtained. Using a different K-9 handler, Elvis again inspected the building. He alerted in the exact same areas as he had during the first inspection. We tried to get visual affirmation of an infestation but were unable to do so because of the construction of the home. We had no other choice then to pass the home for the real estate company but I wonder how the new homeowner would feel had he/she seen Elvis alert.
The number of inspections we’ve done since getting Elvis actually has decreased. Real estate agents want a clear report. They understand that a visual inspection is less likely to find a problem that’s hidden behind walls or furniture than a K-9 inspection. So, they go with the inspection that is more likely to cause fewer problems with their sales. Yes, we’ve explained how they can reduce their liability and that their customers are going to be better served but many really don’t seem to care. They are too accustomed to PCOs putting it all on the line for $35 to $50 and being accurate 30 percent of the time.
The other thing I didn’t take into consideration was the time you have to spend with the dogs. Elvis eats when he finds termites and he eats every day. Unlike my other employees on staff, I have to maintain a daily workout with Elvis, 365 days a year. He eats his food from my hand when he detects termites. So three to five times every day we hide termites around our shop and put Elvis to work so he stays in good working condition and he gets his proper nutrition. During holidays or family vacations, arrangements for another handler to take care of Elvis properly need to be worked out.
Another big concern I have is the dog biting or nipping someone. It amazes me how people will bend down and stick their faces in the face of an animal they don’t know. Elvis has never bitten or attacked anyone but that’s not to say it couldn’t happen. I, as a handler, have to maintain control of my animal at all times. In public I must always be aware of where people are in proximity of Elvis.

THE PROs. So you still think you want a K-9 on staff? Here are a couple suggestions/ideas for a pest management firm to consider. First, I would consider a small breed of dog. Elvis Pest Lee is a black and tan hound and he’s quite large. When you’re trying to inspect a million dollar home a big dog can be a little clumsy in tight places. Smaller dogs, like a beagle or Jack Russell, can maneuver better around furniture and moving boxes. Transportation of a smaller dog is a lot easier as the kennels are smaller. We had to take an F150 super cab and remove the back seat to fit the kennel inside for our dog.
The other important thing to do is have two people on staff who are certified as handlers. This allows for one person to be away on vacation and the dog’s normal schedule to be maintained. The owner or manager should be certified as should one other person. They don’t need experience with animals but they should enjoy animals.
Don’t market your service to real estate agents but rather to home buyers. These are the people that benefit most from a great inspection. Let the media in your area know that you have a K-9 inspector and chances are they’ll jump at the chance to cover your story. When people see the dogs in action they are instantly believers and working dogs have always been a great source of personal interest stories. My company has been in several local newspapers and on two different TV stations at no charge — free advertising is great!
One final tip: The dogs are living animals and are subject to bad days just like you and me. Elvis has days when he appears sickly or tired. That doesn’t happen often but when it does I prefer not to make him work. He is a tool, just like a flashlight or probe. Be prepared on rare occasions to reschedule inspections, or better yet, have two K-9s.
If I had it to do over again, would I still have a K-9 on staff? You bet. I enjoy working with my K-9, and have found a renewed enjoyment from my work. I know we offer the best termite inspections around because I believe in the results of working with Elvis Pest Lee.

The author is president of Action Termite & Pest Control, which is a division of Action WDI Specialist in Manistee, Mich. He can be reached at jrutherford@giemedia.com.