Kansas Family Trains Dogs To Detect Bed Bugs
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John and Jina Kugler have bed bugs in their house - on purpose, and safely isolated in vials that John opens every couple of weeks to feed them. The bugs are necessary for continuously training the Kuglers’ beagle and three German Shorthair dogs for bed bug detection work.
The Wamego, Kan., couple started Bug Hounds, LLC in 2018, as a sideline business, and demand has been strong. John first observed bedbug detection dogs at work while doing his fulltime job as a security manager. He watched the dogs work at a public library every month for a year and decided that with his experience training hunting dogs that he could do the same work. All the Kuglers took handler training and started working with Beddy, purchased from a training facility, to stop and sit wherever she smelled bed bugs, eggs or nymphs in vials hidden around the house.
Their first job, a 200,000 sq. ft. library, took 6 hrs., and the Kuglers realized they needed more dogs. Now the handlers and their dogs can cover the library in 2 1/2 hrs. with 3 people and three dogs. The German Shorthair dogs are also taller, which makes them better for checking beds at assisted living and nursing home facilities - another big market for Bug Hounds.
“The majority of our work is civic facilities, anywhere the public goes in and out,” John says.
“It’s prevalent to think that bedbugs are result of someone’s poor housekeeping,” Jina adds. “But travel is the real culprit. Bugs come in with people.”
Bedbugs are like ticks, John explains. They draw blood from a person or animal for up to 15 minutes, then fall off and find a hiding spot until they get hungry again in 14 to 20 days.
Besides commercial buildings, including apartment complexes and a hotel, the Kuglers go into homes. The process is for a handler to take the dog into the building on a leash and use a dowel to tap areas where bugs might hide. That disturbs the bugs so they emit additional scent to make it easier for the dogs to find. The Kuglers’ dogs sit or paw when bedbugs are present and are rewarded with a treat every time. In large facilities, the Kuglers record room numbers and/or take photos to document areas their dogs detect.
A dog can go through a 2,000 sq. ft. home twice in about 20 minutes for $150 to $200 plus mileage. The Kuglers charge by the square foot for larger facilities and usually are on contracts from weekly to monthly to quarterly.
Though much of their work is in larger cities, there’s plenty demand for bedbug detection work, and the Kuglers are considering going more full time with the business or possibly franchising it. They also work with staffs at libraries, nursing homes and other facilities to teach them how to detect bedbugs.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Kugler Hounds, LLC, 15105 Prairie View Cir., Wamego, Kan. 66547 (ph 785 844-1593; www.bug-hounds.com; bughounds@gmail.com; Facebook: Bug Hounds).
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Kansas Family Trains Dogs To Detect Bed Bugs FARM HOME Miscellaneous John and Jina Kugler have bed bugs in their house - on purpose and safely isolated in vials that John opens every couple of weeks to feed them The bugs are necessary for continuously training the Kuglers’ beagle and three German Shorthair dogs for bed bug detection work The Wamego Kan couple started Bug Hounds LLC in 2018 as a sideline business and demand has been strong John first observed bedbug detection dogs at work while doing his fulltime job as a security manager He watched the dogs work at a public library every month for a year and decided that with his experience training hunting dogs that he could do the same work All the Kuglers took handler training and started working with Beddy purchased from a training facility to stop and sit wherever she smelled bed bugs eggs or nymphs in vials hidden around the house Their first job a 200 000 sq ft library took 6 hrs and the Kuglers realized they needed more dogs Now the handlers and their dogs can cover the library in 2 1/2 hrs with 3 people and three dogs The German Shorthair dogs are also taller which makes them better for checking beds at assisted living and nursing home facilities - another big market for Bug Hounds “The majority of our work is civic facilities anywhere the public goes in and out ” John says “It’s prevalent to think that bedbugs are result of someone’s poor housekeeping ” Jina adds “But travel is the real culprit Bugs come in with people ” Bedbugs are like ticks John explains They draw blood from a person or animal for up to 15 minutes then fall off and find a hiding spot until they get hungry again in 14 to 20 days Besides commercial buildings including apartment complexes and a hotel the Kuglers go into homes The process is for a handler to take the dog into the building on a leash and use a dowel to tap areas where bugs might hide That disturbs the bugs so they emit additional scent to make it easier for the dogs to find The Kuglers’ dogs sit or paw when bedbugs are present and are rewarded with a treat every time In large facilities the Kuglers record room numbers and/or take photos to document areas their dogs detect A dog can go through a 2 000 sq ft home twice in about 20 minutes for $150 to $200 plus mileage The Kuglers charge by the square foot for larger facilities and usually are on contracts from weekly to monthly to quarterly Though much of their work is in larger cities there’s plenty demand for bedbug detection work and the Kuglers are considering going more full time with the business or possibly franchising it They also work with staffs at libraries nursing homes and other facilities to teach them how to detect bedbugs Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Kugler Hounds LLC 15105 Prairie View Cir Wamego Kan 66547 ph 785 844-1593; www bug-hounds com; bughounds@gmail com; Facebook: Bug Hounds
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