​Meet Turbo….There is no better day then the day you do what you love! 

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Turbo was M2s first dog. He is our friend, our mascot, our presentation dog, and a darn good bed bug hunter.  He is the most popular professional we have.  He has received a standing ovation from an infested apartment complex.  He has been on TV.  He knows executives.  He knows TV celebrities. He is probably one of the best known dogs in Ohio.  But to him it's just another day of doing what he loves, hunting bed bugs.
Where did M2 find Turbo?  As with all of our dogs, Turbo came from a Professional Dog Training School.  This little guy trained with the best; drug dogs, police dogs, cadaver dogs, explosives dogs, personal protection dogs, and others.  It is the Harvard of dog training.  After graduation he waited for someone to buy him.  His handler, Mike,  went down and spent a week learning how to work with these dogs.  Near the end of the week, after working with several dogs, Mike chose Turbo.  Nice choice Mike! 

The first days…  Turbo entered the working world a little skittish.  He was moved to a new place with new people and of course…his first job.  Like anyone starting a new job, there were things that school never taught. What is that smell? What is that sound?  What is a car?  Why am I here?  ​
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Unstoppable!  It didn't take long for him to figure it out.  From a little unknown scrawny beagle to a full grown expert, Turbo is making his name known throughout central and southern Ohio.   He has repeatedly turned nonbelievers into believers, one demonstration at a time. Turbo loves his job.  When his handler asks him if he's ready to work, he's the happiest employee on the planet.  ​
Likes: Bed bug hunting, Mike his handler, food, rabbits 
Dislikes: Large yellow Tonka trucks, loud noises, box fans, fleas. 
Favorite TV show: Pit Bulls and Parolees 
Favorite Movie: Hotel for Dogs
Favorite food: Food and things that he can put in his mouth that really aren't supposed to be food.  ​

Meet Sarge...

Sarge is the perfect name for this dog!  He is beyond intense.  Focused and high energy, you can't wear him out.  He is a Miniature Pinscher that came to us fully trained as our second dog.  Like any new K9, it took a little bit to get used to a new world.  But there is no question that he was never scared.  He is as tough as they come. He needed to calm down a little to be as effective..  A couple months after understanding the routine, he was top-notch! 

Meet Scamp...

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Yes, he's a good looking dog!  Don't be fooled, he's a hard worker too!!  Scamp comes to us from the Dayton area and was owned by someone who attempted the bed bug detection business and recently liquidated.  Besides being a super nice dog, we liked scamp because he was originally trained by the same place where our other dogs were trained and showed a lot of drive.  After 2 months of refreshing his skills, he was ready!  

Now with us for a year, Scamp is a top rated bed bug hunter.  

Meet Jett...

He's brand new!  Only 10 weeks old and as crazy as any little puppy.   We expect him to be a nice addition to the team. But not yet...It's time to hit the books.  There is a lot of school in his future before he can make the cut!  

Look out Turbo, Scamp, and Sarge... there's a young pup looking to take you on!!   

UPDATE:  Jet is getting there!!  He is now following his friends to work and providing a second sweep after Turbo, Sarge, and Scamp.  He's finding bugs!!    It won't be long and he will be on his own.  

How do dogs "see" with their noses?

M2 dogs - you won't find better!  

All of our dogs are amazing!  If they don't meet our standards, they don't get to work.  When we first get a fully trained dog, they still need to meet our standards.  It's normal for one of our new dogs to train for 2-3 months.  

To insure that our dogs and handlers are at the top of their game, we have our dogs and handlers tested regularly and accredited independantly by the National Entomology Scent Detection Canine Association (NESDCA).  NESDCA is recognized as the premier certification organization for working dogs and handlers that search using scent.

Who needs a handler?

We usually don't let our dogs search off-leash.  In this video we wanted to see what Turbo would do on his own.  He was asked to search...then left to do things with minimal guidance from his handler.  We hid a little container with bed bugs. Nice job turbo!!!  

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. ​Do bed bug detection dogs eat bed bugs?  No.  Bed bug inspection dogs find bed bugs using their amazing sense of smell.  They do not eat bed bugs. 
  2. Can any dog detect bed bugs?  Many dogs with a decent sense of smell can smell bed bugs. The trick is to train the dog to tell you exactly where to find the bugs.  These dogs need a great sense of smell, training, and a desire to work.  
  3. Do bed bugs only live in beds?  No.  Bed bugs don't just live in beds.  They go everywhere a human goes. A more fitting name would be "human bugs". 
  4. Are dogs used to check people? No. There is never a reason to have a dog inspect a person.  This is a demeaning activity that has no benefit.  Bed bugs don't live on a person like lice.  Bed bugs prefer to be in stuff around people and use people for food only. 
  5. I found my bed bugs!  I don't need a dog to tell me that I have them.  Why do I need a dog to search my house?  Yes, some infestations are large enough where a dog is not needed to identify the problem.  However, the dog will tell us exactly where to exterminate.  But what people really care about is the final inspection where we prove they are gone.
  6. Can a bed bug dog tell the difference between a live bed bug and a dead bed bug?  Yes, live bed bugs emit a sweet musty odor.  Dead bed bugs start decaying and smell like any other decaying insect.  This is why our teams are able to come back after 2 weeks and prove that there are no live bugs. 
  7. ​What makes the perfect bed bug detection dog? 
    1. A love of food - M2 dogs are trained using food.  They are rewarded using food.  When they find a bug, they get food.  They do not have food bowls.  If they are not working (Saturday and Sunday for example), we hide bed bugs in little tubes and they find the bugs.  They are rewarded as if they are working for a customer. 
    2. A great sense of smell -  If they can't find the scent, they won't be effective.  
    3. Just the right size - Beagles(and those around the same size) are the perfect size. Not too small, not too big.  If a dog is too small or too hairy, you can't always see what it is doing.  If it is too big, it can't get into smaller spaces and can damage customer property.
    4. Energy...with control - A dog needs to last a few hours, but not burn himself out.  Some dogs are too hyper and some are too sedate.