Home Made Dog Cookies - Carrots and Meat

 Carrot and Meat Dog Cookies in Heart Shapes

Here is a Kilohana K9s healthy dog cookie recipe. Sometimes we get tired of talking about Bed Bugs! These cookies are loved by Zoey and Daisy anytime we make them. We are sure your dog will love them too!

This recipe calls for shortening, but we use butter. Butter seems to work just fine but you may prefer shortening for your dog.

Meat and Carrot Dog Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups sifted whole wheat flour
4 Tbs Powdered Buttermilk
1 cube of bouillon, crumbled or 1 tablespoon powdered bouillon
1 cup cooked ground pork or pork and beef mixed
1 cup grated carrots
6 tablespoons shortening or butter
1 xtra large egg or 2 medium eggs
1/2 cup cold water, if or as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 180-190 C) depending on your oven. 

In a large bowl, mix the flour, powdered milk and bouillon. Add the cooked meat, grated carrot, shortening and egg, while adding water gradually until you get a firm ball of dough. You may find you don't need the entire 1/2 cup of water.

Lightly flour your rolling surface and then roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) thickness. Use what ever design cookie cutters you desire, I use 'hearts' or 'dog bone' shapes. Cut out the shapes of dough and place them on the baking sheet. Use a Silpat baking/cookie sheet or lightly oil a plain cookie sheet. Silpat works the best. You can put them fairly close together, but not touching. They do not spread during baking.

When you make heart shaped cookies, I have found that pressing my finger lightly and making indentations at the top of the hearts makes them formed better (after peeling them off the rolling surface and placing them onto the Silpat in which they sometimes get malformed a bit) and it adds a cute texture when they are finished baking.

 Dog Bone shaped cookies on the Silpat baking sheet.

Add Some Cheese!

Here is a photo of some cookies made in the shape of stars with cheese.  I added just a pinch of shredded cheese on top of each cookie before baking for an extra flavor treat (click on photo to enlarge and see the cheese more closely). You can see the cheese melted nicely while baking. I used a cheddar and jack cheese mix on these cookies, but you could put almost any kind of semi-hard cheese such as cheddar, mozzarella, gruyère, edam or jarlsberg.

Bed Bug Eggs - Often Blamed for Failed Eradication

 Magnified photograph of viable (unhatched) bed bug eggs. You can see the little end 'plug' which is where the nymph crawls out of the egg upon hatching.  

(photo by Brittany Delong from Virginia Tech)

This post will focus on the eggs of the bed bug. Often times bed bug eggs are cited and blamed as a reason for failed treatments for bed bug infestations. Not all insecticides used on bed bug infestations are capable of killing the eggs. Additionally, many eggs seem to survive heat and cold treatments, but this is not necessarily due to the eggs being stronger than a live bed bug. Research suggests that instead, bed bug eggs often survive treatments due to their placement in very protected locations. 

The female bed bug deposits her eggs in protected places, even very tight places such as tiny crevices and cracks no wider than the thickness of a razor blade. Some of the most common places eggs are laid are the inside the box springs and the coils of a bed, also behind peeling wallpaper, in closets and along or behind baseboards. In such areas, an exterminator's treatment may not reach the hidden eggs well enough to kill them. 

An adult female typically lays up to 5 eggs per day depositing them in a wide variety of locations, both on and away from a bed. An adult female may lay up to 500 eggs during her lifetime. 

 Adult bed bug on a shred of paper, with 3 unhatched eggs next to it.

(Photo by T. Nakamura, Kilohana K9s)

There is not alot known about the make-up of bed bug eggs. However we do know the following facts; 

• Eggs hatch approximately 7-10 days after being deposited by the female, but the timing of the hatching depends quite a bit on the air temperature. The eggs do not need a mother around to hatch.
• When the eggs are laid, a glue-like material covers them allowing them to adhere to the surface they are laid on. They are attached quite well, requiring the use of a stiff brush to dislodge them. After hatching occurs, the eggshells frequently remain stuck in place.
• The eggs are very tiny and sort of whitish, almost clear in color. They are very hard to see without magnification, especially on light-colored surfaces.  

Bed bug eggshells, after nymphs have hatched. 

Research has shown that with 'cold treatments' it may take 15 days at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) to kill bed bug adults and 30 days to kill bed bug eggs.  The use of a steamer kills both bed bugs and eggs on contact. Once again, if the eggs are not able to be reached due to their placement, then the steam cannot kill them. All life stages of bed bugs (adult, larva, and eggs) die within minutes at an air temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius). At this high temperature they will 'dry up', so to speak. 

 Close up of 3 eggs laid on a shred of paper. The tip of the pencil is pointing towards them and is shown for size comparison. 

(Photo by T. Nakamura, Kilohana K9s)

Here are newly hatched nymphs (the pencil tip is pointing to them) next to the egg shells (now empty due to the hatching). As you can see, when they first hatch, the nymphs are nearly transparent and just slightly larger than the eggs (these nymphs are about 4-5 days old). Until they feed for the first time, they will be very difficult to spot with the naked eye.

(photo by T. Nakamura, Kilohana K9s) 

 Development of the newly hatched bed bug (called a nymph) to adulthood takes approximately 1 ½ - 2 months but it can take longer depending upon the environmental conditions and food availability. 

Electronic Bed Bug Repellent Devices Don't Work

One type of Ultrasonic device on the market today.

 

Today the NPMA printed a story from Sciencecodex.com, which provides information on another recent study of a product that is now for sale, which claims to deter bed bugs. ("Bed bugs are not repelled by commercial ultrasonic frequency devices", Posted on Sciencecodex.com: December 10, 2012) 

The story points out ultrasonic frequency pest control devices are available and marketed to the public now and that "despite the lack of evidence for the efficacy of such devices, they continue to be sold and new versions targeting bed bugs are readily available". Here are some excerpts from this story, showing once again, bed bugs are not a do-it-yourself problem.

"According to a soon-to-be-published article in the Journal of Economic Entomology, commercial devices that produce ultrasound frequencies are NOT promising tools for repelling bed bugs. In "Efficacy of Commercially Available Ultrasonic Pest Repellent Devices to Affect Behavior of Bed Bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)," , authors K. M. Yturralde and R. W. Hofstetter report the results of their tests of four commercially available electronic pest repellent devices designed to repel insect and mammalian pests by using sound."
 
"The devices, which were purchased online, were used according to manufacturers' instructions. A sound arena was created for each ultrasonic device, in addition to a control arena which featured no sound. However, the authors found that there were no significant differences in the number of bed bugs observed in the control (no sound) and sound arenas, and that bed bugs were neither deterred nor attracted to the arena with the sound device".

These types of devices often claim to repel many different types of pests. 

They do not help with bed bugs.

 

What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

 An adult bed bug feeding.

When people get bit by a bed bug for the first time, they may not know it. Many people do not know what bed bug bites look like and the reactions to bed bugs bites are very individualized.

Not realizing you have been bit by a bed bug is common when the bed bug infestation is at a low level and when traveling or staying somewhere other than your home. In these cases, people may notice they have been bitten by something, but think that it might have been something like a spider or mosquito. Often times, two people can be in the same bed but only one person seems to be suffering from bites. This causes people to conclude that the person with the bites must be getting bit somewhere away from the person who appears to be free of bites. However, this is not the case.

The truth is that people show varied reactions to bed bug bites, including no reaction at all! Each person reacts (or doesn't react) differently. Just because one person doesn't seem to be bitten does not mean they are not getting bit. And for those that have reactions and know they have been bitten, there are many different ways they will show a reaction to the bites. Additionally, some people do not show a reaction until they have been bitten repeatedly over a period of time, such as after 6 months.

Typically, bed bug bites will appear in little groups of 3-6 raised bumps that are red or pink and they can be itchy or not. Most of the time, the bumps do not appear right away, usually about 48 hours after being bitten! If the infestation is at lower levels, there may be only one place showing such little groups of bites, such as a hand or an elbow, but when larger populations of bed bugs are present, you may see such groupings of bites all over an arm, leg or one's back or neck and shoulders, or anywhere else on the body. Some reactions are severe and cause large swelling areas that are extremely itchy and red, even with just one bite. These types of reactions are believed to be due to an allergic reaction to the bed bug. 

So as you can see, if you are not acquainted with a bed bug bite in the past, it can be hard to know if you have been bitten by a bed bug or not.

Here are some photos that might help you with identification. You can also do a Google Images search to see many photographs of bed bug bites. 

 A small group of bites, probably delivered by one bed bug on one day/night. Even these little bites from just one instance of being bitten, 
can be incredibly itchy!

 Another small group of bites on someone's hand, probably 
delivered by one bug at one feeding time.

 A severe reaction to what appears to be one instance of being bitten 
(one bug and delivered on one night or day). 

This person has large reactions to bed bug bites as well as probably being bitten by multiple bugs on multiple occasions. You would typically see such bite patterns, covering more areas on a person's body, in someplace that has a larger population of bed bugs present and the person is 
constantly being bitten, night after night.

Bed Bug Traps?

Recently I have been asked by quite a few people "what about traps for bed bugs"? In this post I will discuss some points on the use of traps and some of the various types of traps that are available.

Traps for bed bugs are mostly simple in design and there are very few types. However many people are trying to create a trap solution that could be effective against bed bugs and in the future we are likely to see more of these becoming available. It is important to keep in mind that using traps for bed bugs is not a method for eradication. At this point in time, it is merely a tool to be used in the effort to detect the presence of bed bugs.

Some studies have been done on what attracts bed bugs, in an attempt to attract the bed bug to a trap. There are 3 attractants identified so far. They are CO2, heat and chemicals. The research has shown that C02 is the most effective attractant, while heat alone is also effective. Chemical lures show weak results.

The type of traps to be used depends on the circumstances, for example where there is furniture without legs or the furniture legs are not shaped a certain way, traps such as the "Climb-Up" will not work. This type of trap is known as an 'interceptor'. Interceptors do not completely prevent bed bugs from accessing sleeping and resting areas, the inner well is prone to breaking under weight of furniture when carpet is present and they require maintenance (cleaning and re-lubrication) on regular basis. Additionally, interceptors need to be placed for at least a week or longer to detect bed bugs at very low numbers. These may not be suitable for a hotel situation where seeing such traps may alarm guests (especially if a bed bug or any other insect has wandered into one).

 An interceptor type 'trap' for bed bugs (made by Climb-Up).

Dr. Changlu Wang at Rutgers University has developed a bed bug trap that utilizes dry ice to produce C02. This is not available commercially but might give you an idea of some of the work that is being done to create effective traps. PLEASE NOTE; there are some inherent safety risks that are associated with dry ice. DRY ICE REQUIRES SAFE HANDLING. Please do not try to use dry ice yourself at home if you have not been trained to handle it properly.  The carbon dioxide (C02) it creates can suffocate and be deadly for you and your loved ones.

C02 traps are known as "active monitors". At this time, there are 2 commercially manufactured C02 traps available, the NightWatch® Bed Bug Trap (manufactured by Biosensory) the CDC 3000 (manufactured by Cimex Science).

There are also several types of 'monitors' available, some claim to use attractants and other simply provide an attractive hiding place for bed bugs. These can be placed in suspect areas and routinely checked for the presence of bed bugs.

Is is important to state again that while these types of monitoring tools and methods exist, and they have improved recently, there is no tool or method that is completely reliable in detecting bed bugs. Therefore, regardless of what method or device is used, the failure to identify bugs cannot be used as an indicator that no bugs are present. Low level infestations can escape detection regardless of the detection methods implemented, although a well trained scent detection dog has the highest accuracy rates (about 90-98% in clinical research).

If you are serious about early detection, a bed bug dog is more likely to be money well spent and trained bed bug dogs are certainly the best bet when large areas are to be searched. As KILOHANA K9s always stresses, bed bugs are not a do-it-yourself problem, please contact trained professionals to assist you safely!

3 types of active monitors; 1) CDC 3000, 2) NightWatch 
and 3) a trap utilizing C02.

Here is someone's home-made idea. The person utilizing this method is apparently attempting to stop the bed bugs from coming and going from the bed (a somewhat futile exercise in my opinion), however it may help after a period of time has passed, to identify the presence of bed bugs, simply because if one did get into this container it might have a hard time climbing out (bed bugs are not very good climbers on really smooth surfaces).

Zoey Meets the A'a at Kam III Beach Park

Hey, it's pretty nice up here!

Today is a gorgeous day, one of those nice calm mornings where the ocean starts out flat like glass. Zoey has been on Maui for only a few weeks and so far, she has been too busy to enjoy the beach. 

So this morning Zoey, Daisy and I hopped into the car and went down Kamaole III Beach Park. It's one of Daisy's favorite beaches to run on. 

The tide was out and we walked around on the a'a (lava flow), checking out the tide pools. It was a whole new world for Zoey, she seemed to love it but wary of the waves rolling in. She was a natural navigating the a'a.

We're not in Kansas anymore Zoey!

Enjoy the pictures...aloha from south Maui.

Uh oh, here comes some waves!

I don't think there are any bed bugs here Mom....

Zoey follows Daisy's lead.

Daisy and Zoey sharing a rock to get away from the waves rolling in.

Recent Study Shows Bed Bug Infestations Increasing

Which seat might have a bed bug? Where would you like to sit?

KILOHANA K9s is a proud member of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). The NPMA among many things, publishes much useful information, organizes conventions and even conducts studies that keep the pest management industry in the know.

In 2011 the NPMA published the results of a study, 2010 Bugs Without Borders Survey, which they had the University of Kentucky conduct. The study found that bed bugs infestations have increased and bed bugs are now being found just about everywhere.

The study, which surveyed U.S. pest management professionals, found that 99 percent of respondents encountered bed bug infestations in the past year. More than eight of out ten noted that bed bug infestations are increasing across the country. This represents a sharp increase in prevalence as only a mere 11 percent of respondents reported receiving bed bug calls more than 10 years ago.

One of the most significant findings is that bed bug encounters have become much more common in public places than the previous year, in some instances increasing by 10, 20 or nearly 30 percent. Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for NPMA noted that "this pest shows no signs of retreating "and that of most concern is that pest professionals are encountering bed bugs more frequently in places "such as, schools, hospitals, and hotels/motels. In many cases the numbers of professionals who have reported treating certain types of businesses and commercial facilities has seen double digit growth."

Below shows the professional's reporting of treating bed bugs in specific locations and the percentage increases from 2010.

• College dorms (54 percent, up from 35 percent a year ago) 
• Hotels/motels (80 percent, up from 67 percent) 
• Nursing homes (46 percent, up from 25 percent) 
• Office buildings (38 percent, up from 18 percent) 
• Schools and day care centers (36 percent, up from 10 percent) 
• Hospitals (31 percent, up from 12 percent) 
• Transportation (train/bus/taxi) (18 percent up from nine percent) 
• Movie theaters (17 percent, up from five percent) 

Survey respondents also reported finding bed bugs in retail stores, laundromats, libraries, restaurants and even airplanes!

Some other major points from the study are:

• Nearly all professional pest management companies have received bed bug calls in the past year. Respondents attribute the growth in bed bug infestations to increasing travel and movement of people, continued need for awareness, changing pest control products and methods, and bed bug resistance to available pest control products.
• Bed bugs continue to be THE most difficult pest to treat, according to 73 percent of survey respondents.
• Despite the many warnings that bed bugs are not a DIY pest, 25 percent of customers attempt to treat bed bug infestations by themselves before calling a professional. Those who attempt to treat bed bug infestations by themselves often engage in dangerous and risky DIY practices putting themselves and their property at risk and are often ineffective at controlling the infestation.

As you can see, this is not a problem that is going away. There seems to have been a slow down in the media coverage on bed bugs infestations, especially in regards to the west coast of USA, but experts feel this might be due to the fact that not many studies or surveys have been conducted recently. 

Thanks to the NPMA for their efforts to provide updated information!

Lots of hiding places for stow-away bed bugs here. Places like this are 
where a scent detection dog can help the most!

Landlords Beginning to Impose Polices About Bed Bugs

Last month, an article appeared in a Columbus, Ohio newspaper regarding landlords, tenants and bed bugs. Although bed bugs are not limited to a particular state or city, in Ohio bed bugs are a huge and exploding problem. 

Some landlords in Ohio are trying to find ways to make sure their tenants do not bring in bed bugs during the time they are living there and that the tenants do not ignore a bed bug sighting. These landlords are putting into their lease agreements wording that requires the tenant to be responsible for several things, things that some tenants find they are not willing to agree too.

A story last month in the Columbus Dispatch outlined an addendum in a lease that required the tenants to certify that their unit contained no bedbugs. It was not clear what this 'certification' would be but likely it would be something like having scent detection dogs or a pest control company come in and perform an inspection of the apartment or home being leased. It further stipulated that the tenants would have to notify the landlord if bedbugs appear. At that point, they also would have to cooperate with extermination efforts and cover the entire cost, including any expenses associated with the elimination of bugs that might have spread to adjacent units. On top of all that, if bedbugs appeared, the lease would terminate immediately.

Some of this does not really seem fair, for example bed bugs can travel from one unit to another and one person's discovery of bed bugs in their unit could truly be due to no fault of their own. It could be hard to prove which unit the bed bugs originally came from.

Right or wrong, these types of things have become increasingly common in rental agreements in central Ohio, according to Dianna Parker, a lawyer with the Legal Aid Society of Columbus. Renters presented with a pest-control addendum seem to have three options: Sign the agreement as is, negotiate changes in it, or move.

In other areas, we are hearing about laws being enacted that require landlords make sure the property is clear of bed bugs before new tenants move in. Legislative bodies in Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Carolina have considered bed bug legislation in 2010-11. Arizona has recently passed a new law relating to bed bugs which does the following:

• Requires tenants to notify landlords in writing or electronically of the presence of bed bugs.
• Prohibits tenants from moving items into the building if they are known to be infested with bed bugs.
• Requires landlords to provide bed bug educational materials to existing and new tenants.
• Prohibits landlords from renting units known to have current bed bug infestations.

IL, ME and NY have also adopted bed bug related laws last year. Municipalities that have also addressed or are looking at the issue are Jersey City, San Francisco, New York City, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Yonkers, NY, Ocean City, MD and Bellevue,KY.

In our fine state of Hawaii bed bugs have been added to the state's real estate disclosure form. Included in the November 2010 Hawaii Association of Realtor Seller’s Real Property Disclosure Statement is a question about bed bugs. The question is: Has there been any sign of, or are you aware of any pest problems (e.g., roaches, fleas, bedbugs, mites, ticks, ants, rats, etc.)?

Once again, in regards to Ohio, we see in Orkin's rankings for the worst bed bug cities in the United States (based on its number of calls for service), the Cincinnati metropolitan area has ranked first the last two years. Columbus, Dayton, and Cleveland have also ranked in the top 15 each of the last two years. 

We are likely to see much more of this kind of thing in the future as the bed bug problem continues to grow everywhere. The increase of bed bugs is attributed to high traffic from planes, buses and other forms of transportation. Cultural diversity in a region can also be a factor. There may be people coming from other parts of the world where bed bugs are more common who may not be so quick to report it or even know that it should be reported. Hawaii certainly has all of these factors and risks. 

Call KILOHANA K9s if you think you might have seen a bed bug in your home. We can provide certificates of inspection for landlord, tenants, real estate agents and others!

Store Bought Bed Bug Bombs Don't Work

Foggers and Bombs 'bomb out'!

Last summer, while perusing the aisles at my local Home Depot for a catch and release Mouse Trap, I came across the section of do-it-yourself home foggers or 'bombs'. These are often used for cockroaches and other crawling insects and are certainly effective for these. Then I noticed a new type for sale on the store shelves. These bombs claimed to kill bed bugs. I shook my head at this obvious attempt to pry money out of people for nothing in return, certainly the manufacturers of this stuff know these products do not work on bed bugs. Bed bugs can be highly resistant to pesticides (for reasons we will go into in a later posting). This week there is a new study in the news that backs this up. 

Entomologists at Ohio State University tested three commercially available foggers (aka 'bombs'). They are sold as Hot Shot, Spectracide and Eliminator brands. The conclusion, not surprisingly at all, is that all three products were of no use at fighting bed bug infestations. They do not get rid of bed bugs. 

“Based on our findings, bug bombs should not be used for crawling insects such as bed bugs,” says lead researcher Susan C. Jones, Ph.D., an associate professor at the university. “These products shouldn’t even be labeled for bed bugs.” The study appears in the Journal of Economic Entomology, goes on to state that foggers are so ineffective against bed bugs that they probably don’t even warrant taking the small risk of harmful insecticide exposure or other hazards. 

In recent years more than 111 people in seven states got sick from pesticides used to get rid of bedbugs, according to an analysis published last year in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The Ohio State University study began by collecting five different populations of bed bugs from residences in Columbus, Ohio. For a control group, a sixth population was added, known as the Harlan strain, that has been cultivated in a laboratory and carefully sheltered from pesticides since 1973.

The researchers then placed the various bed bug populations in petri dishes and exposed them to the foggers in a campus building slated for demolition. After one test, Jones recalls, “the Harlan bugs were keeled over and all of our field populations [were] just scurrying around as if nothing ever happened to them,” which suggests the non-laboratory bugs were resistant to the insecticide.

In a second series of tests, the researchers added small shelters made of paper discs or cloth to the petri dishes. These shelters, which allowed the bugs to hide during fogging, were designed to mimic the bugs’ natural hideouts, such as the cracks and crevices in floorboards, along mattresses, and behind picture frames.

This time the fragile Harlan strain survived just fine. “The critical issue is that the droplets don’t penetrate cracks or crevices,” Jones says. “They don’t even get to where the bugs are hiding. The $10 that you spent on an over-the-counter fogger would be much more effectively spent at a laundromat,” Jones says. The heat of a drier can kill bedbugs and their eggs. 

If you suspect the presence of bed bugs, don't waste your money on these do-it-yourself products. Call KILOHANA K9s or another detection dog service in your area to come inspect your home or business. If the presence of bed bugs is found, have treatment done by a professional pest control company who is experienced with bed bug elimination. Don't put it off too long, bed bugs reproduce quicker and better than cockroaches and it won't take long for them to turn into an expensive nightmare!

Don't let Bed Bugs get cozy in your home while wasting your money 

and time on useless commercially available products!

New Doggie Art Available!

Daisy in a painting affect, with a border of daisy flowers

Our Kilohana K9s store has some new designs this week! We have various products with what we think is fun and cool 'Doggie Art' featuring Zoey and Daisy. We like the one of Daisy with little daisy flowers around the border and the one of Zoey in a Pop Art 'Andy Warhol' type design the best.

Feel free to ask us to add products to the store if there is something you want but don't see it available in the store. *Aloha*

Zoey in a Pop Art design (Warhol inspired)

Zoey in a watercolor painting style with floral bordering

 Cartoon-ized Daisy

Cartoon-ized Zoey

Kilohana K9s Wear for Zoey

Today Zoey got her new working T-Shirt. She may or may not wear this while working, depending on the client's need for privacy and discretion. This was ordered from our Kilohana K9s Store. Zoey is very good about wearing clothing. I think it's because as a Min Pin with little hair, it feels warm and cozy for her to have something to put on. 


We also got her some new socks. I know most people do not see the point of socks for dogs and we certainly won't be using these much. However, having some socks for your dog can be really handy if they ever get a problem with their feet that requires topical treatments. 


We found this out last summer when Daisy had a foot problem. After applying topical medication to her injury, we placed a sock over her foot and used some Vetrap bandaging tape around her leg at the top of the sock to make sure she wouldn't pull it off later on. This helped to let her foot breath while making it impossible for her to lick the medication off (which she did all night long before we thought of the sock method). It also solved us being worried about any covering or bandage being too tight on her foot. So, why not get some funny socks for your dog too? 

 Zoey posing in her new shirt and funny face socks. 

 

 Zoey was relieved when the photo session was over and 

immediately started clowning around.

Hers a happy silly girl! Lookie that smile!

Zoey Searches a Bed

Zoey focusing on following my instructions on where to search.

Here are some pictures from a recent training session with Zoey. She was searching a bed for bed bugs. In some of the photos, you can see her eyes looking towards me (the handler). It shows how the dog is really following the handler's lead and looking toward the handler for their responses and changes in body language, just as much as the dog is searching out the intended scent.


This is a very important thing to understand when working with scent detection dogs. Not understanding this can skew the results of the search. The handler needs to be aware of how their actions can influence the dog's search. The training of the team (the dog and the handler) is just as important as the scent detection training of the dog. 


Thanks to our great trainers at Ironheart Dogs, we learned about this immediately and Zoey and I can be the most effective team possible!

Zoey's eye peeking towards me as she is trying to pick up a 
scent in the mattress.

 Zoey is observing me (the handler) almost with both eyes as she 

continues on in her search. 

Of course the dog is not focused entirely on the handler during a search.
Here Zoey is shown pushing her nose with a bit of force, as she picks up 
scents through and beyond the bed covers.

Another shot of her obvious attention to the handler as she 
 carries on her search. 

Summertime Shave Down

Well it's not officially summer yet but the heat is on! Miss Daisy responded to this by shedding all over the place this past week. So we tried something new this year, a total shave down! Off to the groomers we went. Daisy got a bath and shave down (except for her head) and boy she looks great and best of all NO SHEDDING! We don't know why we didn't think of this sooner!!! This may very well be our new summer time tradition!

Zoey Meets the Beach!

Here is the fabulous Zoey Ka'imi. She is a Red Miniature Pinscher (Min Pin). She was born in Kansas and rescued from a breeder that was shutting down. Due to her focus and energy, she was selected and adopted specifically to enter training for bed bug detection. She was fortunate to be trained at Ironheart Dogs in Kansas. Ironheart is one of the best detection dog training centers in USA, providing top quality dogs for not only bed bug detection but also for law enforcement, bomb and drug detection. Zoey passed her training with flying colors! She loves sniffing for bed bugs!

Zoey gets to live life with a bit of fun in the sun now. It is not all work and no play for her! This photo was taken shortly after her graduation from scent detection training. On her way to Hawaii, she got to stop in California for a while and go see the ocean for the first time and play in the sands of Newport Beach. 

She loved playing with clumps of washed up seaweed and digging holes. She was not much interested in getting too close to the water though!


Check out the video of her digging a hole.