How Cimex K9 is raising the bar with their Bedbug K9 Detection Program...

First of all, we would like to make it clear that we are not trying to bad-mouth our competitors or their program. We are simply informing our consumers that there is an enormous difference between our program and our local competitor. We have a genuine concern regarding the future use of bedbug detection dogs as others in Arizona are using and maintaining the dogs incorrectly. Operating an accurate and successful detection dog program takes an enormous amount of work, expertise and knowledge.

Who Trained the K9s?	We train dogs from start to finish.
Who trained the handlers?	We train handlers and match them with a K9 that suits them.
Who certified the search teams?	The World Detector Dog Organization certifies the search teams and they are an independent third party.
How are the search teams certified?	The WDDO is the only bedbug dog certification that uses a double-blind system of certification in real world conditions to assure the legitimate accuracy of the search teams.
How much experience in detection dog work?	Dog behavior and training is our specialty and always has been. We have been in the business for several years. Before bedbug dogs we trained and operated a private narcotic detection K-9 company and still operate Natural Instincts, a dog training / behavior business.
How are the search teams maintained?	Teams that we have trained and maintain are worked with on a daily basis with our detection dog trainer to insure we are setting the new standard in pest detection. We have the skills, experience and knowledge to deal with common problems like false alerts or failure to detect odor.
How does the detection dog program compare to a government agency or police department that uses detection dogs?	After the K9s are trained the search team handler course can take from several weeks to months before the team is certified. Additionally our program of training, maintaining and certification goes above and beyond any typical government agency’s guidelines.

	CIMEX K9	Our Competitors
Who Trained the K9s?	We are qualified and certified to train our own dogs from start to finish.	Purchase a dog someone else trained.
Who trained the handlers?	We train our own handlers and match them with a K9 that suits them.	The K9 and handler are matched together before they ever meet which can lead to many issues.
Who certified the search teams?	The World Detector Dog Organization certifies our search teams and they are an independent third party.	The trainer that sells the dog to the pest control company “certifies” the dog or has some ties to the certification organization. Obviously there is conflict of interest here.
How are the search teams certified?	The WDDO is the only bedbug dog certification that uses a double-blind system of certification in real world conditions to assure the legitimate accuracy of the search teams.	Some organizations are on the right track while others utilize a flawed certification system that certifies the K9 only not the team in a very simple controlled exercise that is not in real world conditions. The exercise is so elementary that a green detection dog in the first few days of training can easily pass it.
Why does certification matter?	Our certification is the recognized standard in Federal Court which means our canines are legally considered scientific instruments. If you are sued you can use the evidence we present from the inspection in a court of law.	Some certifications are simply not legitimate nor legally valid and would be challenged and thrown out in a court of law immediately.
How much experience in detection dog work?	Dog behavior and training is our specialty and always has been. We have been in the business for several years. Before bedbug dogs we trained and operated a private narcotic detection K-9 company.	None
How are the search teams maintained?	Our teams are worked with on a daily basis with our certified detection dog trainer to insure we are setting the new standard in pest detection. We have the skills, experience and knowledge to deal with common problems like false alerts or failure to detect odor.	Unknown as there is no certified detection dog trainer available to maintain the proficiency or trouble-shoot common problems. The original trainer is not local and available during day to day operations. Telephone support is little help when it comes to working with dogs.
How does the detection dog program compare to a government agency or police department that uses detection dogs?	After our K9s are trained our search team handler course can take from several weeks to months before our team is certified. Additionally our program of training, maintaining and certification goes above and beyond any typical government agency’s guidelines with continuous training for our teams by our certified trainer.	A new handler initially receives 4-5 days of training and then travels home with their detection dog. There is no certified detection dog trainer available to maintain the dogs.
Conflict of interest?	Although our handlers are also licensed pest control technicians we do not provide treatments. Cimex K9 is an independent third party that also works as a sub-contracter for many other Pest Control companies and we get paid whether bedbugs are found or not. In a commercial setting our focus is to hopefully prove there are no bedbugs present or detect them early enough before a customer does.	A pest control company that owns a dog will obviously profit much more if they are also paid for a treatment. Be careful of claims that bedbugs are found “everywhere”. More than likely the dog is false alerting everywhere due to poor maintenance.