By Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — Bedbug-sniffing dogs are supposed to have some serious nose power, but reports are revealing they may not be entirely reliable.
The dramatic rise in bedbug incidents in New York City has resulted in more work for the dogs and several cases of false positives, according to the New York Times.
"Many pest control companies have the same frustration that they often follow behind dogs that are indicating bedbugs, and they can’t find anything," Michael F. Potter, an entomology professor at the University of Kentucky told the Times.
Bedbug dog trainer Pepe Peruyero told WCBS 880 that dogs usually identify bedbugs inaccurately as a result of poor training.
"It's very easy to cut corners when you are training a dog," he told the radio station.
Peruyero thinks the industry needs to be regulated, saying "it's critical we do it. I think there's enough professional companies out there that want a standard."
Unfortunately, others claim the bedbug epidemic is progressing too quickly for dog training standards to keep up.
"We're really working in a new era now, a new world with bed bugs," Missy Henricksen, of the National Pest Management Association, told WCBS-TV.
Henricksen's organization is putting together a set of regulations for dog training by which the industry will be able to abide.
"Hopefully that will provide the right guidance for professionals in using them and also for consumers that they can take confidence that these dogs that are trained are actually doing the work that can be so effective in identifying where bedbugs are hiding," Henricksen told the TV station.
