un chien détecteur de thermites

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Unique canine is a homeowner's best friend
CTV.ca News Staff

He is a man's best friend and a termite's worst enemy.

A canine termite detector who answers to the name "Inspector Kody" has a second talent.

"He is Canada's only certified termite inspecting dog and he is now one of only two dogs in the world that can detect bedbugs," Michael Goldman, president of Purity Pest Control and Kody's owner told CTV News.

The choice to use the dog can save thousands for property owners since Kody can detect the critters behind walls, structures, or under floors without having to tear down anything in the process.

"I know that dogs have a great sense of smell and I have heard of bomb sniffing dogs and all that so ... it seemed to be the logical choice for me," homeowner Anne Louise Malone says.

It's Kody's sense of smell that sets him apart from any human inspector.

"Due to a dog's keen sense of smell, Inspector Kody can detect bed bugs behind walls thus making his inspection a more thorough and much more accurate one," Goldman said.

Kody identifies a 'bug zone' by sitting wherever he smells the unwelcome critters.

"In order for them to find their food source and to get back… they leave a trail, an odour that we can't smell but he can, and he has been trained to sniff out that odour molecule," Goldman says.

It's not easy being in Kody's paws; it took over 600 hours of training at a Florida facility before he was fully qualified to detect termites.

While a human termite inspector has about a 30 per cent chance of making a detection, the company's website says that Kody offers about a 90 per cent accuracy rate.

Once Kody detects a problem, homeowners are referred to pest control companies who can eliminate the problem.

"We wanted to make sure that before we started any renovations we don't have any surprises," Malone says.

In his down time Kody is just like any other dog.

"He loves tag," Goldman said of his adopted Black Sheppard mix. "He loves being chased. He loves going to the park at 6 o'clock and playing with his girlfriend and other dogs."