Raising the Standard

At Green Dog Pest Service, we've spent more than twelve years building our K9 detection program from the ground up. Every handler and every detection dog is trained in-house using standards we've developed through years of real-world inspections.

Rather than purchasing pre-trained dogs, we carefully select our canine partners from shelters, rescue organizations, and dogs re-homed because their previous owners recognize that their dog needs a job and a purpose. We believe the best detection dogs are chosen for their drive, temperament, and desire to work, not pedigree.

Our selection process has become one of the foundations of our success. Green Dog co-owner and head trainer, Deanna Kjorlien, presented a TEDx Talk discussing how selecting the right dog is the foundation of building an exceptional detection team

For many years, Green Dog participated in annual certification programs offered by nationally recognized nonprofit organizations. Our teams consistently achieved excellent results.

Over time, however, we became concerned that certification standards were becoming less rigorous. We watched teams with significantly different skill levels receive the same certification, making it increasingly difficult for clients to distinguish truly exceptional K9 teams from average ones.

Rather than lowering our expectations to meet the minimum industry standard, we chose a different path.

We developed a testing program that reflects the level of performance we expect from every Green Dog K9 team in the field.

Testing

Every Green Dog K9 team must successfully complete a random, double-blind certification test annually.

Our testing standards include:

• Double-blind testing with neither handler nor evaluator knowing hide locations

• Randomized search environments

• Multiple distractor odors including dead bugs and other insects

• Zero tolerance for false alerts

• Required pinpoint accuracy within a two-foot radius

• Complete testing records maintained for every team

Our Commitment

Many companies certify their detection teams once each year and simply meet the industry's minimum requirements.

At Green Dog, we believe certification should demonstrate excellence—not just participation.

That's why every Green Dog K9 team is continually trained, evaluated, and tested to standards that exceed those required by national certification organizations.

Because when you're relying on a detection dog to determine whether bed bugs are present or absent, we believe confidence should come from proven performance.

Compliance & Best Practices

Green Dog complies with all applicable requirements of the California Structural Pest Control Board as well as the National Pest Management Association's Best Management Practices for Bed Bugs.

Our internal standards, however, go well beyond these minimum requirements because we believe our clients deserve more than minimum performance.