Certain pets are really good at dealing with rodents. Both cats and dogs have pheromones which repel rodents, so they can add an extra layer of defense against infestations. But can dogs actually detect house mouse infestations?
The history of dogs and mice
Dogs and mice have a long and storied history. Dogs have been bred for a variety of purposes since we domesticated them, and one of these purposes is rodent detection and control. Any dog breed that is close to the ground (has short legs), and has a long snout has likely been bred for rodent and small animal control. Think terriers, dachshunds, and similar dog breeds. However, most dogs have a fine tuned sense of smell and hearing anyway, which means that they will likely be able to detect mice in the walls.
Signs that your dog is detecting mice in the home
If you have a dog, it will start to behave in a particular manner when it detects house mice or rats in the walls. It may start to run along various sections of the wall, scratch and sniff at the wall, or whine, growl and bark at the wall. Basically, the dog will look like it’s excited about something in the home.
Other signs that an infestation is present
Besides noticing that your dog is acting strange you may come across some other signs that a mouse infestation is present in the building. You may start to notice their droppings – tiny black beads, in your drawers, around the edges of the room or in the basement/attic. You may also come across gnaw marks on various surfaces around the home, especially on the baseboards. Mice may also create visible trails along the edges of the room, and you may also hear them squeaking in the walls during night time.
Getting rid of a mouse infestation
There are two main ways to eliminate a house mouse infestation – traps and poisons. Traps are generally used to make quick work of small infestations, and poisons are best suited when dealing with a lot of mice. The main drawback of poisons however is the cleanup process, because you or the pest control pro you hired will have to find all the dead mice.
For more information about how to detect a mouse infestation, or if you’ve noticed signs of an infestation in your home, contact us today.