Mold dogs are specially trained to detect mold.  For those who have not heard about mold dogs, just think of dogs who are used to find drugs or weapons.  Dogs have much more developed olfactory skills than people.

Mac, the dog in these pictures, was originally trained in Germany for protection work.  He obeys commands in German, but there are many dogs trained in other countries, including the U.S.  He was trained in mold detection by the Falco K-9 Academy in Brea, California; and he goes there every year for recertification.  He scored 100% on odor detection as well as searching skills.

	Sarah Keck and Mac in the crawl space, checking foundation wall.
	Mac sniffing one of the piers supporting the house.
	Part of the discipline is that mold dogs must take time out.  Here, Mac was told to stay.  He looks right at home on the cork floors.   You can also see that he is obeying the order to "stay" and his handler does not have to hold him on a lead.
	When the work begins, Mac is on a leash and managed.
	Here, we see how Mac is trained to check the perimeter for any moisture within walls.  You can almost feel his concentration.  This is the bird room, but the birds were moved to avoid distraction.
	Here, Mac is checking inside a cabinet.  This may seem excessive, but the same training is used to look under sinks.
	One more time out.  You see how very well behaved he is despite his youthful exuberance and serious work ethic.  The floor, for the record, is jatoba hardwood, tribute to the herb that saved my life.
	Now, Mac is being prepared for the next search.
	Sniffing does not mean he has found something, merely that he is looking.  He is trained to sit when he has found mold.
	When Mac was completely finished, I put some dry mold in a room he had already checked. I had taken home a sample of a prepared agar and had allowed it to become moldy.  When Mac first checked the room, the dish had been covered and placed inside a plastic bag.  Mac missed it while inside the sealed bag, but he found it instantly when it was removed from the bag.
	When Mac finds mold, he sits; then, he is rewarded with play.  Finding mold makes him very happy because he gets a toy and really positive input for a while.

Comments

At the mold seminar, it had been stated that mold dogs are 97% accurate as compared to 30% for laboratories with people examining samples.  I made a mental note that when I felt the remediation of my home was complete, I would have it checked by a mold dog.  Obviously, I am very happy with the outcome of today's work.

It was performed by Paws for Health, a father-daughter team.  In addition to the particulate counts and the work performed by Mac, there was a visual inspection for signs of water intrusion or mold.  Moisture readings were taken with a protimeter.  It is worth noting that the moisture in the crawl space varied in the 9-13% range, down from the 70s and higher prior to the installation of the encapsulation system.

 

Ingrid Naiman
3 October 2006

 

Summary

Hidden Mold in Crawl Space || Installation of Crawl Space Encapsulation

CleanSpace Installation A-Z || Air Pressure

Remediation Attire || Duct Cleaning || Particulates || Summary

Sacred Medicine Sanctuary

Copyright by Ingrid Naiman 2006

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