Termite-Sniffing Pooch Assists OKC Exterminator

By Steve Shaw, News 9 

OKLAHOMA CITY -- One of the mildest winters on record means termites are already a problem in Oklahoma. 

Phillip Culp says he's found a much more effective way of finding termites than exterminators normally do.  A few years ago, he bought a long-haired Jack Russell Terrier named Daisy. 

Daisy came from a Texas company that trains dogs. 

Culp says dogs' keen sense of smell allows them to detect the methane gas smell termites emit. He says Daisy is 90 to 95 percent accurate, whereas people are 27 to 47 percent accurate in detecting termites. 

And Culp says Daisy only works for food.

"I give her sometimes chicken, sometimes hotdogs, whatever works for that day.  Kind of like me, she works for cheap," Culp said. 

The best thing about Daisy and all the other dogs that Texas organization trains is that they rescue all their dogs from the pound.

Daisy isn't the only termite-hunting dog on Culp's staff.  He also has a 3-year-old border collie named Zema who is just learning the ropes as well.