Can Dogs Smell Edibles? 5 Things You Should Know

Have you ever thought about this, “Can dogs smell edibles?” I have seen people asking such questions on various platforms.

But one thing is sure; dogs’ scent identification is 10,000 to 100,000 times higher than ours (humans). There is no question about this. However, can these drug-sniffing dogs detect edibles? Are they 100% accurate? Because that’s what matters! Alright, here’s my position on this issue.

Can dogs smell edibles?

According to most drug dog trainers I have spoken with, sniffing edibles isn’t an impossible thing for dogs. They can be trained to identify marijuana mixed in some sort of flour. All that needs to be done is to associate the odor with a positive stimulus.

So, yes, dogs can smell edibles, but only when trained to do so. Dogs can detect SIM cards smuggled into prisons. How can they not do the same to edibles?

So, police dogs can be trained to detect raw plant material, including decarboxylated edibles. They just need to familiarize themselves with THC odor.

Continue reading to know more about this topic!

Do Edibles Smell Differently?

Since the ban on cannabis was lifted, sales have surged. Buyers and sellers now have the free will to move around with stash, though in states where it is legal.

When issues regarding edibles being busted by canines at borders pop up, people are more conscious because being caught with illicit drugs is a serious crime.

That’s why it makes sense to have all detailed information about what dogs can and cannot sniff sorted out before carrying such close to them.

Drug detecting dogs are stationed at strategic points at various ports, where visitors come into the country. Thus, carrying items like edibles is a risky decision.

You run a risk of being sniffed out by a dog, giving the cops the permission they need to conduct a manual search on you and your property.

So, do edibles have a distinct smell? Yes, they do. Thus, unless a drug-sniffing dog is trained specially to detect edibles, then it might not produce an accurate result. Edibles smell differently from the plant. Their chemical composition has been altered.

Most edibles that were commercially produced don’t have terpenes, the compound responsible for cannabis’ unique aroma. Instead, the manufacturers tend to utilize a standardized THC extract.

Drug Sniffing Dogs Detecting Edibles – Are They Trained For That?

The only way drug-sniffing dogs can detect edibles or something that isn’t legal is when they are trained for that. Otherwise, they may raise a false alarm.

At the moment, dogs aren’t trained to detect edibles. And according to most drug-sniffing dog trainers, they haven’t been instructed to prepare their drugs for that.

Law enforcement doesn’t see it as a top priority to have their dogs trained to detect edibles. The primary focus is on detecting a colossal amount of marijuana being distributed.

However, marijuana edibles are only legal in 10 states in the US but are legally used for medical purposes in most parts of the country. Thus, there might be a call for law enforcement agencies to have their drug-sniffing dogs trained to detect them.

The noses of drug dogs are super sensitive in that they can detect illegal substances at a ratio of five parts by billion. So, once again, they won’t have problems discovering marijuana edibles.

Eating Edibles: What You Need To Understand About The After Effect

Edibles are manufactured in diverse ways. But they differ in their cannabinoid concentration or potency. They consist of cannabis, including its extracted ingredients, mixed into various food types. These include cookies, brownies, and even candy.

However, the speed of onset of the effects resulting from smoking joints or consuming edibles is different. It has nothing to do with the quantity of the joint smoked or edible consumed. The primary factor is how both are processed in the body.

Now here’s what happens when you consume an edible (food item that has marijuana). The THC in the edible gets into the bloodstream via one’s digestive tract. There, it experiences a metabolic pass in one’s liver before circulating throughout the body.

So, in a nutshell, the absorption process that follows when one consumes edibles is slower than when it passes through the lungs (smoked). Thus, the effect that results after eating edibles will come gradually but last longer than when a joint is smoked.

Edibles And Types

Edibles come in different forms. These include solid (marijuana laced in food items), liquid (hemp added in drinks and teas), and even spray.

Edibles present a more discrete way for people to use marijuana, with their effects starting gradually and lasting longer because of the gradual metabolic process they pass through in the body.

Here are the various types of edibles.

1. Drinks –Edible drinks act slowly in the body when consumed. Their effects could kick in 30 to 60 minutes after consumption. These drinks may also remain in one’s body for a much more extended period.
2. Sprays – This works just like body spray. You can also take it wherever you want, conveniently. This type of edible produces an immediate effect. Just spray it under your tongue and get ready for its almost immediate and long-lasting impact.
3. Solids – Examples of solids with cannabis are mints and gummies. They are the most popular types under this category. However, keep in mind that dosing varies from solids to solids.
4. Tinctures – Tincture is practically alcohol laced with marijuana extract. Apply some drops to your mouth, and that’s it. What makes the use of tinctures appealing to most people is the accurate dosing, and ease of use.
5. Inhalers – Inhalers are also available but very limited. You would be lucky to get your hands on them in your regular stash store. Inhalers are a wise choice for people who like taking edibles but do so privately.
6. Dissolvable – These come in powder form, and have no flavor or unique taste. Thus, you can add dissolvable to your workout supplement or protein supplement without changing their tastes. Dissolvable offers users a more convenient way to consume edibles, and the effect is also long-lasting.
7. Butter –The consumption of edible butter appeals to many consumers. It allows them to have control over dosage and helps to delay psychotropic effects.
8. Oil – As ways to discretely consume edibles takes center stage, manufacturers have continued to scramble for options to appeal to the interest of varied users. Different oils can be laced with edibles and consumed. These include coconut, olive, walnuts, and avocado oils. This way of taking edibles also appeals to health-conscious users.

Why The Ingestion Of Edibles Is Becoming More Appealing To Consumers

Since recreational marijuana was made legal in some states, its usage has skyrocketed. Sales of edibles have also gone up. Growth of the sales of edibles will continue to increase, from the look of things, and there are numerous reasons for that.

Now you may want to ask why many consumers are developing an interest in edibles instead of smoking marijuana, which happens to be the primary process by which the plant was used. Here are some of the reasons.

1. Edibles are more convenient

Diverse types of edibles exist, and they are easier to transport. An example is an edible spray or dissolvable.

You can carry either in your bag to wherever you want. As long as they are legal where you are taking them, you won’t get into trouble.

2. Edibles are discrete

Activities of parents or adults can influence kids. Kids are fast learners and may want to copy their parents, uncles, aunties, neighbors, or relations when they grow up.

So, it’s not advisable to smoke a joint in front of them. Additionally, anyone inhaling your smoke can equally get high. So, if you want to take cannabis and be discrete, edibles are a wise choice.

No one but you or your partner would ever figure out unless they catch you in the mood.

3. The high edibles give is calmer and relaxing 

Edibles take longer to process in the body. That’s because they are metabolized in the liver before being circulated throughout the body. So, consumers who want to get high and stay that way for a longer period, choose edibles over smoking.

You can also consume edibles and get high without others suspecting, unlike smoking, which alerts the neighbors and everyone around the vicinity, due to the odor generated and the distance the smoke travels.

4. Not everyone is comfortable inhaling smoke

Asthmatic patients cannot stand the strong smell from smoking, making edibles a wise option for them. Smoking alerts people that you are a cannabis user, which isn’t a bad name.

But if you want everyone to feel comfortable around you and continue taking marijuana, edibles are a good option for you.

5. Avoid harmful toxins and adverse effects associated with smoking

Smoking could damage your lungs severely. Colds, coughs, asthma, and wheezing are even lesser problems smoking can cause

Smoking can give rise to deadly diseases like lung cancer, pneumonia, and also emphysema.

83 and 84 percent of deaths resulting from lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are respectively caused by smoking.

But with edibles, you can achieve your primary reason for edible consumption and avoid all these negative health effects resulting from smoking.

6. Dispensary earns more profit from edibles

The prices of edibles are slightly higher than other types of marijuana. Thus, those selling them can make more profit for themselves.

• For Further Reading
• Can Dogs Eat Cotton Candy?
• Can Dry Dog Food Go Bad In Heat?
• Are Cockapoos Hypoallergenic?
• Can Dogs Eat Rib Bones?

Conclusion

So, can dogs detect edibles? The answer is yes. Dogs can identify edibles but on the condition that they are trained to do so. Dogs have super sensitive noses.

Hence they can smell and detect things we can’t. Canines can also detect Pheromones, Sprays, and Flammable fluids such as Isopropyl/ Rubbing Alcohols.

That’s a fact. Canines can smell and fish out people carrying edibles. So, yes, dogs can. Having that at the back of your mind will help you avoid embarrassment.

And don’t just conclude that since most dogs haven’t been trained to detect edibles, you are free to move around with them. You never know when you will come across a dog trained for that.