Our current society and laws have highly complicated and varying views on cannabis and the like.
Especially when talking about cannabis and its variants, such as THC.
Several states in the United States and other nations have various rules and ordinances, and many use drug-sniffing dogs to identify weeds.
Then what is going to happen if you are bringing THC oil? Are dogs capable of smelling THC? Well, the answer can be yes. Dogs can have training on how to specifically detect THC. Read more about it below.
Overview of Drug-Sniffing Dogs
Dogs have the reputation of being reliable and valuable resources for the war on narcotics and violence in the Western Hemisphere.
They are an essential component of police departments and defense programs.
These specialized dogs are also placed on alert at malls, traffic light stops, and public gatherings.
They are qualified to identify unique scents linked to weapons, machines, people, and narcotics.
Now that THC has become increasingly common, many customers are curious whether dogs can detect THC.
If you are going to another country and you’re dreaming of bringing your THC with you, be careful.
As you possibly already realize, the legality of THC is quite confusing.
And there is no straightforward clarification about whether you are permitted to fly with THC.
Strictly speaking, it varies as to where the substance is from.
If it is hemp-derived, this should be legitimate.
However, the semi-legal THC oil bottle might be illegal in other places.
There have been known prosecutions in several instances.
How Are Dogs Trained to Smell THC Oil?
Before searching at what drug dogs will detect THC, it’s good to learn how our pet dogs function.
Many of them are intelligent creatures who can obey orders with appropriate instruction and perform various tricks.
Common drug-sniffing breeds include the following:
- Labrador Retrievers,
- German Shepherds,
- Belgian Malinois
- Weimaraners
- Golden Retrievers
Similar to humans, opioid dogs get a task that needs a consistent effort.
When enrolled, they become actively educated by their human companions.
The road to absolute success may be a rather long path.
Cannabis dog breeders will start teaching and evaluating puppies as early as six weeks of age.
After picking, the dog should spend the following two months going over regular training exercises with officers before she is ready for field duty.
The working life of these dogs in this operational setting is usually 8 to 9 years.
Dogs qualified to identify narcotics are incredibly skilled.
They spend many years training on the scent of unique cannabinoid terpenes.
These terpenes contain pinene, beta-caryophyllene, and caryophyllene.
THC goods with little to no substance content do not produce large amounts of terpenes unless they are somehow inserted into the substance.
But it is worth noting that terpene levels can differ across hemp-extracted THC brands.
Learn More:
Can Dogs Smell THC Oil?
Technically, most sniffing dogs have training on how to detect cannabis in many products, and there are some that can detect THC specifically.
So yes, specially trained dogs can detect THC oil.
Drug dogs can smell up to one hundred thousand times more than people.
It ensures that, with the right preparation, they can sense pretty much everything.
However, new studies indicate that these dogs are currently equipped mainly to spot hard narcotics or hazardous explosives and not inherently weed.
Besides, marijuana dogs are qualified to detect beta-caryophyllene and caryophyllene oxide present in most marijuana strains, as we have already touched.
But, in THC-heavy products, it is present in small quantities — amounts that trained dogs will possibly have looked over unless you plan to bring a whole bag of THC with you.
There are also many laws legalizing weed and other derivatives.
So even if the dog smells it, as long as you are legally allowed to bring THC Oil, there is no harm.
However, you have to think about driving or going to a country where THC is unlawful.
Just do not risk it.
The Farm Bill of 2018, for example, now requires each US state to handle the THC whenever possible.
Which ensures that you ought to review your state’s laws and the state laws to which you are going.
How Reliable Are the Narcotics Dogs?
These canines are not quite as perfect as you would believe they are.
One research reports this situation by studying multiple dog types against illicit drugs with their trainers to assess how easily they can identify the substances.
A total of 61 German Shepherds, 68 Labrador Retrievers, 10 English Cocker Spaniels, and 25 Terriers were used to assess their performances.
Some prescription dogs were successful in identifying drugs quickly and effectively.
However, about 5.3% of the allegations were unfounded.
Countless innocent citizens have been unjustifiably accused when it comes to the drug fight.
As you might guess, a couple of these prosecutions are likely to be a product of K9 wrongly identifying narcotics and an officer conforming with them.
These specialized dogs are beginning to retire for pot reasons — as we have already reported.
And since THC has zero psychoactive effects, law implementation does not waste time and resources teaching dogs to search for it.
Still, a dog’s sense of smell is very accurate to the point that they smell things that we cannot!
Key Takeaway
To answer the question, yes, dogs can sniff THC oil.
They are professionally qualified and effective methods utilized by peace and order officials.
They are also used but typically do not respond to hemp-extracted THC products since the terpene amounts in these items are often so minimal that the canines are not involved.
There is also a chance, though, that a prescription dog can sense the existence of THC.
For this cause, before you fly, it is essential to review the rules and legislation concerning THC.
