Can I give my dog chick peas?

Chickpeas are considered a health food because these legumes contain fairly high levels of protein. At first glance, it seems that chick peas are a good snack for any 4-legged friend. But is this really the case?

Since we use chickpeas for special recipes, especially for making hummus or in salads, our dogs naturally want a taste. But a potential problem for dogs arises when other ingredients are mixed in with the generally bland garbanzo beans as part of a yummy snack.

Let’s examine the benefits of this delicious and healthy food. We’ll also discuss situations where chick peas would be appropriate for your dog as well as times where it is just not recommended.

Can I Give My Dog Chick Peas? Answer: Yes, cooked & plain only

As long as you are feeding your dog cooked chickpeas only, you’ll likely have nothing to worry about.

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To be more consistent, there’s a highly recommend grain-free dry dog food that incorporates chickpeas with meat protein. But an occasional serving of these creamy beans is fine as long as they aren’t a substantial part of their diet. Perhaps chick peas can even help aid your dog’s digestion and work in much the same way a pumpkin serving sometimes helps.

Plain & Cooked Chick Peas

If you feed your dog some straight chickpeas, and do so in moderation, things should be fine. It’s best to purchase the dried or canned variety and be sure to fully cook those beans for Fido. It should also be noted that the canned types usually contain a lot of salt, so you may wish to thoroughly rinse the chickpeas off before serving them as a snack.

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Chickpeas & Hummus

People like to literally spice up their foods. This is especially truth for a healthy but bland tasting food like chick peas. While your dog will surely appreciate anything you throw at them, you should withhold the hummus. Pre-made hummus especially can have a long list of questionable or processed ingredients.

Making your own hummus, mashing it up but keeping it totally plain, would not only be safer for your dog but also much cheaper than buying it from your local supermarket’s perimeter isle.

Other Associated Foods

People like to complement chickpeas with garlic and onions, both of which aren’t well-suited for dogs. Serving those to your best buddy could be a terrible thing. This is why we can’t stress enough that you should stick to the basics and serve it in basic form.

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Source of Protein & Fiber

Chickpeas contain a good amount of both protein and fiber which could benefit your dog. It may also serve to aid their bowel movements in the case of canine constipation. Further, you’ll be happy to know that the beans are without any saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium. Do watch for added salt on the canned labels, however.

Of course, as with most beans, the most common downside of your dog consuming these would be some excess gas. This is one reason why we always start out by serving a small portion when introducing any new food to our dogs. Everyone knows that beans can have the effect of increasing flatulence and your dog is not immune.

Conclusion on ChickPeas

Plain chick peas can make for a wonderful supplement to a healthy canine diet when served in moderation. We can’t find any valid reason why you shouldn’t feed chickpeas to your dog. The main point is that they should consume this snack in a pure form which you, yourself, may not enjoy as much. But just because you probably don’t eat it plain doesn’t mean your dog won’t enjoy it.

Yes, chickpeas can seem quite tasteless for humans but that’s exactly how you should serve it to your dog. Often this means keeping the store bought hummus all for yourself. In any case, chickpeas can’t replace your dog’s normal diet but should be given on occasion as a treat.

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