Yes! Dogs can absolutely have chickpeas and are considered safe. In most cooked dog food recipes, chickpeas are growing in popularity, usually used as an alternative to grain-free diets for dogs.
Studies of chickpeas in pet foods show that almost 11.5% of recipes in the current market include chickpeas as one of the ingredients.
Chickpeas contain a high source of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, B, potassium, magnesium, and calcium just to name a few.
Chickpeas are full of fibre and help support healthy digestion.
Chickpeas are becoming a healthier alternative for dogs that require grain-free diets. Chickpeas are a great substitute for grains.
Like all human grade foods, feeding your pup in moderation is always recommended. There are a few things pet parents should be wary of when feeding their dog chickpeas.
For one, pet owners should only feed chickpeas that are cooked (with no added salt and flavourings). If pet owners are feeding canned chickpeas, it’s also important to check the labelling. Some chickpeas contain brine and may have added salt.
The best kind of canned chickpeas for dogs to avoid excess salt would be chickpeas in water without added preservatives and additives.
It’s also worth nothing that most grain free diets contain many legumes such as chickpeas and have been tied to the investigation of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) by the FDA. Also known as a heart condition in dogs. If you want to learn more about DCM in dogs, follow our link for more.
Plantz, Bruce. “Why Chickpeas, Peas and Lentils Are in More Dog and Cat Food Formulas.” Petfood Industry, PetfoodIndustry.com, 21 Mar. 2018, https://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/7039-why-chickpeas-peas-and-lentils-are-in-more-dog-and-cat-food-formulas.
