As a responsible dog owner, you know that what is not included in your dog’s diet is equally important as what is. That’s why it’s essential to both carefully select your pup’s everyday food, and also be cautious about what you supplement it with. 

Chickpeas are a popular food for humans, but before you consider giving them to your furry friend, you should do some research first. By looking into how exactly garbanzo beans can impact your dog, you’ll be able to make a better decision regarding your dog’s diet. 

Today, we’re going to be answering the question: can dogs eat chickpeas? It’s important to look into ingredients before you give them to your pup, so without further ado, let’s start by defining chickpeas.

The name chickpea itself comes from a Latin word, cicer, which refers to the plant family of legumes called Fabaceae. Chickpeas are also known by their popular Spanish-derived name, which is garbanzo beans. There are other foods in this legume family, and those include kidney beans, black beans, lima beans, and lastly, peanuts. 

Did you know that there are different variations for chickpeas? There are two main varieties. The first is a larger, round, light-colored Kabuli-type. This version is frequently found in the United States. On the contrary, there’s a smaller, dark, irregularly shaped Desi-type. These chickpeas are frequently found in the Middle East and India.

While India is responsible for producing the most chickpeas internationally, they’re grown in over 50 countries. For humans, these beans offer an excellent source of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, minerals, and some B vitamins. For this reason, they’re a staple in plenty of people’s diets. 

That being said, are chickpeas as valuable for dogs as they are for humans? Or would your furry friend be better off without this legume? We investigated if chickpeas are safe for dogs so you wouldn’t have to. Let’s talk about what we found.

If you’re wondering if chickpeas are safe for dogs, the answer is: yes. 

Nevertheless, there’s a big disparity between something being safe for your dog and something being good for them. 

If your dog gets a chickpea or two, there’s certainly no need to panic. However, there are differing opinions regarding whether or not chickpeas are healthful to your dog. Some people argue that they’re high in fiber and, therefore, could be a strong addition. Others disagree, as there are plenty of other ways to incorporate fiber into your dog’s diet.

That being said, when you’re deciding if you should feed these to your dog, there’s something major you should take into account. What exactly? The fact that chickpeas are legumes, that’s what!

There’s evidence to suggest that legumes are not a good match for your dog’s digestive system. While legumes can be healthful for humans, it’s important to remember that your furry friend has an extremely different body than you do—both inside and out. That’s why you have to be conscientious about what you’re feeding them. 

There are several reasons why your dog’s diet would be better off without legumes in it. 

In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration investigated a potential link between legumes and canine cardiovascular problems. Potatoes were also investigated for the same reason during this study. 

This study demonstrates that there’s simply not enough information to deduct if your dog would benefit from having legumes such as garbanzo beans included in their diet. In fact, even a potential link between any kind of cardiovascular difficulty and this type of food is cause for concern. 

That’s not all, however. In addition to this concerning study, it’s important to note that the fiber and protein your dog would get from these legumes is certainly not a replacement for those that they acquire from meats. 

The next problem includes that plenty of raw or canned beans could provide your dog with digestion difficulties. 

In addition to this, these products can even contain toxins that were neutralized during the cooking process. You know those canned chickpeas you pluck off the grocery store shelf? Those actually contain preservatives that are simply too taxing on your dog’s  system. These preservatives entirely undermine the potential health benefits of the legume. 

When it comes to chickpeas and your dog’s diet, there simply aren’t enough pros to outweigh the cons. This is the same with any legume. 

Whatever potential benefit you want your dog to reap from the product, we promise you that you can acquire it another way. That’s why you should really avoid legumes on the whole—garbanzo beans included.  

As we mentioned, a main reason anyone would even consider including chickpeas in their dog’s diet is for the fiber and protein. What your dog would acquire from this product, however, is simply not worth the potential health risks. 

In fact, there are other less-risky ways to get just as much fiber and protein as you would from feeding your pup chickpeas (if not more). We’re going to talk about those now. 

One alternative is to include chia seeds into your dog’s diet. These powerful superfood seeds can simply be soaked and tossed on top of your dog’s daily food. Not only are these seeds high in fiber, they’re also packed with antioxidants as well as other vitamins and minerals. It’s a win-win if you ask us. 

When it comes to protein, your best bet is to choose a food that’s going to provide your dog with a robust amount of it. This means that your dog won’t have to get protein from other sources because they’ll already have what they need. You can look for a product that has a significant amount of protein in it. Sundays for Dogs, for example, is at least 35% crude protein!

As always, when you’re considering modifying your dog’s diet in any way, the best thing to do is reach out to a trusted veterinarian and get their professional advice. They could recommend something that would work better for your individual pet, or confirm that you’re moving in the right direction. 

Remember: your vet is there to help you ensure that your dog lives a healthy, fulfilling life! Reaching out to them is never a bad idea if you have questions about care. 

Sundays for Dogs is packed with everything your dog needs and nothing they don’t. As we mentioned earlier, what your dog doesn’t eat is just as important as what they do. That’s why we’re conscientious about creating food that will taste good and provide a variety of health benefits for your beloved pet. 

First, let’s run through some of the things that you won’t find inside a package of Sundays for Dogs. 

Because of the FDA investigation we spoke about earlier, you’re never going to find legumes or potatoes of any type. In addition to this, we don’t include gluten, wheat, soy, rice, or corn, either. Why? They can interfere with your dog’s absorption of important nutrients, and we don’t want that. 

Next, you’ll never find chicken or dairy. These are two common allergens, and we don’t want your dog’s belly to be upset! You’ll never see a vague ingredient or something labeled “meal meat” on our food -- we don’t believe in using sketchy ingredients. 

In addition, Sundays for Dogs prioritizes real ingredients you’d recognize. That’s why we avoid synthetic and artificial ingredients. Did you know that the average supposedly “natural” dry dog food still contains 30 synthetics? Bad news! By contrast, we have none. 

Finally, we want to mention how easy it is to store and use Sundays. There’s no prep, and no refrigeration required. Providing your dog with the very best has never been so easy. 

In addition to avoiding bad-for-your-pet ingredients, we include ones that are really, really good for them. This includes tasty, air-dried meats that are fresh, delicious, and sure to satisfy even the pickiest of dogs. We also include pumpkin and ginger into our food to aid with digestion, and plenty of fiber for the same reason.

The air-dried fruits and veggies in our formula are rich in antioxidants. Plus, our food is high in natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin, which are good for your dog’s joint health.  

Finally, Sundays also has a healthy serving of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to ensure your dog’s coat stays silky. 

The best part? Our dog food is human-grade and was created by a veterinarian! 

Your dog deserves the very best, and that’s why they deserve Sundays. By avoiding foods such as chickpeas that could potentially hurt your dog, you can focus your energy on those that can make a positive impact on them.

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