Can dogs eat pinto beans? You might have wondered this while cooking up some pinto beans as part of a slow-cooked bean chili recipe and wondered whether your favorite canine pal can also safely have some. If humans can eat pinto beans, can dogs safely them too?
The short answer is yes, dogs can eat pinto beans. Feeding pinto beans to dogs can deliver a number of health benefits due to the vitamins and nutrients that beans contain.
However, you need to be aware that you should only ever feed cooked pinto beans to your dog, and you also need to make sure that any other potentially toxic ingredients have not been added to the beans before serving them to your dog.
As always, you must ask your regular vet before sharing any human food with your beloved pooch, including pinto beans. Here’s what you need to know about pinto beans and dogs.
How Are Pinto Beans Good For Dogs?
Pinto beans can be a great addition to your dog’s diet. This is because pinto beans deliver a good amount of B vitamins plus iron, potassium and antioxidants.
Pinto beans are also a good source of protein and fiber, which means that they can often be helpful if your dog is trying to lose a little extra weight.
How Can I Safely Give Pinto Beans To My Dog?
The most important part about feeding pinto beans to your dog is to make sure that you do not serve uncooked pinto beans. This means you’ll need to soak the dried beans, ideally overnight, and then cook them slowly in water.
You’ll also need to avoid the temptation to add any extra spices or ingredients to the cooking water. Additionally, if you’re using canned pinto beans, check the label to ensure that they don’t have any extra ingredients added, and also monitor the amount of sodium that’s been added.
In general, the best way to add pinto beans to your dog’s regular diet is to add one or two tablespoons of beans to their usual meals. As a good rule, make sure dietary additions like pinto beans do not make up more than ten percent of your dog’s diet.
If you’re all about saving time in the kitchen, you can also freeze cooked pinto beans, so feel free to cook up a large batch of beans and then save them in smaller portions for your dog to feast on later.
Does your dog enjoy pinto beans as part of their regular meals? How do you serve them to your pooch? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!
