Are canned black beans good for dogs? Here’s What to Expect

Can Dogs Eat Black Beans And Other Legumes?

Yes, black beans is a food that is not only OK for your dog to eat, but it also offers lots of nutritional benefits for canines.

Black beans are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. These beans also have a good amount of fiber to aid in good digestion, and they are pretty high in protein.

But remember, while your dog might be an omnivore, the best protein for them is animal-based protein, rather than the protein derived from beans.

Overall, adding some beans to your dog’s diet can help regulate their blood sugar, help them burn fat, and also strengthen their immune system.

Black beans aren’t the only foods in the legume family that offer these health benefits. Your dog can also eat lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans, edamame, soybeans, chickpeas, and lentils.

However, there are a few types of beans that dogs should not be eating. Fava/broad beans are one because they contain phytohemagglutinin (PHA), which is toxic to dogs.

Baked beans, refried beans, and canned beans should also be avoided. This isn’t down to the beans themselves, but the way they are prepared. There are usually significant amounts of added sugar and salt, which can be harmful to dogs.

If you are thinking that we’ve missed an important bean category, green beans, don’t worry, this is on purpose because green beans are not in fact legumes; they are vegetables. But they are also safe for your pup to eat and are often included in healthy dog food recipes.

Green beans are rich in protein, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B6, C, and K. They are a great source of fiber and also low in calories, so they are a good way to fill out your dog’s bowl.

For a list of foods your dog shouldn’t be eating and can be toxic for them, read our complete article. The list contains chocolate and sugar alternatives found in many sweets.

Onion, garlic, and other spices commonly used in the dishes we eat can also be toxic to dogs. This is the main reason you should never feed your dog food off your own plate.

Preparing Black Beans For Your Dog

As we have already said, you should always feed your dog fresh black beans and legumes, rather than giving them the canned stuff.

This is not because of the beans themselves, but because large amounts of sugar (e.g. baked beans) and salt (e.g. refried beans) are added as part of the preparation. Preservatives that aren’t great for your dog may also be inside the can.

So, the best thing you can do is prepare the beans yourself, in pretty much the same way as you would prepare the beans for yourself.

You should quickly sort the beans and remove any that are broken, and then soak the beans in water overnight for a minimum of eight hours.

In the morning, drain and rinse the beans.

You should then cover the beans in water, to about two fingers above the beans.

Once they come to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer until tender, which should take about an hour and a half.

Drain the water to serve.

While you would probably add at least salt to the water when preparing the beans for yourself, when preparing them for your dog, skip the salt. They don’t need the salt for their palette or their health.

Do beans make dogs fart?

Some beans can make your dog more gaseous than normal, and therefore, more likely to fart. Soybeans are particularly problematic for this. Black beans, less so, but if your dog eats them regularly, you might notice that they do fart a bit more often.

Are canned beans OK for dogs?