In many Australian homes, you can expect that there’s at least one can of baked beans in the kitchen cabinet. After all, baked beans are a delicious breakfast tradition with a surprisingly healthy nutritional breakdown. So, it might make you wonder, can dogs eat baked beans? Should you break out the can opener the next time you’re left with an empty bag of dog food or stash a can in your dog’s overnight bag for their next stay at their favourite Pet Sitter’s house? Or, is it best not to save a spot at the breakfast table for your beloved doggo?
Let’s get to the answers you’ve bean waiting for!
Can dogs eat baked beans?
The simple answer is no. Dogs should not eat baked beans. This tasty dish contains too much sugar, salt and other seasonings that are not good for doggy digestion or overall health.
Additional ingredients, like garlic and onions, are what give baked beans their tasty flavour, but they pose a risk of toxicity in dogs. And while tomatoes aren’t technically toxic, their high acidity can lead to digestive upset.
Finally, there’s the issue of preservatives. We love the convenience of a baked beans can, but the truth is, the preservatives that give it a long shelf life can be harmful to our pets.
So, can dogs eat baked beans? The short answer is no.
Can dogs eat baked beans in small quantities? What should I do if my dog ate baked beans?
Now that we’ve established that baked beans should not be part of your doggo’s regular diet, what should you do if your sneaky pup found a way to eat some while you weren’t looking?
First of all, don’t panic. Your dog probably won’t experience a severe outcome from eating a few bites of baked beans. Unless you notice a change in their behaviour or digestion, you can assume that your doggo will be just fine.
If they gobbled down a good amount, then they might experience symptoms of stomach upset like vomiting, diarrhoea, and even fever. In more severe, but rare cases, ingesting large amounts of beans can lead to stomach bloating or digestive blockages. Whatever your dog’s symptoms are after eating baked beans, it’s a good idea to reach out to your vet for further instruction.
Can dogs eat beans that don’t come in a baked beans can?
As it turns out, the beans themselves aren’t actually the problem when it comes to baked beans. Beans alone can be quite healthy for dogs, as long as they’re of the pup-friendly variety and prepared the pup-friendly way.
Black beans, green beans, chickpeas, and lima beans are all dog-friendly legumes that are a great source of dietary fibre and health-boosting minerals like iron and magnesium. These beans are also full of vitamins like Vitamin C and K as well as antioxidants and protein.
To prepare these beans for your dog, you’ll want to soak them overnight and then cook them without any oils or seasoning (unless you’ve got some dog-friendly bone broth on hand.) Once the beans are thoroughly cooked, you can serve them in bite sized pieces or blend them up for a spreadable treat for your dog’s puzzle toys.
Some beans require extra care before you feed them to your dog. Fava beans, for example, are typically not recommended for DIY dog treats because they need special processing to become digestible and safe. When prepared the right way, such as in lab-tested dog foods, studies have shown that fava beans are an excellent source of protein and folates.
Are there health risks to feeding beans to your dog?
As with any plant-based food, moderation is important. Dogs are omnivores, but they’re not as efficient at processing fibre as we humans are. As such, too much roughage in their diet can lead to digestive blockages and dangerous gas build-ups.
Beans are typically high-calorie and high-carb foods, so there’s also a risk of throwing off your dog’s overall health by overdoing it with the legumes.
Your dog’s ideal serving size will depend on their unique tolerance to beans as well as their activity levels. Always start with very small portions and make sure that you’re not feeding more than a few spoonfuls of beans per day. If you’re not sure how many beans you can feed your dog, check with your vet.
If you want the nutrition, swap out the baked beans can and the bag of dried beans for something better
At this point, it’s probably clear that beans are not the convenient snack that you might have expected. The answer to the question of, “Can dogs eat baked beans?” is a resounding no. And while unseasoned, cooked beans can offer some health benefits, they also require a good amount of preparation before serving to your dog.
We haven’t even mentioned the fact that your doggo might be one of the many that doesn’t enjoy the taste of plain, cooked beans!
If you want to give your pupper the nutrition of legumes without the extra effort, you might opt for a meal plan with beans as an ingredient! Mad Paws Dinner Bowl Kibble, for instance, offers options with chickpeas and fava beans so that your dog can get the nutritional boost of the best dog-friendly beans.
When you leave it up to the pros, you can be sure that your dog is getting the ideal amount of legumes in their nutritional plan. And if your furry friend is a picky eater, you won’t have to trick them into eating their plants. They’ll be drooling over their high quality kibble every time they see the bag!
Overall, can dogs eat baked beans?
While your dog can probably tolerate a few nibbles of baked beans, it’s strongly recommended that you do not make it a regular habit. Baked beans are unhealthy and potentially toxic to dogs, and should definitely be enjoyed where they belong: on your plate along with a couple of fried eggs and smoked bacon.
That said, beans are not the problem ingredient in the baked beans can, which means your dog can eat them. As long as they’re cooked, unseasoned, and served in moderation, beans can offer some nutritional benefits to your dog.
At the end of the day, it’s always best to leave the nutritional science to the pros by giving your dog high quality, balanced dog food.
