Can dogs eat chickpeas or hummus?

Tinned chickpeas should be drained and rinsed well to remove salty liquid. Home-cooked chickpeas need soaking overnight and boiling for 1 to 2 hours until soft. Raw or undercooked dried chickpeas are very hard and difficult to digest.

Chickpeas have around 140 to 165 calories per 100 g cooked, so they are relatively filling. A spoonful is enough for most dogs.

Traditional hummus blends chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and garlic. Garlic belongs to the onion family and damages red blood cells in dogs. Flavored versions may add extra garlic, onion, chili or red pepper. There is no amount of garlic you can count on being safe: the risk depends on the dog's size and how much it ate, and a tub of hummus also carries a lot of fat.

Chickpeas are legumes and commonly cause wind. Offer three or four chickpeas to a small dog and up to a tablespoon to a large dog. Mashing them slightly makes them easier to digest. Crunchy roasted chickpea snacks are usually salted and spiced.

Falafel, chana masala, chickpea curry and chickpea salads usually contain onion, garlic and spices. Chickpea flour appears in some dog treats and is fine. Aquafaba, the liquid from a tin of chickpeas, is salty and not needed.

Blend a few rinsed chickpeas with a splash of water into a smooth paste, with no garlic, lemon, salt or tahini. Spread a thin layer on a lick mat or stuff a little into a rubber toy and freeze it. A tablespoon of this plain mash keeps a medium dog busy for several minutes.