Acana Dog Food
September 30, 2008
Filed under Acana, Dog Food Reviews
Acana Dog Food Review
Looking for information on Acana dog food? If so, you have come to the right spot. We will give you an honest opinion of each and every dog food. If you would like to discuss proper dog food nutrition with other dog lovers, visit our forum at: http://dogfoodchat.com/forum Acana dog food is produced and manufactured by Champion Pet Foods. Acana dog food comes in 3 different categories. Acana produces some of the best dog food formula’s available and is highly recommended by our team.
In an effort to provide the required nutrients of pets living in today’s modern lifestyle, Acana pet foods are formulated to be high in protein and low in carbohydrates for better digestion and absorption in the carnivore digestive tract. Acana pet foods claims to fame include its fresh regional ingredients and pet food products which have been certified by the Government of Canada as having met every international regulation or standard set for pet food. The manufacturers of Acana pet foods claim that their pet food formulas are made from high quality ingredients are delivered each day and obtained only from reputable sources.
Acana’s pet food formulas are based on 5 natural principals—ingredient freshness and variety to match the natural diet, high in animal proteins, low in grains and carbohydrates, rich in fruits and vegetables, and tonic herbs to strengthen the body and spirit. All ACANA pet food formulas contain at least 3 of the best farm-fresh ingredients which are found in the region including free-run chicken, steel-cut oats, fresh whole eggs, russet potatoes, wild-caught flounder, organic sea vegetables, pacific salmon and fresh Northern walleye.
Aside from freshness, the manufacturers of Acana pet foods used a variety of meat proteins from several sources including small mammals, eggs, birds, and fish. Different sources of protein provide variety and better match the dog’s natural diet in the wild. Compared to carbohydrates, high amounts of animal proteins are much better metabolized by a dog’s digestive system. To provide for natural vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which are required by different ages of dogs, 20% of Acana pet food formulas are made up of locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Acana dog food has several formulas designed to meet the variable needs of different ages of dogs. Whether the formula is designed for puppies, growing dogs, or adult ones, the first five ingredients of Acana dog food include plenty of meat with minimal amounts of grains.
Tonic herbs and botanicals are also incorporated in the feed formulation to help eliminate toxins from the body and preserve the optimum functions of organs and tissues.
In our opinion, Acana is one of the very best dog food brands available, we highly recommend it. Among the different dog food formulas, Acana Ranchlands Dog Food gained the highest customer ratings. Although the price is quite high, you get value for money quality with a total of 8 meats providing a total of 31% protein level. Another plus for some dog owners—their dogs often feel less hungry.
The combination of meat and whole grains in their puppy formulas has gained favorable feedbacks although chicken fat has been identified as a predisposing factor of bloat in large dog breeds. The amount of Omega 3 oils is just enough and many dog owners have reported that aside from having no problems finishing up their food, their dogs have beautiful hair coats.
There are dog owners who reported their pets having frequent bowel movement even though they had gradually changed their old dog food to Acana. In contrast there were also those who reported their pets experiencing constipation with Acana Premium Adult Dog Food. Some remedied this problem by giving a lot of water with the dog food.
Please visit the links listed below for Acana dog food reviews by formula.
Have a comment or question about our Acana dog food review? Want to share your experiences with others? We welcome your comments!
Acana Formula Dog Food Reviews:
Acana Puppy Diet Dog Food
Acana Adult Diet dog food
Acana Special Needs
Acana Balanced dog food
Acana Dog Food consumer ranking
I went to the website and found all information about Acana foods, including ingredients and the guaranteed analysis. Not sure where Bernadette was looking online, but I went to
http://www.championpetfoods.com
We breed Mini Aussies who are very active. We had them on California Natural prior to grain free Acana but it was hard to keep a good amount of weight on them and they were shedding quite a bit. We have had a few bags of Acana now and they love it. Even our pickiest dogs gobble down the grain free Acana, our pups love it as well and we haven’t had any issues with stool being abnormal. They seem to be maintaining a better weight on this food and their coats are very nice and thick.
I like California Natural but Acana is in my top 5 best foods made today. It is an outstanding kibble.
Hey Jess – Eric what do you think about Acana Grasslands for my Lab and Springer Spaniel puppy? I am trying to feed them the same food.
Grasslands is the same price as Orijen Large Breed Puppy. I like Grasslands and it is part of my rotation in the winter due to lower protein and calories since they sit around all January and February.
If you are willing to spend the money on Grasslands, put them both on LBP until this December when your puppy is 9 or 10 months old. Then when your puppy is old enough, you can rotate around with Grasslands, 6 Fish, Pacifica and so forth.
O.L.B.Puppy!!!!!!!LOL, remember when I listed all those prices? Grassland is 3 bucks more here than Orijen LBP and Adult Orijen is 3 dollars cheaper than OLPB. So in my area Grassland is 6 bucks more than Orijen adult. Is it better? NO WAY, but it is a very very good dog food. Which ever one of these you choose you have choosen a great dog food. Now I must admit I have started adding 3 Medallions of Natures Varity raw 1-2 hours after he eats his regular meal. He loves the rabbit and next up is the Lamb. There are 48 medallions in a bag, so 2 bags a month at 14-15 bucks a bag. Tony thinks he is getting treats. I cut them in half with a spoon and he eats them off the spoon, pretty funny watching him. I think I am gonna stay away from the raw chicken. My routine is dinner at 5, water at 6 and raw at 7,, well thats what I shoot for. I have pretty much quit buying any treats. I keep a small bag in the truck in case I have to hit a fast food place, that way I can give him the treats instead of a burger or should I say my burger.
The reason that I am choosing Acana over Orijen LBP is the fact that the Orijen is preserved with citric acid which can cause bloat.And I really don’t feel like limiting their water since it is summer and we spend a lot of time outside playing with the dogs and they drink more water.I really like all of the other ingredients in Orijen I’m just not willing to take the chance with the citric acid and Bloat,too bad they don’t preserve it with something else.Thanks for your help and suggestions.If you have any other suggestions that would fit my situation I am always willing to take advice-I really need to keep it grain free for my Lab because of the grains contributing to Fatty Tumors-my vet said they are nothing more than”Hot Fat”.
I disagree with you on the citric acid. It’s a natural preservative, not synthetic. Check out these two articles.
http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/on_my_soap_box_purdue_bloat_study.htm
http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/bloat_and_allergies.htm
And what have I preached about whole food supplements with digestive enzymes?
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1677&aid=402
This site also states that there is no corealtion between citric acid and bloat.
Hey Eric- I got this website from Jess- Please check it out-Scroll down to causes- Look under eating habits- It states ” Eating dry foods that contain citric acid as a preservative”( The risk is even worse if the owner moistens the food)There are a lot of other factors- causes too. http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm#Causes
During the pet food poisonings of a couple years ago, I was trying to save everything I could find on the web. While searching just now for something else, I came across this:
http://www.petlvr.com/blog/2009/02/pet-food-recall-salmonella-scare/
And, I did find something similar to the original topic I was searching for here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/28/health/main542336.shtml
Champion produces Orijen and Acana.
Michelle I am not to sure about that site, yes I put it up, but bloat is the stomach wrapping around itself. “”Kinda”" like taking a big rock and putting it in the middle of a rag then grapping the two ends and swinging it like a jump rope. Geez I wonder if you see it like I was trying to get you to see it. LOL, what a nut case I am. It is really more important to not let your dog drink for a hour or so after eating and no hard exercise after eating. Thats why great danes get it so often because of their huge mass’s and stomach size. My dog just ate so I am sitting here giving him a little time before going to the dog park. Thats why mositening food is not good because you add more weight.
I was told by a lady who had the surgery done on both her great dames, that basically they stapled the dogs stomach to the walls of their body. Thats how she put it. I have always wondered how they actually performd that. Kinda makes sense because now the stomach can’t move around. She also said that she does zero exercise with her dogs for at least 2 hours after eating.
Spoke to a certified pet nutritionist and my vet, a graduate of Michigan State University….there is inconslusive evidence as to what really causes bloat. Tons of theories but nothing pinpointed as to the real cause. Was told that the most common factor, is that it does happen more regularly in deep chested dogs such as boxers and danes, but was also told that just because you have a dane, doesn’t mean it will ever have a bloat issue and it doesn’t mean your yorkie won’t.
Nutriontionist, who agrees that Orijen is the best kibble on the market today, stated there is no scientific evidence that food preserved with citric acid and then mixed with water will cause bloat. However he did say that food that is prone to expand when mixed with water has the possiblity to bloat. This would be almost every extruded kibble on the market. Orijen, (baked) does not expand when mixed with water….softens, but does not expand.
Look at The Honest Kitchen. They exclaim to you that it is imperative to re-hydrate the food before feeding as re-hydrating grows to twice its size. Same theory to kibble. Get it wet and it will grow to twice its size. Again, Orijen doesn’t. I’ve never pre-moistened Evo so I can’t tell you what it does…maybe someone else can chime in on what it does.
Was also told by nutrionist that all kibble should be moistened prior to feeding to aid in the digestion, since kibble is so hard for dogs to digest. Although Orijen and Evo are fantastic kibbles, they’re still not natural.
I really wouldn’t feel comfortable adding water to kibble because your right-it does expand and I feel like that would contribute to bloat.I have never added water to my Labs kibble and her poops have always been small and firm the best sign I can think of that she is digesting her food well.Your also right about the causes-I’ve read that Elevated food bowls,citric acid,exercising after eating.eating too fast,fat in the first 4 ingredients,drinking too much water,stress or anxious or fearful temperment or agressive dogs-Allowing your dog to roll over or jump up.If you really think about it the causes really do make sense-I mean I feel like any rolling or jumping movement could cause the stomach to twist-I personally would not teach my dog to roll over.My dog doesn’t have any of the issue’s that are associated with bloat-BUT-she is a full blooded Lab and my new puppy is an English Springer Spaniel-both of these breeds are more prone to bloat-does that mean that either of them ever will? I really hope not!! But I do feel I need to be EXTRA cautious with both of them.And your right-maybe no one can say 100% that this or that will definately cause bloat but I say it’s better to be safe than sorry.