[Laura M]

I had the exact same problem with Acana. I also found white spots on the kibble in a bag of the lamb. I reported it to the company and they seemed to take it seriously, sent me instructions to send back to them 4 cups of the kibble for testing and a coupon for a free bag. I have not heard back from them since and this happened a few months ago. The coupon does me no good because my dogs won’t eat it at all, both chicken and lamb. I switched to holistic select turkey and lentil and my dogs seem to like it and are doing well. Good luck.

[shirley r]

My dog has been eating orijin/acana on a rotaional basis for 3 years and now refuses to eat it. i have contacted them and found the only 2 foods now made in canada for the US market is Regional Red and Tundra. Regional red should now also be being produced in Kentucky as they said this was moving production in the fall. Im devistated to have to go through the process of trying to find a new food 🙁

[shirley r]

My lab has been eating Orijin and Acana on a rotational basis for the last 3 years and suddenly refused to eat breakfast or his evening meal, just picks at it. i subsequntly found out most of the flavors were now being produced in Kentucky, no longer Canada. Has anyone else had any similar problems? i am now looking for a new brand 🙁

[MomOfThor]

This food has 4 stars on this forum and on the label it says 1.1% calcium and 0.8% phosphorus. The manufacturer says that as fed percentage for Calcium is 2.21% and the Phosphorous is 1.25%. And l haven’t seen any labels from other manufacturers that have less calcium and phosphorus than this one which means that the % per sercing is higher than stated everywhere. I was going with Acana or Orijen but their protein is about 40% give or take and also the stated cal/p % is not different than Holistic.

[Carol P]

Update….I just received a call back from Acana and the max values are .3 higher for calcium and phosphorus. Putting in 1.3% calcium, 1.1% phosphorus gives me 3.7g per 1000kcal, and Ca to P ratio = 1.2 to 1. The top levels according to the list is 3.5g per 1000kcal. How bad is this for large breed puppies and/or should I switch his food after he’s been with us a month?

[Carol P]

Hi, I’m bringing home a Golden puppy in 2 weeks and he is eating Acana Heritage Fresh water Fish. I don’t see any Acanas in the large breed puppy list and was wondering if it’s not good for a large breed puppy or if it is too new to have made the list. It says “all life stages” on the bag. I plugged in the numbers in the calculator, 1% calcium, .8 phosphorus, and 3475 calories. It comes to 2.9 g per 1000kcal and Ca to P ratio = 1.3-1. It looks like it fits into the levels for large breed puppies. I have a call into Acana to make sure I have the max levels and not min., with nothing changing does this food work for a large breed puppy?

One other question if it doesn’t work out, what else can I feed him that doesn’t have chicken or white potatoes? Chicken because my other dog is allergic to it, and white potatoes per the breeder. I’d prefer grain free if possible.

Thanks in advance.

[Alice M]

I would like to nominate Natures Variety Instinct with raw bites. My GSD has always been fed Acana and Orijen until the formula change. Now I have switched to Instinct and she is doing better.

[Maria K]

My pup and I are trying a commercial raw formula for the first time. I was mixing the Answers Detailed Pork patties (1/2 patty broken up) mixed with 1/2 cup of his kibble (Acana Wild Atlantic). I know they digest differently but was wanting to do somewhat of a transition if possible. He wouldn’t eat any of it. I’m more of a “if you’re hungry, you’ll eat” type of owner so I didn’t give him anything else and repeated the process for 3 meals. Still no eating. This morning I split them up to see if he just wasn’t eating period or if it really was the raw, he scarfed the kibble and left the raw untouched. I did it again tonight and the same reaction. I put some in his favorite toys to freeze overnight and will try that in the morning but was wondering if there were any tips that could help. I have heard great things about rotating raw into their diet and would love for it to be an option for us.

[Maria K]

Acana Regionals Wild Atlantic is a good kibble. Answers Detailed Pork formula is a good commercial raw option. It comes in patties.

[Maria K]

Acana Regionals Wild Atlantic is a good one

[Maria K]

Acana Regionals Wild Atlantic is a good Potato free dry kibble. Answers Detailed pork formula is a good commercial raw option. It comes in patties.

[Leslie P]

Hello, our boykin spaniel puppy came to us on Hill’s Science dry puppy food. After having researched this dog food we decided to upgrade his food to a higher quality product. We have now attempted to transition him FIVE times. Each and every time results with bad diarrhea that just won’t stop and this is only giving him a very small amount. So far we have tried Orijen, Fromm’s, Victor Grain Free, Taste of the Wild and Acana.

Does anyone have any suggestions? We think he may be allergic to chicken and we really prefer a grain-free diet for his breed.

[Jenn H]

I am suddenly having sporadic vomiting/regurgitating with my Chocolate Lab also. This dog has never had a problem. She can & has eaten everything edible and inedible.
She’s almost 11.
There is no particular time of day when she gets sick and it isn’t regularly.
Every few days.
She’s been on Acana Regional Free-range poultry for months.
When this first started she was throwing up water. The vet gave her anti-nausea meds and bland diet for a while. That helped for a couple wks. Now she’s throwing up the food.
Her appetite is good and no known disease or parasites etc.

[Max R]

I had a similar situation when my dog (half lab mutt) was a puppy and I switched him from a less protein rich food to Orijen Large Puppy. He loved the food but had loose poop.

Then I switched from Orijen Large Puppy to Acana Wild Prairie. That’s was made by the same company (Champion). Now that they have changed their formulas and relocated production to Kentucky, I believe the equivalent food is Acana Meadowlands.

Honestly, I think he preferred the Orijen to any other food, but he just wasn’t tolerating it well. The Acana fixed the problem and he liked it fine.

Once he matured (I know that’s an iffy word with any lab lab/based dog), I wanted to see if I could ramp up the protein again. After going through a series of other brands (Merrick and Evo before both were bought out), I ended up with Orijen Adult which he was now able to tolerate very well.

Maybe not completely relevant, but the new version of “Adult” is Orijen “Original.”
It has less fiber and it was just not enough for my dog. So now I’m transitioning him to Wellness Core Wild Game (another poultry based food) and he seems to be doing well.
I like Champion Foods – especially Orijen – but it looks out of the picture for me now.

The company did suggest Acana Meadowlands as an alternative to Orijen Original. It’s the Acana chicken based food. Haven’t tried it. They’re mailing me samples.

[Lewis F]

My wife and I are getting a new Cavapoo pup on November 1st. The pup is on Diamond Natural, which has a 4.5 rating, but I want to start switching slowly over to Acana or Orijen for the longer hall. Is there anyone that has had problems with either?

[texasniteowl]

As mentioned in the Acana thread, I am currently looking into trying a different food. And while I knew that all the companies were adding more and more legumes…I didn’t really *know* it until I started comparing ingredients.

What is the real story on the use of all the legumes? Here is an example ingredient list:

deboned lamb, lamb meal, whole GREEN PEAS, RED LENTILS, lamb liver, lamb fat, PINTO BEANS, CHICKPEAS, herring oil, GREEN LENTILS, whole YELLOW PEAS, sun-cured alfalfa, …

So, is this considered ingredient splitting or not? Green peas & yellow peas listed separately. Red lentils and green lentils.

I’m honestly thinking about giving up grain free and going back to trying a good quality food even if it does have potatoes or oatmeal!

[texasniteowl]

Hi everyone. I am the OP and well, I am back.

Since April, we have been thru several bags of the new US version. We alternate the Lamb formula and the Duck formula. Last Monday, the 19th, we started a new bag of the Duck formula. Well, the last 2 days, my lab mix, Wilson, has been miserable. A ton…TON…of paw licking…he had licked it so much he was limping yesterday. Today he has not been able to get comfortable. His belly is pink. His muzzle is pink. His ears are pink. And he vomited/regurgitated part of his evening meal after going outside to eat some grass.

We’ve actually been dealing with ear issues since July. But the agressive/extreme paw licking, etc. is recent.

I am concerned that it might be the food.

I am strongly considering feeding him chicken and rice for a few days and trying a different food.

I have no idea what though. We’ve been on Acana for about 2 years now so I have no idea what to try!

[C C]

Thank you, Lana A, for your feedback. We had our Sheltie on Purina FortiFlora for about a week, which she didn’t recommended for any longer period of time. And that was OK with us when we found out the ingredients of “animal digest” and other questionable things. And the “vet recommended” prescription canned dog food literally could have had road kill in it from the ingredient list (also from Purina). Ugh. We spent over $800 and our dog still won’t eat ANY dog food now, period. So she too is still on rice and chicken. It’s like this Acana issue has changed her life forever! Thank you so much for mentioning the specific probiotic, which looks very quality and something we can certainly try as well. Thank goodness her diarrhea didn’t last that long and wasn’t bloody; that must have been very scarey for you. But the other symptom we are dealing with is extreme lethargy. Her entire countenance has changed and she has zero energy to play or for walks. Very sad situation indeed and something we have never experienced before. Thanks again.

[Lana A]

I don’t understand why DogFoodAdviser gave new Champion Dog Food made in US one of the highest rating in spite of so many complaints.
I went to my pet store few days ago to pick up the dog food and since I know the owner, we chatted for like an hour, she told me she used to order Orijen and Acana every single week by truck load and it would be gone within a week. She didn’t order new for the last 3 weeks and still have on the shelf the ones she ordered a month ago. She told me she never had to hear so many complaints in such a short time for a single company. Main complain is dog scratching, something in new formula cause allergies. Few vomiting and diarrhea. I’m so happy that I didn’t take the chance to try the food made in US and transitioned my dog to the different brand while I had Canada made Acana.
C C, your case is the worst I’ve heard so far and kind of similar what my dog went through few years ago when Canidae changed their formula, in addition to your dog symptoms my border collie also was pooping blood. Vet visits with all the tests cost me a lot. He was on rice and chicken for over a month. What really helped my dog was my veterinarian advise to get heavy on probiotic in addition to chicken and rice. I started my dog on Wholistic Pet Organics Acidophilus, double of recommended dosage for the first week, then went with regular recommended dosage for his size. My vet was right, I saw the difference within the first few days. Now my dog getting probiotic daily and it does wonder to his sensitive stomach.
I hope your dog will feel better soon.

[C C]

We have had a terrible, terrible experience when the Acana Pacifica that our Sheltie was on for years stopped being produced. In its place was the new US version vs former Canada produced. My dog got sick almost immediately, even though we were very slowly transitioning her over with only about 10 kibbles or less. In a short time we noticed an awful puddle of greasy “goo” at the bottom of the bad as well as in the smaller container we had put some in. It was awful, probably rancid or soon to be, and we returned it to the pet store. They took it back immediately but then suggested we try another, this time the mackerel. Our dog continued to be sick and 3 visits later to the emergency clinic now over a month later, she refuses to eat ANY kibble at all. They put her on a temporary prescription canned formula for easy digestion which she ate for awhile, but now again, not eating it. Now I am having to make rice and boiled chicken for her and she only eats less than 1/4 cup of anything and has lost 3#. Many tests and x-rays reveal no other problem other than the “hit to her liver” that bad dog food did. I have contacted the company, Champion, who refuses any accountability whatsoever other than to admit that early batches of food “appeared wet” and “the problem is being fixed”. We are really upset about what she has had to go through and want to avoid other dogs and pet parents suffering, so contacted Dog Food Advisor for suggestions. They suggested this blog and also included helpful links to other resources we can contact. Has anyone else experienced this? Granted we do have a senior dog (10) with an autoimmune disease that could make her more sensitive, but we have never had a problem like this before she had absolutely no problem and thrived on the original Canadian produced Acana Pacifica. Thank you.

[Jenn H]

Funny I noticed the same thing when I looking at puppy food. My guy was on Wellness Core. As he got bigger he was needing a lot more. Obviously. On Wellness I was up to about 6 or 7 cups/ day. That’s insane. I hate feeding that much kibble anyway. Even after all that food he would still be so hungry.
I tried Solid Gold. He was much more satisfied on that and required less until he grew more. Then it was back to a huge amount.
Orijen was too dense, but he needed less and was finally satisfied. Unfortunately his butt wasn’t.
Acana has been the best for him so far. Not as rich as Orijen, but working out just fine. He’s happy.
While the price/bag is more, the price/meal is less. This is because he doesn’t need to eat as much. I’ve actually been able to cut back 1/2 cup.

It is a pain to do the math, but is so worth it to take the time. Most importantly for his health. Too much kibble will cause bloat.

[k c]

tim d. – same problem with the acana atlantic cat food… just opened new bag yesterday to begin transitioning from canadian formula to kentucky one, food looked WET there was so much oil & inside of bag was globbed & almost running with oil😝 i had just opened a fresh bag of old recipe acana which always excites my cats due to the freshness & as they all began munching i sprinkled a very small amount of the new acana on top & they all stopped eating, sniffed a moment at the new bits & walked away in apparent disgust! wouldnt touch it, wouldnt even pick around it for the original stuff in the bowl… cant say i blame them, just a small amount left my hand greasy as if i had just put on suntan oil, not happy with all the other ingredient changes either 😕 immediately removed the food, wont be feeding them acana anymore… will be getting a refund for this inferior product & have to find a better food again, very unhappy with the company & recent changes 😡

[Pasquale M]

My adult toy chihuahua weighs approx. 1,2 kg (2,6 lb), I’m trying to find small kibble. Acana Adult Small Breed don’t seem small from the photos.
If anyone can recommend a adult 5 star small breed kibble i would be very appreciative.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Pasquale M.

[joanne l]

I have read a lot and I had a GSD, and I have another GSD and too much protein is not good. First they will be hyper and it is an overload. I have a book on these breeds and 24-26 percent protein is ideal. Now high protein in natural meat is fine, but anything processed with high protein is not fine. Processed kibble weather the best or the worst is harder on the system oppose to fresh meats like we eat. So if people are feeding kibble the best percentage is 25…if you are feeding fresh meat is doesn’t matter. My first GSD ate 2lbs of cooked chicken with only 1 1/2 cups of dry that had a 26 percent protein. His protein level was boosted by my chicken. He never had problems with joints and he lived to 14 yrs old. This one I have now can’t have chicken so I buy red meat for him. I too want to try acana but I am afraid of the richness in the livers and protein concentrate.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by joanne l.

[joanne l]

Hi Deanna, if your pup is used to pro plan I would not try orijen just yet, is may be too rich for a puppy. if you want something better for right now, I would use eagle pack or holistic select or nutrisource then try acana when he or she is 2 yrs old.

[Leslie L]

Is there any canned Tripe that does not contain carageenan? I like to add some to my 14 month old Lab’s Acana.

[Karen C]

Hi all. I’m brand new to the forum part of things. I’ve been following DFA for a couple of years now and decided to join today.

I have read and done tons of research on dog food(s) and know a lot of what to stay away from. One of those brands was Hill Science Diet. Wouldn’t go near it and advised others to not buy it either.

I have a 5 1/2 year old Shihtzu with a bazillion skin issues….and we have been to 3 different vets in 3 different cities. I have tried every premium dog food over the last 4 1/2 years…and even resorted to making it myself using the best organic ingredients. Her skin issues didn’t start until she was a year old. Our current vet had suggested SEVERAL times to try Science Diet Sensitive Skin (and stomach). I kept refusing. The only way to control her skin issues was to be put on steroids with which she has been on for almost 3 years, and yes….I know the dangers of using those too.

Because I was at my wits end and had tried so many other foods from Acana to Orijen and from Blue to Earthborn and EVERYTHING in between, I said wth to the vet and decided to try Science Diet……against my better judgement.

It has been 3 weeks since she was transitioned to a complete SD diet. I cannot believe my eyes. Her skin is 110% healthy…..so beautiful. She is not digging at herself and scratching incessantly. She’s still a licker, which is just habit? But I just can’t believe it. I am in awe, and kicking myself for not trying SD sooner. At this point in Tilly’s and my lives, I don’t CARE what’s in it….because whatever it is can’t be all that bad OR as bad for her as steroids on a daily basis.

I told you up front, I was so against Hills Science Diet and nothing would change my mind. Now, I have to swallow my words and let you know. I (Tilly) may be an exception to the rule, but right now it’s a food that I will keep giving her.

Now for my Boxer pup…….

[Caryn B]

Thank you for your responses. I decided on the Acana product after reading here and in the pet supply store, I felt I could trust the person helping me. He really seemed to know his stuff and confirmed what I have read here. Dimples seems to LOVE it. So happy. Thank you so much!

[Maria K]

We’re feeding Acana grasslands right now:

Deboned lamb*, deboned duck*, whole eggs*, lamb meal, goat meal, catfish meal, whole green peas, red lentils, pinto beans, lamb fat, chickpeas, green lentils, whole yellow peas, rainbow trout*, duck meal, herring oil, sun-cured alfalfa, quail (ground with bone), natural lamb flavor, lamb tripe*, lamb liver*, duck giblets (liver, heart, kidney)*, duck cartilage*, dried kelp, whole pumpkin*, whole butternut squash*, kale*, spinach*, mustard greens*, collard greens*, turnip greens*, carrots*, Red Delicious apples*, Bartlett pears*, freeze-dried lamb liver, freeze-dried duck liver, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), chicory root, turmeric, sarsaparilla root, althea root, rosehips, juniper berries, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product.

[Christie L]

I would like to nominate Weruva, both the dry and the canned. It’s wonderful food. I took a lot of time deciding what to feed my 2 dachshunds and 1 chihuahua mix after feeding them Acana Regionals for years. The new Acana, made in the US, is just not even close to the same food as the Acana from Canada. My dogs refused to eat it. Weruva has been wonderful and they are thriving on it.

[only1aileen]

Have you tried adding 100% pumpkin? Not the fortified kind at the pet store, but regular 100% canned pumpkin found in the baking aisle at your grocery store? If you haven’t, and she likes the food that is making her run to the corner, try adding a spoonful of pumpkin to her meal (they LOVE pumpkin) and it should help regulate her. I got this advice from my vet, the people I trust at my local pet store, and from other more experienced dog owners. I had similar issues with my Lab when she was a puppy–and that was on Canidae All Life Stages in 2014. I then transitioned her to Canine Caviar’s puppy formula, which was great until I realized that I needed to have her on a large breed puppy food and I discovered Orijen. My go-to’s since then have been Orijen and Acana, she loves both. I will keep her on them as long as the quality continues to be consistent.

[only1aileen]

Like @texasniteowl (original poster – “OP”), for over a year without any complaints I’ve had my Lab on a diet of Acana Singles, alternating between Duck and Lamb and she loved it. Once I learned that there weren’t anymore Canadian bags, I decided to buy a smaller bag to test it out and slowly transition her from the last Canadian Duck to the American Duck recipe–like you would if switching brands. She suddenly was having a harder time pooping (not quite constipated, but more laborious than it should be), then I compared the ingredients (still had the Canadian bag) and saw the changes.

I trust my local Pet Club workers, and they heard mixed results–some were doing alright, and some dogs were having digestion issues from the changed recipe and added ingredients. They suggested that I try the American Lamb version to see how she did; I followed the same transition method with the same result. Plus, she has been scratching around her eyes and ears but I didn’t think much of it because of our season.

I went back to a Canadian recipe for Orijen and will just feed her a little less than I did of the Acana so she doesn’t gain weight. I will stick with the Canadian Orijen recipes until they figure out their American recipes–or until they start to ruin the Orijen recipies in the US.

It’s so bittersweet because I love that they are creating jobs in America, and I’m disappointed that it has to be at the expense of the quality that Champion produces. My dollar goes for quality 100% of the time, whether dog food (especially) or designer shoes.

[Jenn H]

There’s a few brands that add pre & probiotics to their food after it’s processed. Wysong is 1. I think Orijen & Acana do also.

Either way I prefer to add it. My preferred brands are Wysong pet inoculant and Purina Fortiflora. The Purina you have to get at the vet or online.
(I can’t even believe I use and recommend a Purina product. But it really has been great for my dog with IBD.)

[G D]

I had looked at Acana but was told it came out of same plant as Orijen so I chose Canidae

[InkedMarie]

This is an updated list of grain & white potato free foods. I included dry food only, no wet, raw, dehydrated or freeze dried. I included no part of white potato. Some foods on the prior list have been discontinued and a couple I can’t find ingredient lists for. I used the foods websites, not a pet food sellers website.

ACANA-Meadowland Regional
Wild Atlantic Regional
Appalachian Ranch Regional
Heritage
Heritage Freshwater Fish
Lamb & apple singles
Pork & squash singles
duck & pear singles
Wild Mackerel singles
Grasslands

AMICUS-small & mini breed adult
small & mini breed senior & weight management
small & mini breed puppy

ANNAMAET-Salcha Poulet

ARTEMIS-Osopure salmon
Osopure bison

AVODERM-senior health
joint health grain free chicken
Revolving Menu-all

BACKWOOD-buffalo & field pea
chicken & field pea
salmon & field pea

BROTHERS COMPLETE-all

BY NATURE-grainfree turkey & sweet potato
grain free ocean whitefish & green peas

CALIFORNIA NATURAL-all grain frees

CANIDAE-PURE Land
Pure Wild

CANINE CAVIAR-grainfree puppy
Leaping Spirit
Open Sky
Wild Ocean

CHICKEN SOUP-grainfree beef
grain free lamb

DAVES-both grain frees

DOG FOR DOG (formerly Freehand) both grainfree’s

DOGSWELL-Live Free salmon
Live Free chicken
Live Free turkey
Live Free lamb

EARTHBORN-Great Plains Feast
Meadow Feast
Large Breed
weight control

EVANGERS-grainfree whitefish & sweet potato
grain free chicken
grain free Meat Lovers Medley

EVO-all

FROMM-4 Star lamb & lentil
4 star pork & peas

GO! Sensitivity & Shine LID Duck
Sensitivity & Sine LID salmon
Sensitivity & Shine LID venison
Sensitivity & Shine grain free turkey

GRANDMA MAE’S COUNTRY NATURALS-grainfree only

GREAT LIFE-Dr E’s LID buffalo
Dr E’s LID duck
buffalo
salmon
chicken

HALO-Vigor turkey, chicken & salmon

HEALTH EXTENSION-grainfree buffalo & whitefish
grain free venison & chickpea
grain free duck & chickpea
grainfre salmon, herring & peas

HI TEK NATURALS-lamb, sweet potato & herring
chicken & sweet potato
Alaskan fish

HOLISTIC BLEND-Marine 5

HOLISTIC SELECT-grainfree adult health

HORIZON-Pulsar: fish
chicken
turkey
Legacy: salmon
adult
puppy

I AND LOVE AND YOU-salmon & trout
Nude: Simply Sea
Poultry Palooza
Red meat medley
Naked Essentials-lamb & bison
chicken & duck

KASIKS-Wild Pacific Ocean
Free Range lamb
Free Run Chicken

LOTUS-oven baked grain free turkey

MERRICK-grainfree rabbit & chickpea
grain free venison & chickpea

MUENSTER-grainfree all life stages

NATURAL BALANCE-Wild Pursuit: Trout/Salmon/Tuna
chicken/turkey/quail
lamb/chicken/guinea fowl
LID: legume & duck
legume & Wagyu Beef

NATURAL PLANET-rabbit & salmon
duck & whitefish

NATURAL PLANET ORGANICS-all grain frees

NATURES RECIPE-grainfree chicken, sweet potato & pumpkin

NATURES VARIETY-Instinct: all

NRG-Optimum line

NULO-all

NUTRISCA-all grainfree

NUTRISOURCE-grainfree chicken & pea
grain free seafood select
grain free lamb & pea
grain free small breed chicken
grain free Prairie Select

ORIJEN-all

PET BOTANICS-Healthy Omega chicken
Healthy Omega salmon
Healthy Omega lamb

PET KIND-all

PINNACLE-grainfree trout & sweet potato
grain free duck & sweet potato
grain free chicken & sweet potato

PIONEER NATURALS-all grain free

PRECISE-both grain frees

SOLID GOLD-Mighty Mini
Lil Boss
high protein with duck

SPORT DOG FOOD-Elite Beef
Elite whitefish
Elite chicken
Elite venison

TASTE OF THE WILD-Appalachian Valley
Pine Forest
Southwest Canyon

TUSCAN NATURALS-Ocean

UNDER THE SUN-All grain frees

VICTOR-grainfree active dog & puppy
Yukon River
lamb
chicken
Ultra Pro
Hero

WELLNESS-Core Wild Game
adult chicken
Tru Food: adult salmon & turkey
adult lamb
adult chicken
puppy

WILD CALLING-Rocky Mountain Medley-all
Western Plains Stampede all
Xotic Essentials-all

WYSONG-Epigen 90

ZIGNATURE-LID trout & salmon
LID kangaroo
LID turkey
LID lamb
LID duck
LID whitefish
Essential multi protein

ZOIC-all

4 HEALTH-puppy
small breed adult

[HoundMusic]

I’ve been breeding Beagles for about eleven years now, and never had good results with “holistic” food. Sometimes, there can be simply too many ingredients that have no use for the dog, but are on the label more to make the owner feel like Brand A is so superior to brand B. A great deal of the ingredient bashing came from rival dog food companies, and spread across the internet like wildfire.

Personally, I don’t feel comfortable giving my dogs a food that has zero research & development behind it, with nothing more to recommend it than a fancy ingredient label. Merrick, Wellness, Canidae, Timberwolf Organics (etc. ad infinitum) were disasters on steroids. I caused a plethora of problems with these top dollar, supposedly high end diets, that it’s just unimaginable.

JMHO, but forget grain free altogether. It’s a marketing gimmick if I ever saw one. Some grains, like brown rice and oats, are extremely well tolerated by dogs and have the added benefits of high nutritional value and blood sugar regulation. The potatoes or other starchy foods used in grain free often *increase* the carbohydrate level in a dog food, and many spike the blood sugar, which will inevitably lead to a crash. Enough of that can cause real health problems. I have seen this. Firsthand.

I might also humbly suggest finding a “mid-grade” feed with a more limited ingredient list. You can always supplement a small portion of the diet with fresh meats if you want variety, but a dog food shouldn’t have the kitchen sink thrown in. Those types are VERY rough on the digestive system. And after feeding holistic foods to probably somewhere around 30 adult dogs in just under two decades, I can’t say I was impressed with how any of those dogs did on designer brands.

BTW; you mentioned your pup was doing well on SD. While far from my favorite brand, if he was doing better on that then Acana, then which one, for that dog, was the garbage food?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by HoundMusic.

[Peter V]

Hi Everyone,

I apologize if this has already been posted.

I have a 10-month old, 15lb Shih Poo (Half Shitzu/Half Poodle) named Paco. He’s a ton of fun, an has a lot of energy.

It was time for me to switch him from his puppy food to an adult food. The vet perscribed Hills T/D Care, which after doing some research, I found was absolute garbage.

I then discovered this site, and switched him to Acana Small Breed Formula. He loved the food, but the amount of poop that came with it was pretty insane… 4 – 5 poops/day.

I went to the pet store where they convinced my that I should go with CaniSource, Grand Cru Red Meat Formula… it is not grain-free. His poops were dramatically reduced with this food to the point where he was at 2-poops/day, but I got the feeling that he didn’t really like what I was giving him. It would take him almost the entire day to eat 3/4 cup – 1 cup of the food, and often he wouldn’t finish it.

I then switched him to Acana Heritage Grasslands, and again… the multiple poops/day have come back. He’s been on this food for approximately 3-weeks now, and he’s pooping 3-4 times/day.

I’m not trying to transition him onto Fromm 4-Stars Grain-Free Game Bird…

Do you have any suggestions for me as to what I should be giving him? I’m starting to go nuts reading all of the reviews on this site in regards to different foods…

Thanks for all of your help in advance.

[Derek g]

I’m sorry if this has been discussed, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere on this site. I’m looking to switch my dogs from Acana Pacifica to a more budget friendly, comparable brand (I know, its going to be extremely tough to find – but the price in Hawaii is killing me on a single income!). Has anyone heard of this brand (WholeHearted)? It looks like it’s a Petco exclusive brand, and is relatively new. When looking at the ingredients on Petco’s website for the WholeHearted All Life Stages Dog Food – Grain Free Salmon & Pea, 25 lbs., I noticed Canola Oil is pretty high up there on the list of ingredients. Is that reason enough to not choose this food? I haven’t seen an actual review of the food anywhere, or an actual analysis of the ingredients.

I’ve included the link to the food (http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/wholehearted-grain-free-lid-salmon-adult-dog-food#), and the ingredients list from their website is below. I’d love to hear opinions of WholeHearted (and, of course, any other alternatives to Acana Pacifica, one might have!). Until then, I’ll keep combing the board for other suggestions, and also so I don’t ask any redundant questions. Thanks friends!

Ingredients
Salmon, Salmon Meal, Lentils, Pea Flour, Chickpeas, Peas, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Sweet Potatoes, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Salmon Oil, Salt, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Reuteri Fermentation Product, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Source Of Vitamin B1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid (Preservative), Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source Of Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 26.0% Minimum, Crude Fat 15% Minimum, Crude Fiber 5.0% Maximum, Moisture 10.0% Maximum, Zinc 150 Mg/Kg Minimum, Selenium 0.3 Mg/Kg Minimum, Vitamin E 150 Iu/Kg Minimum, Omega-6 Fatty Acids* 2.5% Minimum, Omega-3 Fatty Acids* 0.4% Minimum, Total Microorganisms* 1,000,000 Cfu/Lb Minimum (Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Animalis, Lactobacillus Reuteri In Descending Amounts), *Not Recognized As An Essential Nutrient By The Aafco Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.3,625 Kcal/Kg (339 Kcal/Cup) Calculated Metabolizable Energy

[Karolina D]

My Cane Corso/ Boxer is a 100 lb female that I adopted from a shelter at 1.5 months old. In Canada, it is a MUST to have a dog spayed as soon as they come to the shelter, regardless of age. Angel was spayed at less than 2 months old. . it makes me really sad.. she came home with a scar on her belly.
So overall her attitude is extremely shy and quiet.. she is now 2 years old and extremely lazy. She has a burst of energy sometimes during play time with the poodle.. but overall shes pretty calm.
This week I have noticed limping as soon as she got up.
I took her to the vet we checked for lyme disease, heart worm, all these different things that could cause joint issues. We could not pinpoint the issue because she is such a calm dog that she never yelps or shows any sign of discomfort in ANY situation.
She is now on a medication for 5 days that act as an inflammatory.
I really dont know how this happen.. she is 2 years old on Acana Chicken and Cobbs Green Chicken, and I want her switched.
I would like everyones opinion on what I should be feeding a dog like that.. a dog that is 100 pounds (I would like her down to 95), with low energy.. I am scared to run with her because i dont want her hurting herself again! Her joints are not happy.

She also gets glucosamine.

THANKS EVERYONE!

[Karolina D]

My two dogs are on Acana Cobs&Greens kibble. Lately they arent very fond of the food I am giving them.. sometimes they avoid eating all day so I am really desperate to find a new way of feeding them. I watched a video in the “Editors Choice” section and the person speaking in the video says that the word “Meal” can mean : Leftover meat, meat coming from CHINA !! (EEKS!!), and left over sick animals..
Please give me your opinions on this …

I am a pet owner of two dogs (Cane Corso mix) & (Poodle Bichon mix) I want my pups to be as healthy and happy as possible!!

[Jenn H]

If Orijen is not budget friendly try Acana. Same company.
I have been happy with Acana and find that I don’t spend more per meal than I did with less expensive brands. With other foods I had to feed more and had dogs that still seemed hungry. Now they seem satiated being fed less.
It’s a dense food so transition slowly to avoid stomach upset.

[Jenn H]

2 of my dogs get Acana. They didn’t have any trouble with the switch.
My only complaint with it is that the singles don’t come in chicken anymore. They replaced it with mackerel. Other formulas have also been replaced.
Luckily my boy was on duck & pear. They still make that and he has adjusted without incident. But I had a heads up when the Canadian bags were dwindling so I was able to slowly transition them.
My girls were on the singles chicken. One of them I switched to the Heritage free-run poultry. She did fine. But she’s also a Lab that can eat anything without problems. My other girl has been dealing with a GI issue so she’s back on the Rx food.
I still believe in this food. But wish they kept production in Canada. I know there’s going to be kinks in the new plant, but I still prefer food made in Canada, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia. Just seems like they have higher standards and less problems.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by Jenn H.

[Jo C]

Hi everyone,

I’m having trouble with my baby girl food, she is 7 months old and weights 3 pounds, all her life she ate ROYAL CANIN XSMALL BREED FOR PUPPY, she loves this, literally LOVE she gets cray over this food and finished in 2 minutes… BUT.. sadly this food makes her itch the vet told me it is probably the chicken in the RC, So I researched, read reviews and I look here in the community and I decided to give my baby ACANA SINGLES, Im making the transition of RC giving now 25% RC 75% ACANA lamb apple flavor, and now she is miserable 🙁 she won’t eat it she looks at her plate and choose the RC and leave the ACANA I left the food out there and thought she will get hangry, and no… She is hangry but she wants her RC food,is really sad for me, seeing this. When she used to enjoy her meals so much… Please girls I need your advice…

Please can you recommend me and brand that your yorkies like??? With no chicken on it.? And that’s recommended for puppy?

[shirley r]

i have yet to try tundra also but my dog has loved every bag of Acana and Orijin up untill the last 3 bags. I have just found out they have opened a new factory in the USA for their american market and all but Regional red, Tundra and six fish are being produce in Kentucky. Has anyone else had issues recently?

[pitlove]

Hi Chris-

The main reason vet’s recommend Purina is because they believe in the food. It is formulated by nutritionists, veterinarians, and other specialists. Many vet’s feel this is important when choosing a food. They are also one of the leading researchers (aside from Hill’s) in large and giant breed puppy growth and nutrition. I personally feed Pro Plan and after trying many of the “better”(including Orijen and Acana) dog foods, find that Pro Plan works the best for my allergy dog and my food intolerant cat.

Of course the vet’s who sell Purina make money off of it, just like the independant pet store that sells Orijen makes money off that too. I’m unaware of vet’s actually getting kickbacks for selling food and I have worked at a vet’s office. They get discounts on food, but so do I working at an independant pet store and so do the workers at Petco and PetSmart. I personally don’t see the difference, but that’s just me.

Most people do not like Blue Buffalo because of the lack of integrity on the companies part and their dishonesty during the recent law suit. Also they are quite overpriced for what you are actually getting.

[InkedMarie]

Acana & Orijen are Canadian, pretty sure Go! And Now! Are too but not positive.

[Cathy G]

Why did this food get only 4.5 stars?

[Nicole C]

Pjmaxwellian did you find plastic in the new acana or someone else? What color was it and what formula? Hope it was reported to the company.

[Nancy W]

Many breeds are now exhibiting a form of hepatitis that is a copper storage disease. Many, many dog foods have way too much copper in them. After a long hunt through several foods I found Acana singles – previously made in Canada to have a relatively low copper amount in them. Since being made in the USA the amount has doubled. Is there any possibility that Dog Food Advisor could do a review of Copper in dog foods? It is rarely on the label or on their online information sheets. Champion foods do print it on their product analysis.

AAFCO min (maintenance) = 2.1 mg/Mcal
Purina HA provides 2-3 mg/Mcal. (which is the next lowest commercial diet)

Most dog foods are in the 20-30mg/Mcal range which is much higher than necessary and detrimental to some dogs.

Any suggestions of 5 Star lower copper foods would be much appreciated.

[D S]

My 3 10-lb dogs eat a variety of kibble including Taste of the Wild, Orijen, and Acana. Usually, I’ll mix in a small amount of mashed yam/sweet potato, and they inhale their food. They also love Honest Kitchen dehydrated food, which I’ll sometimes sprinkle on top of kibble (without yam) and add some water. Once in a while, I’ll feed just Honest Kitchen with no kibble. I like to give them a variety.

I’ve heard many times that kibble is heated/baked and loses much of its nutritional value, and that a raw or dehydrated diet is a much better choice. Is this true? The top kibble brands obviously put a lot of research into their products and I assume they’re pretty well engineered, but I can’t help but think that I’m doing my dogs a disservice by not keeping to a more raw or dehydrated diet.

Thanks for the feedback.