The dog food brand being discussed in this article today is Acana dog food, one of the more premium and trustworthy pet food brands out there on the market.
Acana dog food (certified by the government of Canada) is owned and manufactured by a company called Champion Pet Foods, a company that has been in the pet food industry for more than 25 years, having been founded in the year 1975.
Champion Pet Foods has netted a great amount of respectable awards during this time, and its pet food products can be found in over 60 countries all over the world.
Of course, if Champion Pet Food's reputation were to ever change from the current positive to a negative, you can be sure that we would come back and edit that as soon as something that warrants this edit happens.
But, before we delve in to the rest of this article, let's have a look at some of the most popular formulas Acana dog food has to offer today.
Our Picks Of The Top 5 Acana Dog Foods (Updated List For 2023)
Top Pick: Acana Heritage Meats Dog Food
Pick #2: Acana Heritage Free Run Poultry Dry Dog Food
Pick #3: Acana Regionals Grasslands for Dogs
Pick #4: Acana Singles Duck and Pear Dog Food
Pick #5: Acana Heritage Freshwater Fish Dog Food
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*Note: The links in the table above, as well as several links in the remainder of the article below, will take you to over to Amazon.com where you can find out more information about the products, such as current prices and customer reviews.
Introduction To Acana Dog Food
Acana pride themselves in (and this is according to their claims) the fact that their pet food products are only manufactured in their own labs located in Alberta, Canada, and made from top-notch, fresh ingredients sourced only from Canada.
"Fresh ingredients" means that as soon as these ingredients are harvested, they are sent each and every day to Acana's labs for them to make use of in dog food production.
Compared to other companies that store these ingredients for long periods of time only to make use of them later on, Acana's approach to this is much better.
This means that they don't rely on some 3rd party manufacturer to produce their dog food for them, nor do they import ingredients from sources like China.
In this category and many others, Acana consider themselves to be miles ahead other commercial dog food brands out there that are being aggressively marketed as high quality dog food.
Acana dog food has many different dog food formulas and recipes that take into consideration different dog breeds of different sizes, different ages and different nutritional needs, which means that they have something for everyone.
As of this writing, here are the available Acana dry dog food recipes and formulas on the market:
- Acana Puppy Small Breed
- Acana Puppy Large Breed
- Acana Puppy and Junior
- Acana Cobb Chicken and Greens
- Acana Adult Small Breed
- Acana Adult Large Breed
- Acana Sport and Agility
- Acana Light and Fit
- Acana Senior Dog
- Acana Chicken and Burbank Potato
- Acana Wild Prairie Grain Free Dog Food
- Acana Dog Lamb & Okanagan Apple
- Acana Pacifica Dry Dog Food
- Acana Ranchlands Dry Dog Food
Acana Dog Food Reviews
Directly off the bat we can tell that Acana did a good job when it comes to the protein sources used in their different dog food formulas and varieties, as the #1 ingredient on the majority of their dog food products is fresh meat-based (such as turkey, duck, rabbit, chicken and fish) and the majority of their dog food varieties have a very impressive meat percentage of around 50-60%.
This is very nice to see, not just for the fact that different meat sources have different nutritional profiles and offer different benefits to our dogs, but for the fact that not all dogs like one specific recipe/meat source and its better to have multiple options to choose from.
With that being said, we must also note that the majority of the fresh meat that makes up Acana dog food is made up of water, which means that it will lose much of its dry meat content after its cooked.
However, you don't need to worry as even after it's cooked, there's still much more meat for your dog in this dog food product than you'll find in many of the competing brands.
Also, the protein sources of Acana dog food are from 100% natural meat sources such as free-run chicken, meaning you're getting completely organic stuff here.
It must also be noted that Champion Pet Foods focus more on the protein content in their dog food than they do on their carbohydrate content, because of the fact that the bodies of our dogs benefit much more from protein content than carbohydrate content.
This practice in producing Acana dog food is mainly because of the belief Champion Pet Foods has that dogs of nowadays should still eat diets that their wolves ancestors in the wild used to eat, those that mainly revolve around meat (protein sources).
Not to say that carbohydrates in dog food are bad and that you shouldn't feed your dog carbohydrates, or that Champion Pet Foods don't have any carbohydrates in their dog food, we're just making it clear that the carbohydrate content in their dog food is a little bit on the lower side when compared to other dog food brands out there.
As far as the carbohydrate sources are concerned, your dog won't be getting any of the useless filler that comes from grains, they'll be getting their carbohydrates from excellent sources such as fruits and vegetables that have been grown locally and are rich in all the vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber your dog needs to have a digestive system that flows smoothly.
Acana Singles Duck And Pear Dry Dog Food Review
For this article, we've chosen to have a closer look at the Acana Duck and Bartlett Pear Dry Dog Food, since it's one of the most popular options Acana has to offer nowadays under its Acana's Singles dog food line.
First off, let's have a quick look at the list of ingredients this specific dog food has to offer.
Ingredients: Duck meal, deboned duck*, green lentils, red lentils, duck liver*, pears*, duck fat, green peas, yellow peas, algae, garbanzo beans, pumpkin*, carrots*, freeze-dried duck liver, kelp, chicory root, ginger root, peppermint leaf, lemon balm, mixed tocopherols (preservative), dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.
NOTE: The * means that these ingredients are fresh/raw.
As you'll notice right away from the first 2 ingredients on the list, the main source of protein this dog food provides your dog with is duck, with the #1 and #2 ingredients on the list being duck meal and de-boned duck.
The fact that duck meal is actually the #1 ingredient and de-boned duck is the #2 ingredient is actually pretty interesting in and of itself, because of the fact that the majority of similar dog foods would have the #1 ingredient be de-boned duck (or any other de-boned meat) and the #2 ingredient be duck meal (or any other meat meal).
Given the fact that duck meal (and any meat meal in general) contains around 300% more protein concentration that de-boned duck because it has already had all the water content removed from it, it's interesting to see duck meal being the #1 ingredient because that means that this dog food is already much more rich in protein than other brands out there.
Also, Acana claims that the duck they use in this dog food is good for human consumption, which goes to add to its quality.
A unique ingredient found in this dog food as well, and one that we rarely come by when looking at other dog food brands, is duck liver. Duck liver is an excellent source of protein, vitamins and dietary fat for your dog.
You'll find that the carbohydrate mix-up of this dog food is quite unique, containing a nice mixture of fruits and vegetables, such as pears, pumpkins and carrots, all of which are approved human foods for dogs to eat and beneficial to our furry buddies.
We've already talked about feeding pears, pumpkins and carrots to dogs on this site in separate articles, where we discussed why feeding dogs these 3 foods is beneficial.
With that being said, we must also issue a word of caution.
As you'll notice if you take a look at the #8 and #9 spots on the ingredients list, you'll find green peas and yellow peas, both of which are becoming increasingly more popular ingredients among dog food companies that are looking to move away from useless filler like soy, wheat and corn.
Although these are relatively good sources of carbohydrates for dogs, they are known to cause some allergies and digestive problems in dogs that are known to be more prone than other dogs to suffer from allergies or dogs that have sensitive stomachs.
And, given that these 2 kinds of peas are relatively high up on the ingredients list (being #8 and #9), this could spell some trouble for some dogs. Ideally, we would have preferred seeing them lower down the list and less prominent in this dog food.
Acana Dog Food Recalls
If you're seeing this section for the first time, please note that we're constantly on the lookout for any possible future Acana dog food recalls that may encounter in the future, in which case we will be sure to edit this section accordingly right away.
For the time being, Acana pet food's reputation is excellent as none of their products have been involved in any recalls ever since they was introduced to the pet food market, which is a very good sign that clearly says these folks take good care of their products.
Again, in case this ever changes, we will be sure to clearly state so in this section with an updated edit.
Where To Buy Acana Dog Food?
You can find Acana dog food in many large/small retail stores as well as pet stores across the country.
Just have a quick look at Acana’s website, where they supply you with a store locator for you to discover any and all retailers that sell Acana dog food next to your location.
However, if you prefer to stack up on your dog's food from online retailers, then have a look at some of Acana's dog food options on Amazon.com in the table below.
Our 5 Favorite Acana Puppy Foods
Top Pick: Acana Heritage Meats Dog Food
Pick #2: Acana Heritage Free Run Poultry Dry Dog Food
Pick #3: Acana Regionals Grasslands for Dogs
Pick #4: Acana Singles Duck and Pear Dog Food
Pick #5: Acana Heritage Freshwater Fish Dog Food
Conclusion
To wrap this all up, Acana Dog Food is one of the higher-quality dog food options you could go with when shopping for food for your furry buddy. Champion Pet Foods have been granted many respectable awards in their time in the industry, much because of the extreme care they show when including only the freshest locally-sourced ingredients in their products.
If you're not convinced yet, check out this video to learn more benefits of Acana dog food!
And, if you do indeed choose to go with Acana puppy food, you'll be doing a favor to all manufacturers that prefer to go the sustainable way of production, instead of the artificial way many companies prefer to take in search of more and more profit, all while leading to allergies in your dog.
Feeding our 7 year old Acana duck and pear for the past year. She eats quickly even with slow feed bowl. She daily has gastric reflux. She is an active Golden Retriever. Would soaking this food be of help to prevent reflux or try another of the Acana food?
If you are feeding her once a day, change it to two smaller portions. Smaller portions will be easier to digest. Also, make sure she stays calm for a hour or two after eating.
#1 ingredient is Deboned Duck
#2 ingredient is Duck meal
https://acana.com/our-foods/dog-foods/singles/lamb-apple/?lang=usa
Apologies wrong link….
https://acana.com/our-foods/dog-foods/singles/duck-pear/?lang=usa
I feed my border collie “Wild Atlantic” and before that she was getting “Pacifica”. I buy the large bag and it lasts two months. She has been eating from this bag about 2 weeks and she has had bouts of vomiting and appears to having problems digesting the food. Has Acana had any other complaints like this, and are there any recalls?
I switched from Wellness to Acana about 2 weeks ago. My dog does not eat this food. He was on Wellness from the time we got him, until he was about 2. I switched at the recommendation of our vet, because I was concerned that Wellness had poor consistency. If the product is the same, why do i have to mix it every time I get a new bag so my dog doesn’t get the runs?! My vet recommended Science Diet (bare with me here), so I tried it. Almost right away he started getting yeast-ie ears!! We switched back to wellness, but his ears are still goopy. We recently moved to CO, so I took him to the vet, and she said his ears are not infected, but a little funky with a little yeast. Once we got here, I went to one of those “fancy” natural pet food stores, and purchased Acana. Each day he eats less and less. We feed him in the morning and in the evening, and the last day he has hardly touched his food. I do see there is a lawsuit against them, and now I’m wondering if there will be a recall?!
Hi ,I have 3 havanese that have feed Acana to,for the last few years they have had Acana Pacifica,this one because it is there favorite..for most of there life they have had Acana,Do you feed yours for weight amount,,there should be on the back bottom of the bag for directions on how much to feed according to weight,,I feed mine twice a day just under or about 1/4cups for there small size,,,if you feed to much it we give soft or runny poop,,but I have found that with most dog foods,, ,Also just in case you have not tried this supplement out,, it is called Firm Up by Diggen, ingredients are pumpkin,apple fiber,,,I keep this on hand,it is better then canned pumpkin I think as well because it is dyhdrated powder,,I have not given it to my dogs in a long while,I use it mostly if I need it,,also watch what treats you are feeding as well,
Are y’all commenting from the USA? If so your product is made in Kentucky but if you’re Canadian it is sourced in Western Canada and produced in the Alberta kitchen. There may be a slight difference in product, you may want to research it. If you’re feeding Acana you may want to try Orjen, same company different recipe. I have 3 dogs they rotate through Acana Duck/Pear and Grasslands, Orjen Rehydrated Pucks (all 3 flavors) and Fromm Pea. No issues, we are a hundred mile she from the Canadian kitchen.
What’s going on with this good???? Class action lawsuit??? I Just read. So upset. Thought this brand was reliable.
I would recommend reading this article to know more :
http://dailypetnews.com/2018/04/02/orijen-acana-lawsuit-what-you-should-know/
So disappointed in reading about class action lawsuit against Acana ans Orijen foods. Been using for 6 yrs. Thought they were the best!
Wondering about the class action lawsuit as well. Wondering if this affects Canadian products.
Wondering about the lawsuit as well and if the Canadian brand is included.
This lawsuit seems to make some misleading claims. Small amounts of the named substances occur naturally in the foods. These small amounts are also safe and common in both human and animal diets.
I have read all the comments and seen the lawsuit. I am in Canada and my pup is 2yrs, I feed her Acana regionals Wild Prairie dry dog food. Was told that is was the best dog food I could feed her after her puppy year, which she was on Science diet,(I didn’t like the ingredients) wanted something more natural not so many grains and other crap stuff in it. Am I still safe in feeding her the Acana?
My dog breed shorkie has been severely sick twice with chicken and now with pork! The havanese doesn’t have the same problem but it seems he builds a tolerance to something in the food that makes him sick ! We will not be buying this food any more – throwing out the food