acana adult dog food

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

ACANA Adult Dog Recipe

Composition

Fresh chicken (13%), chicken meal (13%), whole red lentils, whole green peas, whole chickpeas, fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (6.5%), turkey meal (6.5%), chicken fat (6%), fresh eggs (4%), raw hake (4%), lentil fibre, pea starch, fish oil (3%), whole green lentils, whole yellow peas, herring meal (3%), raw turkey livers (1%), salt, dried kelp, fresh whole apples, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole pears, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole zucchini, dried chicory root, fresh beet greens, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnip greens, whole blueberries, whole cranberries, whole saskatoon berries, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, milk thistle, rosehips, turmeric.

Metabolizable energy: 3510 kcal/kg (421 kcal per 250ml/120g cup)

Nutritional additives per 1kg: 3a890 Choline chloride (choline): 700 mg, 3b612 (Zinc: 75 mg), 3b407 (Copper: 11mg), 3a821 Vitamin B1: 100mg, 3a825i Vitamin B2: 20mg, 3a314 Niacin: 200mg, 3a841 Calcium-D-pantothenate: 60mg, 3a831 Vitamin B6: 35mg, 3a316 Folic Acid: 7mg, 3a835 Vitamin B12: 0.2mg, 3a672a Vitamin A: 5625 IU, 3a671 Vitamin D3: 750 IU, 3a700 Vitamin E: 450 IU, 3a300 Ascorbic Acid: 0.15mg.

Additives per 1kg: Technological additives: 1b306(i) Tocopherol extracts from vegetable oils: 121mg, 1a330 citric acid: 40mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 80mg.

Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcus faecium DSM 10663/NCIMB 10415 110⁹ CFU.

Adult Dog RecipeDry Dog Food

Composition

Fresh chicken (13%), chicken meal (13%), whole red lentils, whole green peas, whole chickpeas, fresh chickengiblets (liver, heart) (6.5%), turkey meal (6.5%), chicken fat (6%), fresh eggs (4%), raw hake (4%), lentil fibre, peastarch, fish oil (3%), whole green lentils, whole yellow peas, herring meal (3%), raw turkey livers (1%), salt, driedkelp, fresh whole apples, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole pears, fresh wholepumpkin, fresh whole zucchini, dried chicory root, fresh beet greens, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnipgreens, whole blueberries, whole cranberries, whole saskatoon berries, burdock root, lavender,marshmallow root, milk thistle, rosehips, turmeric.

ADDITIVES (per kg) Technological additives: With antioxidants. Nutritional additives: Cholinechloride (choline): 700 mg, 3b606 (Zinc: 75 mg), 3b406 (Copper (II): 11mg), Vitamin B1: 25mg,Vitamin B5: 8mg, Vitamin B6: 7.5mg, Vitamin A: 1875 IU, Vitamin D: 250 IU, Vitamin E: 115 IU.Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 2.2x10^6 CFU.

Metabolizable Energy is 3510 kcal/kg (421 kcal per 250ml/120g cup), with 29% from protein, 30% from carbohydrates, and 41% from fat. ACANA ADULT DOG is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the FEDIAF Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Adult Maintenance.

Adult Small Breed RecipeDry Dog Food

Composition

resh chicken (14%), chicken meal (14%), whole red lentils, whole green peas, whole chickpeas,turkey meal (6.5%), chicken fat (6%), fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (4%), fresh egg (4%), raw hake(4%), fish oil (4%), herring meal (3%), whole green lentils, whole yellow peas, lentil fibre, pea starch,raw turkey liver (0.5%), salt, dried kelp, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, freshwhole carrots, fresh whole apples, fresh whole pears, fresh whole zucchini, dried chicory root,fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnip greens, fresh beet greens, whole cranberries, wholeblueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallowroot, rosehips.

ADDITIVES (per kg): Technological additives: Tocopherol extract from vegetable oils: 121 mg, citricacid: 40 mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 80 mg. Nutritional additives: Choline chloride(choline): 700 mg, Zinc proteinate: 75 mg, Copper proteinate: 11 mg, Vitamin B1: 50 mg, Vitamin B2:10 mg, Vitamin B3: 100 mg, Vitamin B5: 30 mg, Vitamin B6: 17.5 mg, Vitamin B9: 3.5 mg, VitaminB12: 0.1 mg, Vitamin A: 5625 IU, Vitamin D3: 750 IU, Vitamin E: 450 IU, Vitamin C: 0.15 mg.Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcus faecium DSM 10663/NCIMB 10415: 1 x 10 CFU

ACANA ADULT SMALL BREED is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the FEDIAF Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for AdultMaintenance. | | Metabolizable Energy is 3510 kcal/kg (421 kcal per 250ml/120g cup), with 31% from protein, 28% from carbohydrates, and 41% from fat.

Adult Large Breed RecipeDry Dog Food

Composition

Fresh chicken (16%), chicken meal (15%), whole red lentils, whole green peas, turkey meal (7%), wholechickpeas, fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (4%), chicken fat (4%), fresh eggs (4%), raw hake (4%), fish oil (3%),herring meal (2.5%), whole green lentils, whole yellow peas, lentil fibre, pea starch, raw turkey livers (0.5%),salt, dried kelp, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole carrots, fresh wholeapples, fresh whole pears, fresh whole zucchini, dried chicory root, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnipgreens, fresh beet greens, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milkthistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips.

ADDITIVES (per kg): Technological additives: Tocopherol extracts from vegetable oils: 121 mg, citric acid:40 mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 80 mg. Nutritional additives: Choline chloride (choline): 700 mg,Zinc proteinate: 112.5 mg, Copper proteinate: 11 mg, Vitamin B1: 100 mg, Vitamin B2: 20 mg, Vitamin B3:200 mg, Vitamin B5: 60 mg, Vitamin B6: 35 mg, Vitamin B9: 7 mg, Vitamin B12: 0.2 mg, Vitamin A: 5625 IU,Vitamin D3: 750 IU, Vitamin E: 450 IU, Vitamin C: 0.15 mg. Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcusfaecium DSM 10663/NCIMB 10415: 1 x 10 CFU

ACANA ADULT LARGE BREED is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the FEDIAF Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Adult Maintenance. || Metabolizable Energy is 3375 kcal/kg (405 kcal per 250ml/120g cup), with 32% from protein, 38% from carbohydrates, and 30% from fat.

Adult Dog RecipeDry Dog Food

Composition

COMPOSITION: Fresh chicken (14%), chicken meal (14%), whole red lentils, whole green peas, whole chickpeas, fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (5.5%), herring meal (5%), chicken fat (5%), turkey meal (5%), eggs (4%), raw flounder (4%), fish oil (3%), whole green lentils, whole yellow peas, pea fibre, pea starch, raw turkey livers (0.5%), salt, dried kelp, fresh whole apples, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole pears, fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole zucchini, fresh beet greens,fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnip greens, fresh whole blueberries, fresh whole cranberries, fresh whole saskatoon berries, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, milk thistle, rosehips, turmeric.

ADDITIVES (per kg) Technological additives: Tocopherol extract from vegetable oils: 121mg, citric acid: 40mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 80mg. Nutritional additives: 3a890 Choline chloride (choline): 700 mg, 3b606 (Zinc: 75 mg), 3b406 (Copper:11mg), 3a821 Vitamin B1: 25mg, 3a841 Vitamin B5: 8mg, 3a831 Vitamin B6: 7.5mg, 3a672a Vitamin A: 1875 IU, 3a671 Vitamin D3: 250 IU, 3a700 Vitamin E: 115 IU. Zootechnical additives: 4b1707 Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 2.2x10^6 CFU.

Acana Dog Food Review (Dry)

The Acana product line includes the 5 dry dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Acana Free-Run Poultry Formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

The second ingredient is turkey, another quality, raw item inclusive of water.

The third ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

Its important to note that the next 6 out of 10 ingredients included in this recipe are each a type of legume:

Green peas
Red lentils
Pinto beans
Chickpeas
Green lentils
Yellow peas

Although theyre a mixture of quality plant ingredients, theres an important issue to consider here. And thats the recipe design practice known as ingredient splitting.

If we were to combine all these individual items together and report them as one, that newer combination would likely occupy a significantly higher position on the list.

In addition, legumes contain about 25% protein, a factor that must also be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The seventh ingredient in this food is chicken liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The eighth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The ninth ingredient is catfish meal, yet another high protein meat concentrate.

Fish meal is typically obtained from the clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.¹

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Champion Petfoods product.

With 4 notable exceptions

First, we find lentil fiber, a mixture of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber derived from lentils. Aside from the usual benefits of fiber, this agricultural by-product provides no other nutritional value to a dog.

Next, fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.

In addition, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.

Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, its also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dogs digestive tract.

And lastly, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Acana Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 33%, a fat level of 19% and estimated carbohydrates of about 40%.

As a group, Acana features an average protein content of 34% and a mean fat level of 18%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 40% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.

Which means this Acana product line contains

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the multiple legumes, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.

Champion Petfoods Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Champion Petfoods through April 2024.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Acana Dry Dog Food

Acana is a grain-free dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.

However, its unfortunate the company chose to include so much plant-based protein in its recipe. Otherwise, we would have been compelled to award this product a higher rating.