acana lamb and pumpkin dog food reviews

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.

Acana Singles Dog Food Review (Dry)

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Review of Acana Singles Dry Dog Food

Acana Singles Dog Food receives the Advisors top rating of 5 stars.

The Acana Singles product line includes the 4 dry dog foods listed below.

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

Recipe and Label Analysis

Acana Singles Duck and Pear was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.

Acana Singles Duck and Pear

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Deboned duck, duck meal, duck liver, sweet potato, whole chickpeas, duck fat, whole lentils, lentil fiber, pollock oil, whole pears, natural duck flavor, duck cartilage, whole pumpkin, whole cranberries, salt, choline chloride, taurine, vitamin E supplement, dried kelp, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), freeze-dried duck liver, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, copper proteinate, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, turmeric, citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%

Red denotes any controversial items

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is duck. Although it is a quality item, raw duck 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 duck meal. Duck meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh duck.

The third ingredient is duck liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The fourth ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

The fifth item lists chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, beans and lentils, the chickpea is a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.

However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The next ingredient is duck fat. This item is obtained from rendering duck, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

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

The seventh ingredient includes lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) theyre rich in natural fiber.

However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that will be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

The eighth ingredient is 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.

The ninth ingredient is pollock oil. 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, pollock oil should be considered a commendable addition.

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

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

With 4 notable exceptions

First, we find taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, we note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.

In addition, duck cartilage is a source of both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate natural substances believed to support joint health.

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 Singles Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 35%, a fat level of 19% and estimated carbohydrates of about 38%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 35.2% and a mean fat level of 19.3%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 37.5% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 55%.

Which means this Acana product line contains

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the chickpeas and lentils, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.

Our Rating of Acana Singles Dog Food

Acana Singles lists both grain-inclusive and grain-free dry dog foods using a liberal amount of named meats and meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus receiving 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Acana Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls since 2009 related to Champion Petfoods.

No recalls noted

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

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More Champion Petfoods Brand Reviews

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ACANA Wholesome Grains DOG FOOD Reviews

With an average score of 5, ACANA Wholesome Grains is considered a moderate risk dry dog food. The sub-brand loses food quality points for its somewhat high carbohydrate content, with an average of 30%. Excessive carbohydrate is in indicator of low quality foods as they are used to keep costs down. Large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance.

Like many ACANA foods, the Wholesome Grains line is a bit unique in that it doesnt contain a lot of added minerals, which indicates higher ingredient quality. However, it does lose food quality points for excessive added vitamins and unspecified animal proteins, which indicate lower quality ingredients.

The food safety score is lower because, like all kibbles, ACANA Wholesome Grains is ultra-processed. The individual ingredients in dry dog foods are heated several times during processing, which can cause a significant loss of enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Processed foods are also linked to higher mortality rates in many species.

Rounding out the food safety scores, ACANA Wholesome Grains loses points for high pesticides/herbicide foods in the top 5 ingredients, mainly as sorghum. oats and/or millet. These crops are sprayed with Roundup before harvesting and are higher in Roundup than most other foods. Finally, the food loses ingredient safety points for natural flavor, which is often either animal digest or MSG, which are low quality ingredients with limited safety studies.

Its worth noting that ACANA uses ingredient splitting on their label. Dog food ingredients must be listed by weight, from most to least. Most of the Wholesome Grains foods have oat groats listed as the third or fourth ingredient, but whole oats appears further down the label. There is little difference between these ingredients but listing them separately moves them further down the label to make consumers believe there is more meat (and less oats) in the food than there probably is.Its worth noting that Acana does provide the omega6:omega-3 ratio in their foods. This is good to know because AAFCO allows a very inflammatory limit of 30:1.

The highest ranking food in this lineup is the Sea To Stream Recipe, while the lowest ranking food is the Red Meat & Grains Recipe.