Singles, Lamb & Apple RecipeDry Dog Food
Ingredients
Lamb, lamb meal, lamb liver, sweet potato, whole chickpeas, fish oil, whole lentils, lentil fiber, whole apples, sunflower oil, natural lamb flavor, lambtripe, whole pumpkin, whole cranberries, salt, choline chloride, taurine, dried kelp, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, mixed tocopherols(preservative), selenium yeast, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12supplement, copper proteinate, freeze-dried lamb, dried chicory root, turmeric, citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillusacidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product.
METABOLIZABLE ENERGY: 3405 kcal/kg (388 kcal per 8 oz. cup), with 32% from protein, 26% from carbohydrates, and 42% from fat.
ACANA LAMB & APPLE RECIPE is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages except for growth of large breed dogs (70lbs or more as an adult)
Singles, Duck & Pear RecipeDry Dog Food
Ingredients
Duck, duck meal, duck liver, sweet potato, whole chickpeas, duck fat, whole lentils, lentil fiber, whole pears, fish oil, natural duck flavor, whole pumpkin, whole cranberries, choline chloride, salt, taurine, vitamin E supplement, dried kelp, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, copper proteinate, freeze-dried duck, dried chicory root, turmeric, citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product.
METABOLIZABLE ENERGY: 3405 kcal/kg (388 kcal per 8 oz. cup), with 32% from protein, 26% from carbohydrates, and 42% from fat.
ACANA DUCK AND PEAR RECIPE is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages except for growth of large breed dogs (70lbs or more as an adult)
Wholesome Grains, Duck & Pumpkin Recipe, Limited Ingredient DietDry Dog Food
Ingredients
Duck, duck meal, oat groats, whole sorghum, duck liver, duck fat, whole pumpkin, natural duck flavor, whole oats, ground miscanthusgrass, fish oil, salt, choline chloride, taurine, potassium chloride, vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, dried kelp, mixedtocopherols (preservative), vitamin D3 supplement, copper proteinate, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, calciumpantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, dried chicory root, turmeric, citric acid (preservative),rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, driedLactobacillus casei fermentation product.
METABOLIZABLE ENERGY: 3370 kcal/kg (371 kcal per standard 8 oz cup), with 29% from protein, 28% from carbohydrates, and 43% from fat.
ACANA DUCK & PUMPKIN is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages except for the growth of large breed dogs (70lbs or more as an adult)
Singles, Beef & Pumpkin RecipeDry Dog Food
Ingredients
Beef, beef meal, beef liver, sweet potato, whole chickpeas, beef fat, whole lentils, whole pumpkin, fish oil, lentil fiber, natural flavor, beef tripe,whole cranberries, salt, choline chloride, taurine, dried kelp, vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitaminD3 supplement, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement,copper proteinate, freeze-dried beef, dried chicory root, turmeric, citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillus acidophilusfermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product.
METABOLIZABLE ENERGY: 3405 kcal/kg (388 kcal per 8 oz. cup), with 32% from protein, 26% from carbohydrates, and 42% from fat.
ACANA BEEF AND PUMPKIN RECIPE is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages except for growth of large breed dogs (70lbs or more as an adult)
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.
Protein-rich, with the best grains on earth1
Protein-rich, with the best grains on earth1
Nurture your dog with the animal protein they really crave! Crafted with our most protein-rich animal ingredients, your dog will love the premium flavour and nutrition in ACANA Highest Protein recipes.
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