Acana Dog Food Reviews, Coupons and Recalls 2023

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The Acana brand is known for producing high-quality biologically appropriate diets for cats and dogs. Not only do they commit themselves to following the strictest standards for quality and safety in the production of their pet foods, but they put a lot of thought and effort into designing their products. According to their website, their products are, “a new class of meat-based foods to mirror your dog’s evolutionary diet”. What this means is that all Acana food products are designed to imitate the type of diet that wild wolves would have (and still do) followed. Because domestic dogs are descended from wolves, their bodies are still adapted to following this type of diet.

When it comes to the quality of their products, they follow five rules:

  • Rich in meat and protein
  • High fresh meat inclusions
  • An abundant variety of meats
  • Whole Prey meat ratios
  • Carbohydrate limited

In a word, all of these rules point to one important truth – Acana pet food products are made with meat. It is as simple as that. Unlike many other manufacturers that fill their products with carbohydrates (especially low-quality, non-nutritive sources like corn, wheat, and soy), they design all of their formulas around high-quality sources of animal protein (meat). In fact, each of their recipes is made with up to 75% meat! That is nearly three times as much as the typical kibble. Furthermore, they use an abundance of different meats such as free-run poultry, free-range meats, nest-laid eggs, and wild-caught fish to ensure quality nutrition and protein-rich energy.

For the Acana pet food company, it is not enough to simply load up their products with meat – they go one step further by following the Whole Prey philosophy of nutrition. In keeping with their “biologically appropriate” claims, they formulate their products in a way that mimics the nutrient ratios found in whole prey animals – the kind of prey that wild dogs eat. This means that their products include more than just muscle meat – they also include organ meats, cartilage, and raw bone. Different parts of prey animals contain different nutrients, so paying attention to whole prey ratios is a great way to ensure complete and balanced nutrition for dogs in all life stages.

In addition to following whole prey ratios and loading up their products with plenty of fresh meats, Acana also makes sure that their recipes are carbohydrate-limited. Dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats which means that they have a limited ability to digest plant products and small amounts of dietary fiber can actually be very beneficial for their digestion. Still, Acana recognizes that corn, wheat, and soy ingredients as well as other high-glycemic foods can be bad for dogs. That is why they use only low-glycemic and digestible carbohydrates like fresh fruits and vegetables in their recipes. They offer an assortment of gluten-free and grain-free recipes as well which feature digestible complex carbohydrates like potatoes and tapioca. None of their recipes contain more than 35% carbohydrate ingredients.

Also Read: Great Life Dog Food Reviews

Latest Acana Recalls:

The pet food products are produced and manufactured by Champion Petfoods, right here in the United States. Most of the production occurs in the award-winning DogStar facility located in Kentucky and they use as many fresh, regional ingredients as possible. They do not outsource their production which means that they have control over the quality and safety of their products. The pet food company follows the strictest standards for quality and safety so you should not be surprised to learn that the brand has not been affected by any major recalls. Simply put, this is a brand you can trust.

Acana Dog Food Coupons 2023

They use premium proteins and other high-quality ingredients in their pet food products so it should come as no surprise to you that this brand can be a little pricey. A 15-pound bag of Regionals dry food costs about $60 retail. Fortunately, there are plenty of pet food coupons available online to help offset the cost of this brand.

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Acana Reviews

Acana is produced and manufactured by Champion Petfoods and the brand is known for producing “Biologically Appropriate Diets” for dogs and cats. The term “Biologically Appropriate” simply means that the diet is designed to mimic the natural diet of wild cats and dogs – these diets are rich in animal proteins, formulated with Whole Prey ratios, and limited in carbohydrates. All of their food products are made with fresh, natural ingredients that have been sourced from regional suppliers and they are free from artificial additives including flavors, colors, and preservatives. The dog products are produced at the DogStar facilities in Kentucky where they follow the strictest standards for quality and safety in all of their products.

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Is Acana a Good Food to Feed my Dog?

A quick review of their website is all you need to determine that this brand is, in fact, very good for your dog. The fact that they designs all of their products to follow Whole Prey ratios, in combination with their commitment to providing biologically appropriate diets, means that you can count on their products to offer high-quality nutrition for your dog. They may not have as many products to offer as other top-quality brands, but you can rest assured that each and every one of their products is designed with care and manufactured according to the strictest standards for safety and quality. Not only are all of their products rich in quality animal proteins and limited in carbohydrate content, but they are guaranteed to be free from corn, wheat, and soy products as well as artificial additives. Simply put, if you are looking for a top-quality food for your dog, consider any of these food products.

Dry: As it has been mentioned, they do not offer as large a variety of products as some top-quality brands, but each and every one of their recipes is carefully formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition. When it comes to their dry food products, they offer three different product lines: Heritage, Regionals, and Singles. The Heritage line of products was updated with new and improved formulas in early 2016 and it includes three different recipes featuring high-quality proteins like free-run poultry, heritage meats, and freshwater fish. These recipes are made up of 60% fresh meat inclusions and they are low in carbohydrates. The Regionals line of products is completely new as of 2016 and it includes four recipes made with fresh regional ingredients such as free-range meats, cage-free poultry, and wild-caught fish from the Kentucky area. The Singles line of products includes four limited-ingredient recipes featuring 50% lamb, pork, duck, or wild-caught mackerel in Whole Prey ratios with healthy carbohydrates like apple, pear, and squash.

Canned: At this time, they do not offer any canned food options. Their website does not state any particular reason for this choice, nor does it state whether any canned food products are in development.

Treats: In addition to an assortment of dry food products, they also offer four different treats as part of their Singles line of limited ingredient diets. Each of these treats features a single source of quality animal protein, supplemented with plenty of fresh, regional ingredients. The four flavors available include: Lamb & Apple, Duck & Pear, Pork & Squash, and Wild Mackerel.

https://youtu.be/0GzsWIApAXE

Individual Recipe Review: Acana Regionals Meadowland Dry Formula:

The Acana Regionals Meadowland Dry Food is one of four recipes that have been recently added to the new Regionals line of dry foods. According to their website, the Regionals line of products is designed to reflect “Kentucky’s fertile lands” and that each recipe of “region-inspired food features free-run poultry, freshwater fish and whole vegetables and fruits from nearby farms”. The Meadowland formula in particular is loaded with 70% meat, half of which is fresh, and it also follows the Whole Prey ratios. This recipe is absolutely packed with free-run Cobb chicken, Tom turkey, nest-laid eggs, Rainbow trout, and Blue catfish in a diet that is designed to mimic the natural evolutionary diet of wild wolves. Best of all, it is prepared locally in their Kentucky DogStar facility.

As promised, the first ingredient in this Regionals Meadowland Dry Food is deboned chicken. This ingredient is followed by an additional source of fresh meat (deboned turkey) and then chicken giblets and turkey giblets. Next on the list comes chicken meal and then catfish meal. These ingredients alone are enough to support the brand’s claim of high meat inclusions, particularly fresh meat inclusions. What you need to realize about fresh meats, however, is that they can contain up to 80% moisture. This means that once the product is cooked to a moisture level of 12% (as indicated by the guaranteed analysis), the total volume of protein provided by these fresh meats will be much lower. This is not a problem, however, because this recipe also contains several meat meals – chicken meal, catfish meal, Pollock meal to be specific. Meat meals have already been cooked to remove moisture which means that they contain up to 300% more protein by volume than fresh meats.

Not only do all of these meat ingredients provide valuable protein, but they also contain healthy fats as well. Fat is an essential part of a dog’s diet because it provides a concentrated source of energy and it supports his skin and coat health. In addition to the fats found in fresh meats and organ meats, this Regionals Meadowland Dry Food recipe also contains chicken fat, herring oil, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Animal-based fats and oils are more biologically valuable for dogs than plant-based fats, but the combination of multiple sources used in this recipe helps to ensure a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The fresh fish ingredients (like rainbow trout and whole catfish) also provide essential fatty acids for your dog.

This recipe contains 70% meat ingredients and the remaining 35% is made up of fresh fruits, vegetables and botanicals. The primary sources of carbohydrate included in the Regionals Meadowland Dry Food recipe are whole green peas, red lentils, pinto beans, chickpeas, green lentils, whole yellow peas, and sun-cured alfalfa. All of these carbohydrates are considered complex, low-glycemic carbohydrates which are generally easy for your dog’s body to digest. Furthermore, they are all gluten-free. In addition to meeting your dog’s needs for dietary fiber, these carbohydrates also provide vital nutrients. The fresh fruits, vegetables, and botanicals help to balance out the vitamin and mineral ratios as well. These ingredients are particularly important because natural sources for key nutrients are always more biologically valuable for your dog than nutritional supplements. It is worth noting, however, that the mineral supplements included in this recipe are chelated – this means that they have been chemically bound to protein molecules which makes them easier for your dog’s body to digest and absorb.

Overall, this Regionals Meadowland Dry Food formula has a guaranteed analysis as follows:

  • Crude Protein (Min) – 33%
  • Crude Fat (Min) – 17%
  • Crude Fiber (Max) – 6%
  • Moisture (Max) – 12%
  • Calcium (Min) – 1.1%
  • Phosphorus (Min) – 0.9%
  • Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min) – 0.6%
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Min) – 2.5%
  • DHA (Min) – 0.15%
  • EPA (Min) – 0.1%
  • Glucosamine (Min) – 700mg/kg
  • Chondroitin sulfate (Min) – 1500 mg/kg
  • Calorie Content – 396 kcal/cup

Bottom Line:

Overall, the quality of Acana products is excellent. Not only do they use fresh, regional ingredients but they manufacture all of their own products in their award-winning DogStar facility in Kentucky. Acana understands the importance of quality ingredients and they also understand that dogs are largely carnivorous beings and that a biologically appropriate diet is the best way to ensure a long, healthy life. With so many products to choose from, you can rest assured that there is an Acana food that will perfectly suit your dog and his individual nutritional need. Every recipe is packed with protein, healthy fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure complete and balanced nutrition. Simply put, your dog would be lucky to receive any of these dog products and he is guaranteed to love the taste as well!

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3 Comments

  1. Good post! I read your blog often and you always post excellent content. I posted this article on Facebook and my followers like it. Thanks for writing this!

  2. Concern with Acana Lamb & Apple dog food:

    I buy Acana for my Beligm Shephead, because I want the very best money can buy! I have been feeding my girl this food for years with good results. Recently, I noticed she is drinking and drinking and drinking lots and lots of water.

    I took her to the vet and we are running tests, the vet ask if we had switched food recent and I said no. I looked Acana up to see if there had been recalls, and I noticed three difference that are of concern:
    1. Acana has changed the Formula and the new formula has a lot more fillers.
    2. Acana has moved the small batch Canadian food processing plant that control the ingredients to KY.
    3. The old formula and new formula smell different.

    Acana you added filler to the food, and perhaps loosen the control process, changed a time tested proven formula and failed the trust of your customer. At the very least you owe it to inform your customers in some way of these changes.

    I’m very concerned now that you change the formula that it’s cause a health issue, my dog is drinking a lot of water. I checked with other that are using Acana and they have noticed the same thing – the food has a fowl odor and dogs that moved from the old formula to the new with out in my mind proper notice by Acana AKA Champion is a violation of customer trust and your representation. I’ll be sending the old and new formula out for testing and be sure to let uninformed customers the results of any important findings.

  3. What is the actual difference between the Regionals Dry and the Heritage Dry? Is there a problem with rotating the dry foods? I have a 10 week old Yorkie. Thank you

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