About the manufacturer
Acana food belongs to Canada. Her story begins back in 1990, in Canada.
As the president and founder of the company, Reinhard Mühlenfeld, said: “Food is much more than beautiful packaging and competent marketing.”
Indeed, Acana pet food is positioned as biologically appropriate and completely natural, which is confirmed by numerous laboratory quality tests. For many years, super-premium acana food has successfully maintained the set level.
At least that's what manufacturers and official distributors in the CIS countries say. Numerous positive user reviews confirm the declared quality.
Acana food is not just a hyped brand.
What not to give to a Labrador
We found out what we can feed dogs of this breed, it remains to find out what not to give to Labradors.
The first thing you need to remember is that it is unacceptable to give dogs expired and low-quality products - this will cause digestive problems. In addition, there is a list of products that are not allowed to be given to a dog, even if they are not expired and of good quality.
List of prohibited products:
- tubular bones - injure the intestines;
- cow's milk - gastrointestinal disorder;
- sweets, products with refined sugar;
- chocolate - disruption of the cardiovascular system, provokes a heart attack, diabetes, leaking eyes and blindness;
- too sweet vegetables and fruits – diabetes;
- onions and garlic – hemolytic anemia;
- radish – aggravates gastrointestinal problems;
- sorrel and rhubarb - problems with the digestive and urinary systems;
- legumes, potatoes, pasta, peas, bread - obesity;
- raisins and fresh grapes – kidney failure;
- spicy, salted, smoked, fatty lamb and pork, fried meat - disturbances in liver function;
- spices, too salty foods - problems of the heart and genitourinary system;
- coffee, alcohol, ice cream - disruption of the liver, kidneys, heart.
Important! The habit of Labradors to pick up everything on the street can lead to accidental poisoning of the dog - use a leash while walking and teach the dog the command: “Ugh!” After poisoning, you will have to switch the dog to specialized medicinal brands of food.
Read: How to teach your dog commands.
Product line
Acana Classics
Acana Prairie Poultry
This food's pellets are half filled with real poultry, with the remaining half filled with fruits and vegetables. Herring oil is a source of nutritious fats. Acana Prairie Poultry is potato, GMO and tapioca free. Perfect for both giants and little ones.
Acana Wild Coast
This Akan food, like Pasifika, contains 50% fish ingredients. It will take root well if the dog has problems with the stomach or digestive system. The high content of oats helps maintain constant blood sugar levels and prevents the deposition of fatty tissue.
Acana Heritage
The most extensive and widespread line of feeds. This includes food for all ages and breeds: from small to large. Pros:
- food components are carefully selected for each age and size of the dog;
- choose food for your little one and don’t worry about proper nutrition. The feed includes everything you need;
- The line includes dietary food for “problem” animals.
Minuses:
- price;
- Not suitable for everyone, allergies are possible.
For babies up to two years old
Puppy Small Breed
Puppy & Junior
Puppy Large Breed
All three differ in their compositions, suitable for growing puppies of different breeds (small, medium and large, respectively).
Carefully select the food that is right for your pet!
For young dogs, from 2 years and older
Adult Small Breed
Adult Large Breed
Acana Adult Dog
They will delight your beloved dog with good taste and healthy composition.
Sport & Agility
Food for particularly active animals with a high protein content.
Light & Fit
But here, on the contrary, the diet is designed for dogs with problems with excess weight. The composition includes dietary chicken and turkey meat and no fatty carbohydrates.
Senior
Designed specifically for older dogs. A reduced carbohydrate content coupled with plenty of healthy protein is the key to your dog’s health!
| For puppies | For adults | For the elderly |
| Puppy Small Breed | Adult Small Breed | Sport & Agility |
| Puppy & Junior | Adult Large Breed | Light & Fit |
| Puppy Large Breed | And etc. | Senior Dog |
Acana Regionals
Here is one of the most nutritious lines of dog food. Acana Regionals food contains no grains at all. Only meat, fish, fruits and vegetables.
Definite advantages:
- high amount of protein, which is natural for a predator;
- all components are completely natural;
- in addition to dehydrated protein, the contents of the granules include natural meat and fish;
- There is also a large amount of vitamin E, vegetables and fruits.
Minuses:
- Before transferring a dog to this line of food, consultation with a veterinarian is advisable. Because a high concentration of protein can negatively affect the functioning of the animal’s digestive system;
- the price is not low.
The line includes three types of original food:
Acana Wild Prairie
This food includes not only meat, but also fish. Based on fresh chicken, turkey, whole herring and dehydrated ingredients. 385 kcal per 100 grams, 36% of calories come from protein, 24% from fruits/vegetables and 40% from fat.
Acana Pacifica
For pets who love seafood. The peculiarity of Acana Pacifica is its “fish” composition. Instead of the usual veal or chicken meat, you can find whole herring, Pacific sardine, and flounder in Pasifika. You can't do without dehydrated foods either. In addition to the fish base, the contents of the food granules include green peas, lentils, chickpeas, fresh fruits and vegetables. Calorie content of the diet: 385 kcal/100 grams, with 36% coming from protein, 24% from fruits and vegetables and 40% from fat.
Acana Grasslands
This food consists of 70% lamb, duck and turkey and 30% plant ingredients. Calories: 381 kcal/100 grams, 37% of calories come from protein, the rest is shared by vegetables, some fruits and 40% fat.
Acana Singles
This line differs from the others in that each diet contains only one source of protein. If your dog is allergic to a particular product, feel free to try one of the foods suggested below.
Acana Yorkshire Pork
50% made from specially selected Yorkshire pigs. The meat is delivered to the processing plant completely fresh, as always. In addition to pork, the kibble's contents include whole green peas and lentils, dried kelp and more.
Acana Pacific Pilchard
The protein base of the food is whole and dehydrated Pacific sardine. In addition, the composition includes several types of pumpkins, chickpeas, peas and lentils.
Acana Grass-Fed Lamb
Hypoallergenic food with one single source of protein - lamb meat. All protein components of this food are either lamb meat or its by-products. Perfect for dogs with sensitive digestion. Rich in vitamin D3.
Acana Free-Run Duck
Here the duck is chosen as the protein character. The contents of the kibble include whole pears and rose hips, which is very unusual for dog food.
All Akana food is dry.
Holistic
Among the “super-premium” class, many experts single out holistic food as the best of the best. Holistic food must include the following ingredients:
- fresh whole meat or fish;
- fruits and vegetables;
- berries;
- vitamins;
- Only healthy cereals, no cheap ones.
Any Acana food meets the requirements, so they can be considered complete holistic foods.
For sterilized dogs
As such, there is no specialized Acan food for sterilized dogs. You can try choosing hypoallergenic or dietary foods, like Light & Fit.
With lamb
- Grass-Fed Lamb;
- Grasslands.
With fish
- Wild Coast;
- Wild Prairie;
- Pacifica.
With Chiken
- Wild Prairie;
- Puppy Small Breed.
Senior
- Sport & Agility;
- Light&Fit;
- Senior Dog.
Hypoallergenic
- Grass-Fed Lamb;
- Wild Coast.
For small breed dogs
- Acana Wild Prairie;
- Acana Adult Small Breed;
- Acana Grasslands.
Specifics of Akana feed preparation technology
Manufacturers of conventional feeds use widely available ingredients (dry, powdered, highly processed, not fresh). They, of course, have certain advantages in terms of storage, transportation and price, but not in quality: the lion's share of their valuable properties disappears, they must be diluted with water. Using only fresh and only regional products for Akana implies the possibility of steaming them in their own juice, which means preserving all their taste and beneficial properties.
Owner reviews
Yuri:
“Holistic. For a long time I fed my Shar Pei with “Our Brand” products. Later I realized that these were ordinary sawdust with flavoring. As a result of improper feeding, the poor dog had numerous health problems: the hair on his hind legs was peeling off, his mouth stank, and blisters appeared. We switched to acana with lamb and are completely satisfied with the result. Gradually, his health improved, and his problematic paws finally grew hair. I recommend!"
Julia:
“Improved the dog’s health and appearance. When we first got a Labrador, we had absolutely no idea what to feed him. At first they prepared meat porridge, believing that it would be better for the animal. Gradually, cooking became a problem, especially when the need arose to leave. I had to switch Tosya to dry food. On the advice of the veterinarian, the choice fell on ACANA Chicken & Burbank Potato. The eternal problem with cooking has disappeared, and trips to the vet have become noticeably less frequent. We are completely and completely satisfied with Akana; we found no shortcomings.”
Ulyana:
“Excellent food for small breed dogs. There were always problems with other types of food, either there was not enough protein or vitamins... After we switched to acana, the dog’s condition noticeably improved, because it contains the necessary vitamins and does not require additional feeding.”
What food to feed Labradors with health problems
The breed has a genetic predisposition to a number of diseases - it cannot be called absolutely healthy. Labradors are voracious dogs - this often leads to obesity; they are prone to allergic reactions to a variety of irritants; joint pathologies, vascular diseases, epilepsy and hyperkeratosis are common.
Let's look at what food is suitable for dogs with health problems:
- Allergy. Treatment and prophylactic brands have been developed for allergy sufferers:
- Bosch Sensitiv – for pets with allergies and a sensitive digestive system;
- Purina Pro Plan Large Athletic Adult canine Sensitive Skin Salmon with Rice dry – for allergies and dermatitis;
- Belcando Junior Lamb & Rice – hypoallergenic for puppies.
- Obesity. Food with a “weight control” formula for the treatment and prevention of obesity:
- Advance Maxi Light Adul – dietary;
- Hill's Prescription Diet Canine Metabolic+mobility with Chicken dry – to improve metabolism;
- Ontario Weight Control Large Turkey & Potatoes – weight control;
- Opti Life (12.5 kg) Degistion Adult Maxi & Medium – dietary;
- Royal Canin Maxi Light Weight Care – if you tend to gain excess weight.
- Joint diseases. For this pathology, products containing chondroprotectors are indicated: glucosamine, chondroitin. Treatment and prophylactic brands:
- Royal Canin Maxi Joint Care – for the prevention of joint diseases;
- Hill's Prescription Diet J/D Canine Mobility dry is a therapeutic formula with glucosamine.
- Digestive problems. Labradors' indiscriminateness in food and the habit of picking up and eating everything that is in bad shape leads to indigestion. Food for gastrointestinal problems:
- Bosch Soft Maxi – with boar and sweet potato (semi-moist formula);
- Barking Heads Tender loving Care – dietary;
- Happy Dog Diet – for gastrointestinal problems.
