# Thinking about switching to Acana.



## BubbaMoose (May 14, 2013)

They're currently on Wellness Core. I was looking over the ingredients in some of the Acana formulas and I'm sold.

Confused about what is what and which to buy.

Acana Classics, Acana Regionals, and Acana Singles. 

Also, where do you purchase from? And how much do you normally pay? Looking for the best prices possible. 


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## Kayla_Nicole (Dec 19, 2012)

Acana Classics aren't grain free, Acana Regionals are the grain free varieties, and Acana Singles have one protein source. 

I purchase from a local, family owned all natural pet food store. The prices for the Regionals actually varies quite a bit depending on the variety (i.e. the protein source). I pay between $36-$44 depending upon which variety I pick up (we rotate) for a 15 pound bag.


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## NicoleIsStoked (Aug 31, 2012)

I'm currently feeding chicken and Burbank potato from the classics line. It's not grain free but it's low grain and my dog does great on it. Lots of energy, beautiful thick coat, shiney bright eyes, etc. I pay $36.99+tax for a 15lbs bag. IMO it's much better than wellness. 
I've so supplemented with the regionals but I just find them to be a lot more expensive.


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

If your dogs can tolerate oats, the Chicken and Burbank Potato is the best bang for your buck, money-wise. Steel cut oats are the only grain in this kibble - they are less processed than rolled oats and therefore, more nutritious. One of my local dog food suppliers says that a lot of kennels that he supplies buys this food for their bitches and their puppies, b/c of its quality and cost factor.

The regionals line is the only completely grain free line. The Pacifica is a great formula, but probably the most expensive one. I wish I could afford it!


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

We've had the best luck with Acana Duck & Pear. Single protein source and only one grain, so it doesn't bother him. He loves the taste of it, and since he seems to get softer poo while on chicken based foods, I like that it's only duck. It's also only 7.5% ash. Some of the GF foods are a bit on the higher side (I think Ranchland and Grasslands are around 9%). I just think my dog does better on a bit more 'simple' foods. But he ate the GF's for 2 years before they changed their formula. Once the Singles line came into the US, he did best on that.

I buy the small bags since I only have one small dog, and it's definitely on the pricier side, but it's doable for me. I pay $18.99 for a 5lb bag.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

I wish the duck & pear didn't have potato.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

Jacksons Mom said:


> I buy the small bags since I only have one small dog, and it's definitely on the pricier side, but it's doable for me. I pay $18.99 for a 5lb bag.



~30# bag about twice a month at 65-75$can a bag. I mix it up from time to time and even add Orijen on occasion


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## domika (Jul 1, 2012)

I wish more of their classics line was available in the US. I have fed the Regionals Wild Prairie ($17 for 5lb) and am on Pacifica right now $20 for 5lb. Ranchlands is the most expensive around here. I am looking to feed the Duck and Pear next.


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## HicktownJuliet (Aug 26, 2012)

I just started my girl on Acana Regionals Ranchlands. I pay over $60.00 for a 28 lb bag and its considered local for us. The next province over.  So far she is doing well, I recommend the Ranchlands for dogs that need to "bulk" up a bit, and its great for picky eaters!


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

We rotate Biscuit through the three Regional/GF flavors that don't have chicken (Ranchland, Grassland, and Pacifica). They vary a lot in price. Where we are, we pay lik $70 for a 28 lb bag of Pacifica and $85 for Ranchland. But B has been eating this stuff for a year and is doing really great. It's good stuff. I will say that we feed her less than the bag recommends. It is quite fattening otherwise!


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

Something to add with both Acana and Orijen, they give you a free bag of the same size once you buy so many bags of a certain size. At least they did that when I was feeding Orijen. So if you buy 15 lb bags you will get a free 15 lb bag, makes it more affordable. I used to pay $36 for Nutro for 15 lbs with my last dog and it wasn't nearly the quality of either food.


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

Dog Person said:


> Something to add with both Acana and Orijen, they give you a free bag of the same size once you buy so many bags of a certain size. At least they did that when I was feeding Orijen. So if you buy 15 lb bags you will get a free 15 lb bag, makes it more affordable. I used to pay $36 for Nutro for 15 lbs with my last dog and it wasn't nearly the quality of either food.


Yeap. The 13th bag is free (of the same size, the cheaper variety) 

And I personally prefer Acana Regionals. A lot of dogs seem to do very well on it


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## CCSC (Mar 8, 2013)

I just started switching my dog to the Acana Duck and Pear. He has food allergies, so we will see...


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## pj530i (Jun 6, 2013)

Not that they're bad foods, but I think the ingredients list on foods like Orijen, Acana and some other premium brands are more for the creature buying the food than the one eating it.

Here's some of the ingredients from Acana Grasslands


> sun-cured alfalfa, yams*, pumpkin*, butternut squash*, spinach greens*, carrots*, Red Delicious apples*, Bartlett pears*, cranberries*, blueberries*, kelp*, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary,


What is my dog really getting from blueberries and peppermint leaf? Assuming these are actually beneficial in some way, what % of the kibble is dandelion? or rosemary? These ingredients are 20-30 positions down in the list, so they can't constitute much of the final product.

I think these good sounding trace ingredients are why my dog always seems to be itchy on champion products. I've fed at least 150 lbs of various acana and orijen flavors over the last 14 months trying to find one that didn't cause my dog to itch, since I was hooked in by the ingredients list and apparent commitment to quality. After running low on my second bag of Six Fish the other day, I decided to finally throw in the towel on this company and try something else. I bought a test bag of Annamaet Aqualuk, which seems to have fewer fluff ingredients and has the added bonus of being cheaper than Orijen. The dog and I seem to be on the same page since she has been picking out the Six Fish and dropping it on the ground so she can eat only the Aqualuk that I've been mixing in. Though that might just be flavor fatigue.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

pj530i said:


> Not that they're bad foods, but I think the ingredients list on foods like Orijen, Acana and some other premium brands are more for the creature buying the food than the one eating it.
> 
> Here's some of the ingredients from Acana Grasslands
> 
> ...


Well, blueberries have antioxidants which I imagine, are as beneficial for dogs as for humans; yams and butternut squash are high in Vitamin C; dandelion is high in Vitamin A. I feel like a lot of those ingredients might be added for trace vitamins and minerals. Listing those ingredients is more about disclosure. Some foods don't work for some dogs - that doesn't mean Orijen or Acana are not high quality foods, just that they didn't work for your dog. Maybe you're dog is allergic to marigolds or something - who knows.


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## pj530i (Jun 6, 2013)

gingerkid said:


> Well, blueberries have antioxidants which I imagine, are as beneficial for dogs as for humans; yams and butternut squash are high in Vitamin C; dandelion is high in Vitamin A. I feel like a lot of those ingredients might be added for trace vitamins and minerals. Listing those ingredients is more about disclosure. Some foods don't work for some dogs - that doesn't mean Orijen or Acana are not high quality foods, just that they didn't work for your dog. Maybe you're dog is allergic to marigolds or something - who knows.


I believe they are high quality foods, but I think they are also overpriced and targeted at people like me who want the best for their dog (and are too lazy to do raw) but don't really know what "best" is. You are probably right about why those ingredients are there, but blueberries are 27th on the list of ingredients and a blueberry is 85% water, so how much blueberry goodness is really going to be in the bag after all the processing and cooking? Why not just put Vitamin A in there instead of Dandelion? Only champion knows for sure what the ingredient ratios are, but my bet is on "a negligible amount" of those neat sounding ingredients like lavender.

Companies like Dr. Tims and Annamaet are run by vets and PhDs who have a lot more experience with this stuff than me. Their ingredients lists "sound" less impressive, since I don't know what "Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product Dehydrated" or "Oligofructose" are, but I'm starting to think maybe they know what should be in a good dog food.

I think this isn't really a big deal in any event. Once a dog isn't being fed Benefuls or something terrible like that, dog food seems to be mostly a matter of budget, preference, and what works for your dog. I should probably rearrange my priorities a bit. I had baby carrots and ice cream for dinner yet I am writing on the internet about how many blueberries my dog is or is not getting..


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

For people's reference, in the future: 
Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product Dehydrated = powdered probiotics
Oligofructose = a specific type of sugar that is not broken down in the small intestine, but is broken down in the large intestine, helping to support good gut bacteria. Apparently it is usually derived from chicory root (which explains the presence of chicory root in so many dog foods - learn something new!)

At least you had the baby carrots! I've had more than one dinner that consisted solely of ice cream.... AFTER I got out of college. -.-


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

Dog Person said:


> Something to add with both Acana and Orijen, they give you a free bag of the same size once you buy so many bags of a certain size. At least they did that when I was feeding Orijen. So if you buy 15 lb bags you will get a free 15 lb bag, makes it more affordable. I used to pay $36 for Nutro for 15 lbs with my last dog and it wasn't nearly the quality of either food.





taquitos said:


> Yeap. The 13th bag is free (of the same size, the cheaper variety)
> 
> And I personally prefer Acana Regionals. A lot of dogs seem to do very well on it


13th bag is free, must be the same or cheaper than the cheapest of the 12 bags you bought.
They do it with cats as well


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Flaming said:


> 13th bag is free, must be the same or cheaper than the cheapest of the 12 bags you bought.
> They do it with cats as well


How do you go about getting this mystical "13th free bag"?


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## domika (Jul 1, 2012)

gingerkid said:


> How do you go about getting this mystical "13th free bag"?


The store I buy my Acana from keeps track of them for me. I'm assuming they submit something for the free 13th bag. I appreciate that they keep track of all this for me


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

gingerkid said:


> How do you go about getting this mystical "13th free bag"?


I save all my receipts and bar codes and exchange them at the local store for the bag, another store here keeps track for you. It differs from store to store.


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## Rescued (Jan 8, 2012)

Jacksons Mom said:


> I buy the small bags since I only have one small dog, and it's definitely on the pricier side, but it's doable for me. I pay $18.99 for a 5lb bag.


sigh... in another life


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

I just googled "the bone and biscuit" gingerkid they keep track for you and if I remember where you live correctly (I'm not a stalker I promise) there is a branch in you city.


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## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Flaming said:


> I just googled "the bone and biscuit" gingerkid they keep track for you and if I remember where you live correctly (I'm not a stalker I promise) there is a branch in you city.


There's two not too far away.  Thanks. Global Pet Foods does a similar program, I just wasn't sure if it was by the company or the store (or a joint effort).


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

gingerkid said:


> There's two not too far away.  Thanks. Global Pet Foods does a similar program, I just wasn't sure if it was by the company or the store (or a joint effort).


I think it's a champion thing, but I could be wrong.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

WHAT. FREE ACANA. I had no idea!


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

hamandeggs said:


> WHAT. FREE ACANA. I had no idea!


Yeahy ou have to get it from the same retailer though.

At the store I work at we keep track of it for every client... but I think most places ask you to keep your receipts on your own.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

taquitos said:


> Yeahy ou have to get it from the same retailer though.
> 
> At the store I work at we keep track of it for every client... but I think most places ask you to keep your receipts on your own.


Of course, with just the Bisc it will take years for us to buy 12 bags. But still!


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

hamandeggs said:


> Of course, with just the Bisc it will take years for us to buy 12 bags. But still!


every 6 or so months...yeah
*dies*
I buy 2, 30# bags a month.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Flaming said:


> every 6 or so months...yeah
> *dies*
> I buy 2, 30# bags a month.


Newfie puppies will have that effect! We go through a bag like every 6-8 weeks. Biscuit eats less than 2 cups a day these days.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

hamandeggs said:


> Newfie puppies will have that effect! We go through a bag like every 6-8 weeks. Biscuit eats less than 2 cups a day these days.


yup, and we're thinking about upping her meals because she's starting to lose some necessary padding (a little too much rib felt under fur) so currently she's on 4 cups a day and I'm thinking of adding another cup to make it 5. I'm so happy they have the 13th bag deal


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

hamandeggs said:


> Newfie puppies will have that effect! We go through a bag like every 6-8 weeks. Biscuit eats less than 2 cups a day these days.


I feed Zoey about 1 1/2 cups a day and go through 18 lbs. of food in about a month. If you feed Acana or Orijen from what I found out you feed a lot less so maybe a 15 lb. bag of food will last a month and a half ... if your dog does well on it and you can get a freebe why not. I was feeding our last dog Nutro and it was $36 a bag where Orijen is about $38 a bag.


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## hamandeggs (Aug 11, 2011)

Dog Person said:


> I feed Zoey about 1 1/2 cups a day and go through 18 lbs. of food in about a month. If you feed Acana or Orijen from what I found out you feed a lot less so maybe a 15 lb. bag of food will last a month and a half ... if your dog does well on it and you can get a freebe why not. I was feeding our last dog Nutro and it was $36 a bag where Orijen is about $38 a bag.



Oh, Biscuit is already eating Acana. The 28 lb bag lasts us about 6-8 weeks. She's about 50 lb and does great on this amount of food. But I look forward to getting a free bag someday!


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

yup Orijen or Acana, I rotate between the two for more flavor options. 
Some dogs just need more calories and I would hate to see how much grocery store food she would have to eat to keep a healthy weight, she has to eat two 28 pound bags a month plus some raw meals.


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