Today, food for dogs of the holistic class is widespread. This is a prepared food, developed taking into account all age, physiological and psychological characteristics of animals. The products of this group fully satisfy the pet's needs for nutrients. Dog food "Akana" belongs to the class of holistic. The composition of dry granules includes only fresh and natural products. What types of Akana ready-made meals can be found in pet stores? And how to choose the right food, taking into account the age and breed of the animal? We will answer these questions in the article.
Feed Features
The manufacturer of dog food "Acana" ("Akana") - a Canadian company Champion Petfoods. This company produces high quality pet food. This food can completely replace natural protein foods, as it is made from fresh meat. In the production process, the product is steamed at a low temperature, which helps preserve vitamins and minerals.
Champion Petfoods specialists constantly consult with veterinarians and dog handlers. They develop feed, taking into account all the characteristics of the body and animal behavior. Acana brand products are high in protein, which serves as a source of energy for dogs.
Composition
Products contain only high quality and fresh ingredients. The composition of dog food "Akana" includes the following products:
- Meat. This is the main component of the feed. The meat serves as a source of protein and B vitamins. In the manufacture of ready-made food for dogs, the product is not subjected to preliminary freezing. The meat used is lamb, elk, wild boar, as well as pork. Offal and cartilage, which are rich in vitamins and minerals, are also added to some types of feed.
- Fish. It is a source of proteins, healthy fatty acids and vitamin B12. Food is made from fillet of pike perch, pike, whitefish, perch, flounder, as well as salmon fish.
- Poultry meat and eggs. These products are part of the diet brands of feed. Ready-made food for dogs may contain chicken, quail, duck or turkey meat. These ingredients are low in calories and high in protein. When growing poultry, hormonal drugs and antibiotics are not used.
- Vegetables and fruits. These ingredients are a source of vitamins, carbohydrates and fiber. The formulation of each variety of feed contains at least 20% of fruits and vegetables: carrots, apples, pumpkins, pears, etc.
- Herbs. Herbal ingredients are essential for dogs to cleanse themselves of harmful substances and improve digestion. Different types of feed contain phytocomponents such as chamomile, mint, algae, lemon balm, chicory.
The composition of dog food "Akana" does not include white rice, corn and wheat. Vegetables and fruits are used as an alternative source of carbohydrates. The products also do not contain synthetic additives: dyes, preservatives, odor and taste enhancers.
pros
The following advantages of the dry food "Acana" can be distinguished:
- use in the production process of fresh unfrozen products (meat and fish);
- high protein concentration and low carbohydrate content;
- a large number of vitamins and minerals in the feed;
- lack of harmful ingredients in the composition;
- wide range of feeds.
In addition, the food "Akana" can be easily purchased, it is sold in many pet stores.
Minuses
Champion Petfield produces only dry feed. Canned brand "Akana" is not produced. However, many dogs like to eat wet foods. It can take some time to train your pet to eat in the form of dry granules.
As already mentioned, the Akan dog food does not include flavor and odor enhancers. This can be attributed to the advantages of food, as synthetic additives often cause allergies in animals. However, the dog may at first be reluctant to eat food that does not have a strong aroma. If previously the pet ate only natural food, then dry granules are recommended to be added to the usual food, gradually increasing their number. Over time, the animal will be able to fully switch to the finished feed.
The disadvantages of food for dogs Acana include its high cost. It is not available to all pet owners. However, it should be remembered that this food belongs to the class of holistic. Its price is average for high-quality products of this group.
Types of feed
The Acana feed line is diverse. It includes ready-made food for dogs of various sizes and ages. The development also takes into account the tendency of the animal to allergies. All products of this brand can be divided into the following series:
- Classics
- Singles.
- Regional
- Heritage.
Further we will consider in detail all varieties of feed.
Classic
The Acana Classics series is a versatile feed suitable for animals of all ages and breeds. They include at least 50% of meat components, and vegetables, fruits and ground oats enriched with glucose are used as a source of carbohydrates.
The classic series includes two varieties of feed:
- Acana Prairie Poultry. This is a ready-made meal based on tender lamb meat. This is a good source of protein. Lamb very rarely causes allergies in dogs and is well absorbed.
- Acana Wild Coast. It includes Pacific fish: herring, flounder, hake. It is mined in the waters surrounding Vancouver Island. This region is considered environmentally friendly.
Hypoallergenic
The Acana Singles product line is available for dogs with allergies. Cereals, tapioca and potatoes are excluded from the recipe for a hypoallergenic cooked meal. The feed in this series contains only dietary meats.
The following product varieties are available:
- Acana Lamb & Okanagan Apple. This food is based on lamb meat, apples, vegetables and medicinal herbs.
- Acana Duck & Bartlett Pear. As a source of protein, duck meat is used. Also, the feed contains vegetables, pears and phytocomponents.
- Acana Pork & Butternut Squash. The composition of the feed includes breeding varieties of pork, pumpkin and healthy herbs.
The above feeds are suitable for dogs of all breeds and ages. They are primarily intended for animals with food allergies.
Grainless
A distinctive feature of the Acana Regionals series of feeds is the complete absence of cereals in the composition of the products. Cereals are quite high in calories, but they are poorly digested by dogs. High energy value of the feed is achieved due to the content of meat and fruit-vegetable mixture. The concentration of carbohydrates is significantly reduced.
This series is represented by the following types of products:
- Acana Grasslands. The food has a high content of phytocomponents. Sources of protein include chicken, duck, turkey, lamb, and pike. In addition, the product includes eggs.
- Acana Pacifica. The food contains about 60% of herring, sardine, hake, flounder and sea bass fillet. This allows you to saturate the body with calories due to the high concentration of fatty acids and proteins in fish products.
- Acana Wild Prairie. The composition of the product includes chicken and turkey meat, as well as lake fish (zander, trout) and eggs.
Grainless feeds can be given to puppies aged 1.5 months and older dogs.
High protein
The Acana Heritage series is represented by a large variety of feeds. These products are characterized by a high protein content (up to 60 - 75%). The recipe is developed taking into account the age characteristics and dimensions of the animal.
In this line, special food "Akana" for puppies is produced. They contain all the beneficial substances necessary for the growing body. The choice of product depends on the breed and the expected weight of the pet in adulthood. The following types of prepared meals for puppies are produced:
- Acana Puppy Small Breed. The food is intended for cubs of small dog breeds, which in adulthood gain weight no more than 9 kg.
- Acana Puppy & Junior. The product formula is designed for puppies of medium-sized breeds. The estimated weight of an adult dog is from 9 to 25 kg.
- Acana Puppy Large Breed. This type of prepared food is suitable for puppies of large and giant breeds. As adults, these dogs reach a body weight of more than 25 kg. The food is characterized by a large amount of protein, which is necessary for the growth of large puppies.
The above types of food can be given to animals aged 1.5 months. The required daily amount of food (depending on the weight of the puppy) is indicated on the package.
In this series, feeds for adult animals are also produced. They are divided into the following varieties:
- Acana Adult Small Breed. This is a ready-made meal for adult pets whose weight does not exceed 9 kg. Akana fodder for small dogs contains chicken meat, flounder, eggs, vegetables and fruits. Such a diet allows miniature animals to maintain a stable weight and not gain excess body weight.
- Acana Adult Large Breed. The food is intended for large adult animals weighing more than 25 kg. It also contains chicken, flounder and eggs, but the protein concentration in the product is increased.
- Acana Cobb Chiken & Greens. This is a universal food suitable for adult animals of both large and small breeds.
The series also includes special types of prepared foods for adult dogs:
- Acana Ligft & Fit. This type of food is intended for obese animals. The product is created according to a special formula and contains few calories and fats. This composition allows dogs to lose weight.
- Acana Senior Dog. The product is designed for feeding older pets (over 7 years old). At this age, many dogs begin to develop senile changes in the joints. The composition of the feed includes offal and cartilage. These ingredients contain beneficial substances that have a beneficial effect on bone condition.
- Acana Sport & Agility. The feed formula is designed for moving and active animals. This product is suitable for dogs participating in sporting events. Such pets need enhanced nutrition, as they spend a lot of energy. The protein content in dry granules is increased to 75%. This food is not recommended for sedentary dogs, as it contains a lot of calories and can lead to excess weight.
Price
As already mentioned, Acana belongs to expensive high-class feeds (holistic). The price of the product depends on the weight of the bag with granules:
- 340 g - from 320 rubles;
- 2 kg - from 1300 rubles;
- 7 kg - from 3000 rubles;
- 11 kg - from 5500 rubles.
Food can be purchased at pet stores or ordered online.
The opinion of experts
Veterinarians respond positively to this line of feed. Experts believe that this product meets the needs of animals in nutrients and calories. The dog can be completely transferred to the Acana brand feed. In this case, the animal will receive everything necessary for health, activity and normal life.
Veterinarians deny the belief that high protein foods cause obesity. Dogs are predators by nature, and they need meat food. To excess weight leads to nutrition of low-quality protein feeds, which mainly use bones and offal as a source of protein. Food made from fresh meat is considered more dietary and cannot lead to weight gain.
Veterinarians speak positively about the Akana feed for small breed dogs. Experts note that this ready-made meal does not require additional consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements. The food contains enough protein that small dogs need for mobility and activity. Moreover, the product practically does not contain heavy carbohydrates, which often provoke the development of diabetes and obesity.
Positive reviews
Reviews of dog owners about this brand of feed are mostly positive. Dog breeders report that after transferring the animals to feed with Akana products, the pets became more mobile and playful. They have improved appearance and digestion. There were no cases of food allergies. Granules do not have a strong smell. However, dogs willingly eat them, as dry food emits a faint aroma of fresh meat.
Dog breeders also respond positively to the Akana feed line for puppies of different breeds. Owners report that they previously gave their pets cheap cooked food. Puppies ate such food in large quantities, but at the same time their coat condition worsened and diarrhea often occurred. The transition to feeding the products of the Akana series has led to an improvement in the condition of the hairline. The cubs became less likely to get sick, their stool returned to normal. “Akana” forage is consumed much more economically than cheap types of dog food. Indeed, for complete saturation, the animal requires a relatively small number of granules with fresh meat and fish.
Negative reviews
Negative feed reviews are rare. Owners of older dogs report symptoms of gastrointestinal upsets in pets after switching to new brands of feed. Soon after eating, the animals experienced vomiting and diarrhea.
These cases are most often associated with older dogs being fed high protein foods. This was the cause of dyspeptic disorders. It is important to remember that with age, activity in dogs decreases and the need for protein decreases. Their stomach does not cope with the digestion of large amounts of protein. Old animals should select special feeds (for example, Acana Senior Dog) designed to feed older animals.