Acana Grasslands

[Terri]

Hi all,

I'm currently using Solid Gold Hund N Flockn. I love it but it is getting harder to come by. New pet market opened up close by that sells a ton of high end foods. She can order my food, but sometimes planning ahead isn't my strength...so I run out before I remember to have her order it. I was thinking about going grain free anyway. My cooper has a sensitive tummy, for sure. I was thinking about the Acana Grasslands since it is lamb/fish based like the Hund N Flockn. Anybody have input on this food. I bought a small bag to see if Cooper likes it, and it is a hit. Currently using it as treats and mixing a teeny bit into his food to see how his tummy handles it. Its expensive, but Cooper will be eating less of it, so it is pretty much a wash. Other choices in the pet market are:

TOTW
Orijen
Fromms
California Natural

I leaned toward Acana Grasslands because of the mix of lamb and fish.

Terri

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Dianne Carter, of Trinity Doodles, who researches dog foods extensively and advises us here, is a big fan of Acana Grasslands. It is an excellent food.
However, the Solid Gold you are currently feeding is an excellent food also, as are the others you listed here. You really can't go wrong with any of them.
When it comes to grains, they sometimes get an undeservedly bad rap, depending on what kinds they are. Corn and wheat should be avoided, but barley, oatmeal, brown rice, and millet can be very nutritious if they don't make up too great a percentage of the diet. For dogs who tend to be "chow hounds", some of these nutritious carbohydrates can literally act as fillers to help those dogs feel satisfied. My own dog gets very loose stools and other digestive upsets unless his food contains some rice. Each dog is different, what causes loose poop in one dog will correct it in another. You find out over time what works best for yours.
We also strongly believe in rotating kibbles regularly, so you don't have to choose just one. Some of the brands are designed to be rotated between flavors, like Fromm and Nature's variety. You can feed lamb this time, salmon the next, and venison the time after that.
Hope this helps. Have fun experimenting!

[Terri]

Once I switch over to Acana...then do I have to gradually rotate? I've always thought you have to VERY slowly switch over if you are changing foods. Do you just switch when you run out, or slowly mix in the new flavor?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Cheryl's experience is what most of us have found; once the dog is accustomed to eating a high qulity diet, there really is no adjustment period when switching to a new food, especially if the ingredients are similar. Puppies are more sensitive, though, so it's probably a good idea to switch slowly with puppies until their digestive systems mature.
I keep two different kibbles on hand, and feed either one without any set pattern. If Jack doesn't seem interested in his Fromm's for a few days in a row, I'll give him NV Prairie for a couple of meals. Or I'll feed one in the a.m. and the other at dinner. I am limited to buying kibble in smaller quantities because of Jack's allergies to storage mites, so I can do this without the food becoming stale. If you buy in larger bags to save money, then most people buy a different food every bag.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You also don't have to switch foods, and there are many people who don't. But there are several advantages to changing foods at least once in awhile...your dog is less likely to develop allergies if fed a variety of foods, and you will have an alternative if there should be a formula change, a discontinued food, or a recall.

[3iwe1z4z14fov]

Terri, I think that their are lots of high quality food on the market and I have tried several. I think that its a good idea to change diet every now and then anyway as who wants to eat the same thing day in and day out. As long as you do the switch gradually and stick with the higher quality foods. I am feeding Innova now but getting ready to try the Evo. I spoke with my vet about the Evo being higher in protein and he said it would be fine, that is as long as your pet is healthy.

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

Hi Terri! LOVE ACANA! Plus they have a frequent buyers program, buy 12 get one free - that is like getting a $60.00 coupon! We rotate through the flavors including a few of the Orijen with ease. The prarie is the most economical at $10 - $15 less a bag. As Karen mentioned I am especially fond of the Grasslands formula, several times a year the environmental conditions are just so that they favor an additional reaction and a couple of my girls get ultra yeasty ears. This is NOT an allergy, but they seem especially vulnerable to ingredients that break down to sugar (hence feeding yeast) quickly, this includes corn and one of ours even reacts this way to barley. Normally the white potato in the ACANA fish and prarie is fine but when the rest of the 'stars line up' it is problematic and we just stay on the grasslands for a little while til it passes. If you have any other questions I might be able to help you with just holler, I am a little spread out right now as I am just now getting back into the swing of things after 4 weeks of restrictions from a broken rib but I do pop in. If you need a faster response feel free to drop a line to [e-mail]. Good luck!

[Jackie]

I switch Beckett and I've used Innova and am now using Fromm. Beckett loves it. I'm not sure witch to switch to next. I was leaning towards TOTW, Natures Variety, or Acana. Let me know which you really like if you do start switching foods.

[Terri]

So far, Cooper LOVES the Acana Grasslands. I'm giving him his regular 1.5 cups of Solid Gold in the morning, and working in about .5 cup of the Acana (have a lot of Solid Gold left still). As much as he loves the SG, he is loving the variety of a new food. He picks out every last morsel of the Acana first...its hysterical. Something I really like in the Acana is the probiotics. I give him yogurt every morning which really helps his sensitive tummy. So probiotics is a good thing for him! No problems with his tummy so far, so I think he can handle the switching between foods if I do it slowly.