Mixing Acana and Honest Kitchen

[Wynnie & Jim]

Has anyone had any experience with mixing a small amount of Honest Kitchen in with a normal helping of Acana kibble?

[Linda And Callie]

I mix Honest Kitchen with everything, chicken, meat, Orijen. Depending on which Honest Kitchen you use, there isn't all that much protein in it so I don't see anything wrong with mixing the two. My Callie won't eat just kibble and she won't eat just Honest Kitchen so I have no choice!

[Deborah Brown]

Do you mean add water and then mix with Acana?  I'm not sure what the point is here.  Is it just to get your dog to eat the Acana?

My dogs really disliked Honest Kitchen.  I was disappointed but really - it is gross.  I wouldn't eat it either.  ;)  I make homemade dog food so I will often add a cup because that serves a dual purpose of adding extra nutrients and it absorbs the extra fluid in the crock pot.

If I were looking to give my dog's diet a boost, I think I would just add protein since the kibble is already complete.

[Linda And Callie]

My dog will eat the Honest Kitchen which I'm happy about because it does have the nutrients she needs, but again, she won't eat it alone. There are different varieties and I will admit I don't like the consistency of one or two of them. They also do have one with no protein at all so that you can add your own meat or kibble. I didn't like that one, the consistency was as if you took a bottle of dried parsley and added water. I'm just happy she will eat the Honest Kitchen because she is extremely fussy. If you're worried about nutrients the kibble should be complete, but if you have a fussy eater you might want to consider ordering the samples of Honest Kitchen to see which one suits your dog.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wouldn't mix kibble with Honest Kitchen. As Deb asked, what's the point? 

Many people add fresh meats to HK to boost the protein content, but adding it to kibble doesn't make sense to me. There are all kinds of easy toppers to use if your dog doesn't like the kibble alone. I don't necessarily recommend doing that, but it makes more sense than adding a very expensive dehydrated raw food.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

We have a 70 lb 7 year old Goldendoodle who had an autoimmune disease rear it's ugly head when she was 4 years old.  We aggressively treated it for one year and for the last two years she has been in remission.  From that time on we have been giving GracieDoodle 1/2c Acana Grasslands, 1/2c Honest Kitchen Embark and topped with 1c cut green beans twice a day (also an Omega 3 and probiotics added).  She "loves" her meal and savors every bite...often going back to her bowl and licking up every last remnant of the Honest Kitchen.  The only treats we give her are also made by Honest Kitchen...Pecks, Smoochies and Nuzzles!  Again, she loves them!  All I can say is that this works for us and GracieDoodle and she is a very happy, healthy, active and very loved Doodle.  Her weight never fluctuates and she doesn't get any treats given by others. I got so tired of reading labels, questioning the ingredients and where it was manufactured that once we got the right stuff, we have never varied from it.  Her food is safe, healthy and it 100% works for her!  Gracie has never had any health problems other than the Masticatory Myositis autoimmune problem...zero skin problems, poop problems, digestive or other wise. This is just my opinion and all I can say is that adding the Honest Kitchen Embark made her day!! 

[Linda And Callie]

I have to agree Embark is the best one. I've tried all the grain free ones and I think Embark has the best consistency. Have you tried their Beams dried catfish skins? Caliie loves them but they smell to high heaven!

[Wynnie & Jim]

A big thank you to all of you that replied. Wynnie started out on Acana Wild Prairie but at the age of 6 months began to turn her nose up at it. I tried Karen's advice but she simple refused to eat. I tried Fromm's, and many of the wet foods recommended by the Food Group but they were all no go. The other night, I mixed about 1 once of minced leftover strip steak into her Ranchlands Acana and she Hoovered it. I know topping are a bad way to go as many have noted on this site. So I am in a quandary and your comments were all very helpful.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Just a thought...when GracieDoodle was a pup and I was not yet a member of DK, she ate like a little piggy and then one day less than a year old, she started turning her nose up at her food.  At that time she was a free feeder and could care less about breakfast.  She would then eat it around 3 in the afternoon but always ate her dinner.  My husband was thinking like a man (human) and decided she need variety and was bringing home different dog kibble every week.  That is when I hooked up with DK and Karen on the Food Group and got things under control.  At that time we were not aware of all the chemicals, products from China and all.  We were totally ignorant about dog nutrition and health.  I really think that as the puppies go through growth spurts they will eat and not eat.  Our vet was not worried about Gracie not eating from time to time or the fact that she no longer inhaled her food. Eventually, with the right combination they all seem to come back around and enjoy their meals.  I didn't want to get into the "human" food additive only because I was lazy about wanting to prepare it every night and also, I didn't want Gracie relating to human food.  We had a Lab before her that was an anything goes dog thanks to my DH.  He fed him everything off the table.  He was so annoying!  After that when we got Graciedoodle my one point that I stood and still stand firmly on is no human food...other than her green beans. We started these when her weight started to fluctuate while on Prednisone and they are said to be great for helping lose weight with dogs.  Gracie just plain ol' loves them so they are now the topping on her food.  What is the best of all...because of no human food she doesn't sit at the dinner table and drool or beg nor does she stalk you when you are eating.  Though I must admit, with the addition to a grandchild and a highchair, she does become a Hoover vacuum and sits right next to the toddler when she is eating...ha ha!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's not human food that causes the hanging around when people are eating, begging, etc, it's how, when and where the dog gets the human food. If you only ever give it to them in their own dish, at their own scheduled mealtimes, it doesn't create as problem. 

Before JD was diagnosed with the IBD, he got a small portion of whatever animal protein I was eating for dinner (minus seasonings, sauces, etc) at least 4 times a week. He never begged at the table or anywhere else. It's "sharing" whatever you are eating with the dog while you are eating it, handing it to them from the table, your plate, the bowl in your lap while you watch TV, the kitchen counter, etc that causes the begging. :)

[Wynnie & Jim]

Karen, I agree with you on human food only in the puppy's bowl. My DW, to her credit, has insisted on no human food even during a weekend cocktail party with friends. Cheeses, etc are on low tables and Wynnie has great "impulse control" and will not touch them. During dinner with friends, she sleeps under the table and is really good. No begging...God help us, if we ever feed her from the table, she would be impossible. She is a sweet little mini doodle.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Wynnie sounds a lot like JD. Guests are always very impressed that the 80 pound dog is nose level with cheese trays and doesn't even try, lol. :) 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The Acana Regionals line is designed to be rotated from one formula to another. Many people buy a different formula with each new bag. That helps keep the dog interested and also provides variety.