Feeding Acana, question on how much

[debbie stevenson]

I am in the process of slowly transitioning from Nutro to the acana applachian Ranch. it is going well she loves it. however I am just not real clear on how much I should be feeding her when she is totally on this. she is 10 months old. and probably weighs 35 lbs I don;t think she is in the 40 lb range yet. The feeding instructions go from 22 lbs, then to 44 lbs on the bag. Anyone else using this or can give me some direction. I am doing 50/50 right now 50 of old, 50 new. giving her about 2 1/4- cups a day.

I do put a rounded tsp of wet food on top. I certainly don;t want to feed her too much. she cleans it up and looks like she wants more. I do give her a little extra. not much. Everyone on here is so helpful. thank you.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Unfortunately, unless the Nutro has the exact same calorie content as the Acana, feeding half and half is not the right way to do it. She may be getting too many calories that way. 

Since she is about midway between the weights listed in the feeding amounts, I would go with the amount that is also midway between them. If a 22 lb dog should be getting 1.5 cups per day and a 44 lb dog should be getting 2.5 cups per day, then a 33 lb dog should be getting 2 cups per day. If she's between 33 and 44 lbs, give her 2 and a quarter cups. 

Transitioning between two different foods really should never be drawn out more than a week. If you're at a 50/50 mix right now, feed her half of the amount she should be getting of the Nutro and about a cup and an eighth of the Acana per day. If you've been transitioning more than a week, I';d just go 100% Acana at this point. 

What kind of wet food are you using? 

[debbie stevenson]

I am using zignature duck formula right now. used walk about goat recipe recently. 

so I could just go to 100 per cent acana tomorrow? I would rather because I am almost out of the other. she seems to be doing well. no issues. and 2 cups is what I am hearing you say?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, I'd just go to 100% Acana, try 2 cups a day to start and if she seems to be looking for more food, you can go to 2 and a quarter cups per day. 

You also want to try to keep some proteins in reserve and not expose her to every one available. The Acana formula contains beef, pork, lamb, bison and catfish. Then you're giving her wet food that is duck, and previously, she had goat. We know she's had chicken in the past. The issue with exposing her to so many different proteins is that down the road, she might possibly develop a sensitivity or worse, and in those cases, you need to feed a "novel" protein, one that she has never had before. (It's impossible to be allergic to something you've never been exposed to.) Some of us here have dogs with serious digestive diseases which require novel protein diets. While I sure hope that never happens with your dog, it is a possibility, and then what could you feed her? So try not to keep introducing more new proteins and keep some in reserve, just in case. 

[debbie stevenson]

so should I go with a different acana? or keep her with this one? I really was looking for one that was more single protein without chicken but that seems to be hard to find. I will stop the wet food.  unless it is something she had before? thank you so much.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wouldn't switch to anything else now, I would just not add anything new. Just for future reference, Acana 's Singles line are single protein formulas without chicken. It's their LID (limited ingredient diet) line. We list the lines that way on our recommended brands list. 

[debbie stevenson]

today I gave her just the Acana, 1 cup this am. this afternoon she has been restless and going to where the food is kept. her first feeding is usually between 630-7am, then I feed her again early evening by 5. today she just acts starved. I even gave some kibble as treats. how do you usually feed ? I always thought twice a day since I will not be home to feed in afternoon. Since this is grain free does it not stay with them as long as what she has been eating? She has never really cared about her food lol

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd say maybe she seems to be looking for more food because she really likes it. You can try increasing it to a cup and an eighth twice a day. 

I feed twice a day, breakfast and dinner, as do the majority of adult dog owners here. 

Grain free foods contain less filler, and more of the nutrients are absorbed, so if anything, they 'stay with them" longer.