With the new price increase I'm being priced out of Orijen/Acana. Suggestions?

[Melissa]

We just had another price increase in Acana and Orijen foods.  Most Acana is running about $85 a bag for Regionals, and Orijen is now $90 for Original and $110 and up a bag for the other flavors.  I'm not sure if the Heritage line is worth it or if I should be looking for another food altogether.  (The only Heritage I like is the Sport and Agility but it isn't available in the US.)  I'm depressed because I've fed these food for three years, (Acana was $67 a bag when I started) but with three dogs it's just becoming too expensive with these constant increases.  Is anyone else in this predicament?  Suggestions?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You could check pricing on Zignature, Wellness CORE line, Nature's Variety Instinct line, and Wild Calling. These are grain-free and have similar nutritional profiles. Be sure to check feeding amounts, as if you have to feed more, it may not save you any money. 

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Zignature has quite a few flavors that are $59.99 for 27 lbs. The also have Kangaroo and Venison which have a higher cost.

[charlotte bednarsh]

Karen, I followed your suggestion about switching Atticus from Orijen to Zignature and the results have been wonderful.   For whatever reason, Atticus could not tolerate Orijen...his stools were soft and he had diarrhea.  The minute I followed your advice and switched to Zignature, the improvement was immediate.  If Zignature is cheaper than Orijen, I highly recommend giving it a try.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'd guess the higher fat content in the Orijen was to blame. Higher fat foods do tend to cause loose stools in some dogs. I'm glad Atticus is doing well with Zignature.

[Melissa]

So the thought is that these are better than the Heritage line, correct?  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's not that they are "better". Acana's Heritage line is just fine, and in fact has a nutritional profile very similar to most of the Zignature formulas. I just thought you were looking for brand options other than Champion.

[DonMarie and Picco]

I feed Earthborn Holistic (meadow feast - lamb) and am happy with the price - usually around $50 for 28lbs.  Grain free.

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

I switched my 3 from Orijen to Canidae Grain Free Pure. Their "Sea" version is similar to Orijen Six Fish and is $56 a bag on Chewy. 

[Melissa]

Thank you very much for the replies!  The household has come down with the flu, so it may be a little bit before I can spend time researching these options.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

We have been using Zignature Kangaroo for almost a year now, and both are doing well on it.  We have been ordering on Chewy too. I thought I heard that PetSmart had bought out Chewy, but the service has still been very good and they continue to carry Zignature.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

One word of caution about feeding more "exotic" proteins like kangaroo, rabbit, and even venison:

In the event that a dog develops a digestive disease like Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or a true food allergy, you will need a food that contains a single "novel" protein that the dog has never eaten before, and therefore cannot have developed an immune response to that protein. Since we know of several doodles who have had these health issues, you always want to have a couple of proteins that you keep in reserve and never feed in any form, including treats, just in case. So it's best to stick with the more common proteins like lamb, turkey, salmon, etc. and don't give your dogs the "exotic" proteins unless you have to. It doesn't matter which ones you "reserve"; but reserve something.