Food Formula Change

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

I know several of you are currently using either the Orijen or ACANA line to feed your doods. In the last couple of weeks there has been a change to two of the ACANA formulas, I have not noted any issues but wanted to be sure to pass the information along. Duck has been added to the Grasslands and Prarie formulas. Additionally the Grasslands is no longer only sweet potato, but has added russet potato =(. Here is an email I received from the company when I inquired about it:

Hello Dianne:

We did a slight change in the ACANA Grassland Formula at the beginning of September. Fresh Lamb became the first ingredient, we also added Fresh Duck to the formula. As dogs are opportunistic carnivores we wanted multiple protein sources in our formula. I have passed your comments on to our nutritionist regarding the potato and will send you his answer as soon as I receive it.
Hope your having a great day.
Clark

-----Original Message-----
From: Trinity Doodles [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 11:11 AM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Change of ingredients in ACANA line?

Hi Clark,

We spoke on the phone a couple of weeks ago regarding the email I sent to you in which Diamond implicated in a letter sent to a consumer that there is ethoxyquin in Orijen's food. I also sent you the link to that forum.
Last Saturday as I was looking at the packaging on the ACANA foods in Kim Sannella's store in Florida ~ Murphy's, I noticed there had been ingredient changes with the addition of duck. Can you please tell me when this change was implemented? Are there any plans to introduce a formula to replace the original grasslands formula with less protein sources and even more importantly sweet potato only as opposed to russet and sweet potato? The grasslands formula has always been our preferred ace in the hole for all of the dogs who are experiencing yeasty ears or any other yeast issues. The environment here is especially condusive to yeasty conditions and sweet potato is much more preferred by us due to the slower rate it turns to sugar as compared with white potato. Please, please tell me this is something you are still considering otherwise we are left with only one other brand's formula to address this and I would much prefer to be recommending ACANA in consultations to our clients.

Sincerely,

Dianne
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dianne Carter
Trinity Doodles
http://www.trinitydoodles.com
[e-mail]
321-277-3110

*** If you have not followed any of the food group discussions you may want to check it out or drop me a line of what food you are using if you have any concerns over its role in any of the major develpments coming to light in the pet food industry.

[Beth & Piper]

Wow! I just last week picked up a trail bag of both the Grasslands as well as the Pacifica to try with my 20 week old puppy. The grassland bag does not show the change in the formula, so I will assume this is still the old formula. I just checked the Acana site and the pdf for Grasslands also still shows the current/old formula. I don't like when what is online or on the bag is not the same as what is IN the bag. I hope they update their web information ASAP.

Changing the first ingredient to fresh meat instead of meal is a downgrade to me. Any idea if the nutritional information is the same; what is the guaranteed analysis now? I know companies change formula's, I just would like consumers to be aware of it before they buy the bag; either a sticker added to the front of the bag or something printed in large letters on the front. When there are so many dogs with food allergies, it might make a huge difference to someone that the formula they have been buying now has duck, or white potatoes added.

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

Actually one kudo to them is that the formula change & new packaging reflecting that came at the same time. By law, in the U.S. anyhow, they have up to 6 months to change the packaging and ingredients list AFTER they change the formula. Several years ago this killed the reputation of Canidae with a lot of breeders, some dogs got VERY sick, the food was never considered the culprit because by all appearances it was the same.

I have a bag of the new formula so lets take a look at the analysis:
New/Old
Crude Protein 32% 33%
Crude Fat 18% 17%
Crude Fiber 3.5% 3.5%
Moisture 10%/ ?
Calcium Min 2% 1.8 listed for calcium, not broke down
Calcium Max 2.2%/?
Phosphorus Min 1.2% 1.2%
Phosphorus Max 1.4%/?
Omega-6 2.8% 2.2%
Omega-3 0.6% 0.4%
DHA 0.4%/?
EPA 0.1%/?
NFE (carbohydrate max) 28% 28%
Glucosamine 900 mg/kg 800 mg/kg
Chrondrotin 700 mg/kg 500 mg/kg
Microorganisms 120M cfu/kg

[Sally, Echo and Emmi]

Good morning,Dianne!
Other than the white potato, which to me is not a great move, what other issues do you have with the Grasslands changes? Is fresh meat a downgrade from a meal? Do you know if there are any Orijen changes? I don't know how you stay on top of it all! I especially appreciate your close relationships with actual people from these companies so they have to answer to someone they know by name...awesome.
Enjoy your day!

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

Morning! Or at least it was when I started (doodles calling me away =), no wonder I always find a gazillion messages in my 'drafts' folder that in my mind I finished and sent, yet there they are awaiting my closing words! Honestly as it has had no impact on our doodles here having just completed bag 1 of the new formula I do not have an issue with the formula change. My wish list however yearns for them to offer a formula that uses only sweet potato, you and I have spoke of this before so it would be redundant to explain again. The website says new formulas coming soon, which may only be refering to the changes I have already stated, we'll see. Also in this instance I do not see the fresh meat as a down grade, it only knocked the protein 1% and they have plenty of additional meals within. Give that Echo boy and yourself a big hug from us.

[Sally, Echo and Emmi]

Thanks Dianne, as always I don't know what I would do without you and your knowledge!!

[Beth & Piper]

I am glad to know the packaging was changed at the time the formula was changed. I was aware that companies were given 6 months to show the change, so bravo to Champion for taking care of that in advance. I do remember the Canidae change very well.

It doesn't look like the formula change has made too big of a difference, and for that I am glad. People have been so happy with Acana and Orijen that I would hate to see what happened to Canidae happen to Champion. I have decided on Pacifica at the moment and I have not purchased a large bag yet, only the trial bags. I am going today to buy a larger bag for the first time. I have a very nice store near me that gave me the trial bags for no charge; not that they are expensive, but it made good business sense; guess where I will be purchasing all my dog food from now on??

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

Make sure you save your upc's AND receipt ~ Champion offers a frequent buyer program, buy 12 (any flavor, mix and match with Orijen and ACANA) SAME SIZE bags and get the 13th free. I have heard many state their food store does not offer this, it is NOT a store program, it is a Champion program. Remember your food providers learn from you also, the learning while you are there is a 2 way street and allows the really GOOD stores to identify common threads in regards to benefits or issues. I have found that it is on this level where I learn most as I am able to pull together what I have researched on my own with feedback based on experience from furkid parents. While 1 day off a week is exhausting sometimes I would not trade it, since beginning to help with consultations in my friends store on Sats. I cannot begin to tell you how much more I have been able to piece together.

I think the Pacifica is a good sound choice. I do not think you will have to worry about fishy odor because the fish in this formula is much milder than in the previous formula you used. Fish is also the easiest protein to digest.

BTW, thanks for joining our family that makes you an official 'adoptee', welcome!

P.S. Three of our pups reside in Georgia also ~ Zeke of Susan, Zeke and Lily in Rossville
and Sandy and Skipper residing with their family in St. Simon Island.

[Beth & Piper]

Thanks for the welcome; I like the sound of being an adoptee!!

I am in Atlanta and there are doodles everywhere! I remember when we got Piper 6 years ago, no one had heard of a goldendoodle or labradoodle; now when people see Piper that say, oh it's a goldendoodle!! Because Bailey is black and flat, straight coated, people assume he is a lab.