# help and suggestions choosing a puppy food



## Camille (Feb 3, 2011)

Hey guys. I want some help with this. ive been feeding Acana small breed for a while but have been noticing esme chewing at her feet alot and only recently learnt that this might possibly be signs of allergies. I want to try feeding a grain free fish based diet to see if it works.

Also we are getting a puppy and id like to choose a slightly lower protein food as i read that high protein can cause food related hip displasia in dogs. 

I was looking at fish based foods and really like both 



Acana Pacifica
Protein .....................................33 %

Ingredients:
Salmon meal, russet potato, peas, fresh boneless salmon (source of DHA), fresh
boneless herring, herring meal, pumpkin, fresh boneless flounder, salmon oil
(preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary), ground lobster shell (natural source
of glucosamine), sun-cured alfalfa leaf, red delicious apples, carrots, turnip greens,
organic kelp, organic bladderwrack, organic dulse, juniper berries, cranberries,
Saskatoon berries, black currants, angelica root, chicory root, red clover, red raspberry
leaf, dandelion root, peppermint leaf, marigold flowers, chamomile flowers, rosemary,
Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium.
Vitamins (vit. A, vit. D3, vit. E, niacin, riboflavin, lysine, thiamine mononitrate, vit. B12,
pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin). Minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, manganese
proteinate, cobalt proteinate, copper proteinate).

Dog Food Reviews - Acana Pacifica - Powered by ReviewPost


Tase of the Wild Pacific Stream 
Crude Protein 25.0% Minimum 

Ingredients
Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canola oil, salmon meal, smoked salmon, potato fiber, natural flavor, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevesiae fermentation solubles, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Now i like the fact that TOTW has lower protein but I love the ingredients list in acana and it breaks down the ingredients on the label and shows taurine as well. But also id like lower protein for our puppy. Im not sure. maybe feed TOTW when Henry is younger then move to acana. suggestions and opinions would be very welcome.


----------



## whitepoodles (Jul 5, 2010)

Camille said:


> Hey guys. I want some help with this. ive been feeding Acana small breed for a while but have been noticing esme chewing at her feet alot and only recently learnt that this might possibly be signs of allergies. I want to try feeding a grain free fish based diet to see if it works.
> 
> Also we are getting a puppy and id like to choose a slightly lower protein food as i read that high protein can cause food related hip displasia in dogs.
> 
> ...


Hi:
I breed and exhibit my dogs. I have my dogs on both Acana Pacifica and two are on Fromm Salmon Veggies. I love both .

The 2 dogs I have on Acana Pacifica are in great health , beautiful coat texture and both rated Hips OFA Excellent. Which I attribute to food as well.
I believe you will be happy with Acana Pacifica.

I am not familiar with TOTW.. Never tried it, but I heard it is also good food.
Hope this helps


----------



## JE-UK (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm a big fan of Acana/Orijen, and TOTW is good quality as well. Maybe try both and see which your pup likes better? I really don't think you can go wrong with either. The protein level in Acana is still lower than many foods marketed for puppies.

Again, really wishing for some good long term studies on dog nutrition!


----------



## schpeckie (Jun 29, 2010)

I have my girls (7 months old) on Acana Prairie Harvest and they both love it! I am going to buy the other flavors of this brand to mix it up once in a while.


----------



## whitepoodles (Jul 5, 2010)

schpeckie said:


> I have my girls (7 months old) on Acana Prairie Harvest and they both love it! I am going to buy the other flavors of this brand to mix it up once in a while.


Acana is a great Canadian made food and very reasonably priced given you have the option of feeding Acana grain free too. It also has a fish based grain free diet with the right amount of protein not too low or too high and I do like it .

Some other foods such as Fromm which some of my dogs also are on are not grain free but all the same great food but are much more expensive (min. $10-12 more than Acana) per 30 pound bag, which to some who have multiple dog household poseses a bit of a financial concern. 

If one cant afford the high prices (in Cda.) of foods such as Fromm, etc.... which can go to $80.00 plus tax per bag, that if they use a less costly food if supplementing with home cooked food they are providing the dog with the additional nutrients that may not be part of the food they are feeding and that is ok too.

Some dog food prices are exorbitant here in Canada and high end foods can go up to $80.00 plus tax per 30 pound bag. 

If you get together with your friends and go to a pet store and offer to buy a minimum quantity of 10 plus bags, the store owner make give you a break and cut the cost down significantly.. This is what I have done. Got together with some of my clients and we get circa $13.00 less per bag.. which is great.


----------

