We took the two girls to the vet last week to get their microchips implanted. Foster Dad thought it was hilarious that when we walked into our vet office, Georgia waltzed in there like she owned the place… and of course, every staff member and veterinarian (even those attending to other patients!) came over to love on her and give her some treats. She really was like a celebrity! Of course, she soaked up all the attention like it was routine… why wouldn’t everyone adore her?? haha She is such a cutie pie.
These two have become so dependent upon one another.
Conversely, poor Gaige did not get much attention, but after thinking for a bit, we realized that in the time we’ve had her (about 1.5 years, considering that she is about 2) she has only been to the vet for routine work. This was probably only her second or third visit in that time. (As opposed to Georgia, who has been there for two separate rounds of shots, as well as skin and digestive issues.) We began to realize that before Georgia, we rarely had to make visits to the vet, aside from routine inoculations, etc. We came to the conclusion that perhaps this was, in part, due to the high-quality food we feed. Some may argue that it is because all of our pets are ‘mixed breeds,’ which we believe to be a contributing factor, but we are very happy with the brand of food that we have selected.
We used to feed a Purina One variety that was formulated for sensitive systems and allergies, but after more thorough research (which included a course at Penn State called An Sc 405: Advanced Canine Nutrition… best. class. ever!) we felt that it would be worth the investment to select a higher quality brand. We try to regulate ourselves to a reasonably healthy diet, so why shouldn’t we want the same for our pets?
While on various brands of mid-grade dog food, Tonka would experience hives. Georgia went through extensive issues with hair loss, rashes, and general itchiness. After some personal recommendations through other pet owners, as well as online research, we selected Acana Grasslands, which is made by Champion Petfoods. It is a grain-free, dry kibble, with no water added, and it is composed 60% of meats and poultry. Acana abides by a “biologically-appropriate” philosophy, and brings this approach to production of high quality pet foods. Perhaps most importantly, they never outsource their ingredients or production, allowing them to maintain control over the quality of their product and the authenticity of its composition. You can have more confidence in the meals you are giving your pet, without worrying about recalls or poisons. All issues seen previously in our dogs’ coats have not only dissipated, but their coats now gleam with health, their weight is more ideal, and they are more eager to eat than ever.
While one bag of this food is almost twice what we spent previously, we have found that this switch is actually more economical, because we feed less than half of the amount we were used to feeding, so the bags last much longer. The Acana foods provide more concentrated sources of nutrients, and therefore go further. They are more efficient, meaning they include less fillers and by-products, which results in less waste for you to clean up in the yard! Our dogs actually enjoy this food so much, that we can use it as quick treats. They run to their kennels when it is time for breakfast or dinner, and asking ‘Are you hungry?’ is about the best recall cue we could offer!
Many canine nutrition experts will advise that you research your dog food brands on Dog Food Advisor. We were pleased to discover that Acana receives a rare 5 out of 5 stars on this site! Try to find your food on this site… where does it rank? Have you tried Acana, or is there another food that you love? Tell us about it! If you are considering a switch to Acana, please read the detailed analysis and review, found on Dog Food Advisor here.
Acana is in no way requesting or compensating us for this review. We just found a great product and would love to share it with all of you!
( I didn’t take a single one of these pictures… I stole them all from Morgan’s fb page. Oops… probably should have asked first, but that would have ruined the surprise, right? Sorry, Morgan! haha Aren’t they just adorable?!)
