Ingredient #1Top
Beef
Beef is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
Label analysisGrade BListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)
Acana
Acana Highest Protein, Appalachian Ranch Recipe Dry Dog Food
Editor ingredient insight
Acana Highest Protein Appalachian Ranch stacks beef, pork, lamb, and their meals before legumes.
It is worth considering for active dogs that tolerate mixed red meats, not for allergy troubleshooting or legume-sensitive dogs.
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
01. NUTRIENT PROFILE
Key nutrients & mineral profile
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 33%Fat 17%Other 50%Other includes moisture, ash and remaining components.
Position within the same processing type
Compare protein, fat and energy density in low, typical and high bands.
Protein positionHigher
This food is on the higher side for crude protein among extruded foods.
Fat positionHigher
This food is on the higher side for crude fat among extruded foods.
Calorie densityLower
This food is on the lower side for calorie density among extruded foods. That alone does not make it a weight-management diet; check portion guidance, fat, and fiber together.
Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
Calcium1.7%
Phosphorus1.2%
Crude fiber6%
Omega-30.6%
Omega-61.8%
Undisclosed values are not treated as zero.
02. INGREDIENT QUALITY & DISCLOSURE
Disclosed ingredients & ingredient grade
The analysis uses the registered ingredients. Complete-panel coverage is not verified, so an unlisted ingredient cannot be assumed absent.
Listed ingredients
Read the listed ingredients below. Complete-panel coverage is not verified here; do not infer that an unlisted ingredient is absent.
Ingredient gradeTop Premium
Ingredient #1 · BeefTop
Fresh MeatIngredient #2 · porkTop
Fresh MeatIngredient #3 · lambTop
Fresh MeatIngredient #2Top
pork
pork is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
Ingredient #3Top
lamb
lamb is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Beef — Primary positive ingredientspork — Primary positive ingredientslamb — Primary positive ingredientslamb meal — Support positive ingredientsbeef meal — Support positive ingredientspork meal — Support positive ingredientswhole red lentils — Caution ingredientswhole pinto beans — Caution ingredientspork liver — Primary positive ingredientsbeef fat — Neutral ingredientswhole green lentils — Caution ingredientswhole chickpeas — Caution ingredientscatfish meal — Support positive ingredientspea starch — Neutral ingredientscatfish — Primary positive ingredientsfish oil — Support positive ingredientslentil fiber — Neutral ingredientsbison — Primary positive ingredientsnatural pork flavor — Support positive ingredientswhole green peas — Caution ingredientswhole yellow peas — Caution ingredientsbeef liver — Primary positive ingredientsbeef tripe — Primary positive ingredientslamb tripe — Primary positive ingredientslamb liver — Primary positive ingredientsbeef kidney — Primary positive ingredientspork kidney — Primary positive ingredientscollard greens — Neutral ingredientssalt — Neutral ingredientsdried kelp — Support positive ingredientszinc proteinate — Support positive ingredientswhole pumpkin — Neutral ingredientswhole butternut squash — Neutral ingredientswhole apples — Neutral ingredientswhole pears — Neutral ingredientsmixed tocopherols (preservative) — Neutral ingredientstaurine — Support positive ingredientsvitamin A acetate — Neutral ingredientsvitamin D3 supplement — Neutral ingredientsvitamin E supplement — Support positive ingredientsthiamine mononitrate — Neutral ingredientscalcium pantothenate — Neutral ingredientspyridoxine hydrochloride — Neutral ingredientspumpkin seeds — Neutral ingredientssunflower seeds — Neutral ingredientsfreeze-dried beef — Support positive ingredientsfreeze-dried lamb — Support positive ingredientsfreeze-dried pork — Support positive ingredientscopper proteinate — Support positive ingredientsdried chicory root — Support positive ingredientsturmeric — Neutral ingredientssarsaparilla root — Neutral ingredientsalthea root — Neutral ingredientsrosehips — Neutral ingredientsjuniper berries — Neutral ingredientscitric acid (preservative) — Neutral ingredientsrosemary extract — Neutral ingredientsdried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product — Support positive ingredientsdried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product — Support positive ingredientsdried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product. — Support positive ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide
Whole plant protein source observed early
Animal protein · Beef (#1), pork (#2), lamb (#3), lamb meal (#4), beef meal (#5), pork meal (#6), pork liver (#9), catfish meal (#13), catfish (#15), bison (#18), beef liver (#22), beef tripe (#23), lamb tripe (#24), lamb liver (#25), beef kidney (#26), pork kidney (#27), freeze-dried beef (#46), freeze-dried lamb (#47), freeze-dried pork (#48)
Plant protein · whole red lentils (#7), whole pinto beans (#8), whole green lentils (#11), whole chickpeas (#12), whole green peas (#20), whole yellow peas (#21)
The protein number may include influence from whole plant ingredients.
This is not treated like processed protein boosting, but it is worth checking.
Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
Fish oilSkin and joint support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientChicoryGut support ingredientTurmeric/curcuminAntioxidant and joint support ingredientProbioticsGut support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientEPA+DHASkin, joint, and heart support ingredientGlucosamineJoint support ingredient
03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG
What to consider before feeding
Beef, pork supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. pea starch supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.
whole red lentils, whole pinto beans contribute plant protein alongside carbohydrates and fiber further down the ingredient list. Total crude protein is not a measure of meat-derived protein alone. lentil fiber supply fiber. For stool or satiety considerations, the disclosed crude-fiber amount adds useful context beyond the ingredient's presence.
Across the registered ingredients, multiple protein sources appear, including beef, pork, lamb, catfish, bison. If a protein must be excluded, any of these sources can change the decision; the first ingredient alone does not make this a single-protein diet.
What works well in this food
- All top three ingredients are animal ingredients.
- Crude protein is on the higher side.
- Calorie density is on the lower side.
- Nutrient disclosure is broad enough to compare real numbers directly.
Check before feeding
- Phosphorus is 1.2% on the label, at or above 1%. Senior dogs or dogs with kidney concerns should have phosphorus restriction reviewed with a veterinarian before using it as a staple food.
- Whole plant protein sources can contribute to crude protein, so the animal-protein share still needs a closer read.
- Phosphorus Excess (3.52g/1000 kcal, reference ≤4.00g/1000 kcal): Approaching upper limit. Be cautious of Renal burden, impaired calcium metabolism risk.
When this food fits your dog
Among foods made the same way, protein is higher, fat is higher, and calorie density is lower. This combination is worth comparing when protein matters but a higher-calorie food is not the aim. High protein alone does not make it an active-dog-only food; judge weight changes against total daily calories. Fat is higher even though calories are not, so any fat restriction needs a separate assessment.
Consider it first when
- Your dog already eats the listed animal and plant ingredients comfortably
- You want animal ingredients first without excluding plant ingredients
Choose another food first when
- You need to exclude a listed ingredient
- You need a verified animal-protein proportion, which ingredient order alone cannot provide
Plant-protein concentration remains the clearest trade-off here.
04. COMPARE FOODS
Smart beef / lamb alternatives
Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.
05. MANUFACTURING & DISCLOSURE
Manufacturer background & public information
Acana background
Founded in 1985 in Canada.
Disclosure confidence C2
Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.
Recall information
This brand has a confirmed public recall history.
May 12, 2026