Label analysisGrade BKibble (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. I would use it for active dogs that tolerate mixed red meats, not for allergy troubleshooting or legume-sensitive dogs.

Logic-based verdict

This food can stay in comparison, but ingredient quality still needs a more conservative read.

Manufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Protein source

Ingredient 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 ingredients

Nutrient guide

Fish oil

Skin and joint support ingredient

Taurine

Heart support ingredient

Chicory

Gut support ingredient

Turmeric/curcumin

Antioxidant and joint support ingredient

Probiotics

Gut support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

EPA+DHA

Skin, joint, and heart support ingredient

Glucosamine

Joint support ingredient

View full ingredients
Top premium

Ingredient grade

A+

Grade A+

Top ingredient profile

Beef
pork
lamb
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
Crude protein33%
Crude protein33%
Crude fat17%
Other 50%

Calcium

1.7%

Phosphorus

1.2%

Protein position, fat position, and calorie density position are relative to foods in the same processing type cohort.

biotechProtein position
Higher
query_statsFat position
Higher
local_fire_departmentCalorie density
Lower

There is enough public data to keep this food in comparison, but the top ingredient structure does not support a stronger positive claim yet.

Nutritional strengths

  • 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.

What still needs work

  • 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 sits near the upper end of the preferred range, so a more conservative read makes sense.

Alternative foods

Smart beef / lamb alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

14 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Other recipes from the same brand

Other recipes from the same brand with a different purpose or feeding target.

Acana

Highest Protein Wild Prairie

All life stages · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Acana

Highest Protein, Wild Atlantic Recipe Dry Dog Food

All life stages · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Acana

Adult Dog Recipe

Adult · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Acana

Adult Large Breed Recipe

Adult · Large breed

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

3.5/5

Grade B

Brand context

Brand background availableRecall history confirmed

Founded in 1985 in Canada. This brand has a confirmed public recall history.

Ingredient analysis

The top ingredients give this recipe a strong first protein read, so the ingredient section starts from a favorable position.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

A+6/6
Ingredient Grade
Top Premium
1Beef
Fresh Meat · Top
2pork
Fresh Meat · Top
3lamb
Fresh Meat · Top

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Beef is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •pork is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •lamb is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
restaurantIngredient Grade A+Top Premium

Full collected ingredient list

60 ingredients
Beefporklamblamb mealbeef mealpork mealwhole red lentilswhole pinto beanspork liverbeef fatwhole green lentilswhole chickpeascatfish mealpea starchcatfishfish oillentil fiberbisonnatural pork flavorwhole green peaswhole yellow peasbeef liverbeef tripelamb tripelamb liverbeef kidneypork kidneycollard greenssaltdried kelpzinc proteinatewhole pumpkinwhole butternut squashwhole appleswhole pearsmixed tocopherols (preservative)taurinevitamin A acetatevitamin D3 supplementvitamin E supplementthiamine mononitratecalcium pantothenatepyridoxine hydrochloridepumpkin seedssunflower seedsfreeze-dried beeffreeze-dried lambfreeze-dried porkcopper proteinatedried chicory rootturmericsarsaparilla rootalthea rootrosehipsjuniper berriescitric acid (preservative)rosemary extractdried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation productdried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation productdried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product.
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
Alternative protein
Neutral ingredients
Caution ingredients
High-caution ingredients

Why did the base review land here?

Ingredient qualityNutrient disclosure levelManufacturing & trust

This review score combines ingredient composition, nutrient disclosure, manufacturing trust, and core nutrient caution signals.

Nutrient disclosure

Partial disclosure

Core guaranteed analysis is usable, but deeper rows still need a more cautious read.

Safety verification

1 warnings

There is no immediate hard stop here, but a few caution rows are still worth checking.

Public data trust (ETF)

C2 tier

Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.

Final word

This is a credible shortlist food, but the personalized step is where the final order should be decided.

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