Label analysisGrade BKibble (Extruded)

Acana

Acana Puppy Small Breed Recipe

Name: Acana Puppy Small Breed Recipe
Brand: Acana
SKU: 1901

Editor ingredient insight

Acana Puppy Small Breed leads with fresh chicken, chicken meal, lentils, peas, chicken organs, chicken fat, turkey meal, eggs, and fish. I would use it for small active puppies that tolerate chicken and legumes, not for allergy troubleshooting.

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 source plus processed protein support

Animal protein

Fresh Chicken (18%) (#1), Chicken (18%) (#2), Turkey (4%) (#7), Herring (4%) (#10)

The top-3 whole plant source is a possibility signal, while the later processed plant protein is a clear protein-support signal.

Because both possible and clear plant-protein signals appear, the protein number is read conservatively.

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide

Chicory

Gut support ingredient

Cranberry

Urinary support ingredient

Turmeric/curcumin

Antioxidant and joint support ingredient

Milk thistle

Liver support ingredient

Omega-3

Skin and joint support ingredient

Omega-6

Skin and coat support ingredient

EPA+DHA

Skin, joint, and heart support ingredient

Vitamin E

Antioxidant and skin support ingredient

View full ingredients

Solid build

Ingredient grade

Grade B

Top ingredient profile

Fresh Chicken (18%)

Chicken (18%)

Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present

Top ingredient profile

Fresh Chicken (18%)

Chicken (18%)

Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present

Crude protein33%

Crude fat20%

Other 47%

Calcium

1.5%

Phosphorus

1.1%

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

Typical

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

The first two ingredients are both species-named animal ingredients.
Crude protein is on the higher side.
Nutrient disclosure is broad enough to compare real numbers directly.

What still needs work

Phosphorus is 1.1% 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.
Fresh meat carries a moisture variable, and processed plant protein adds a clearer protein-support signal. The crude-protein number should not be read as purely meat protein.
Whole plant ingredients and later processed plant protein both appear, so the crude-protein number should be read conservatively.

Alternative foods

Smart chicken alternatives

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

86 alternativesKibble (Extruded) · protein type/family cohort

Ingredient-score upgrade pick

Candidates in a similar lane with a stronger score profile

Rawz

Meal Free Dry Dog Food Salmon, Chicken & Whitefish

Label score

5.0/5

Grade

Grade A

Protein

40%

Its primary protein source is also chicken and is worth comparing from the label-first view.

All life stages · All sizes

Brit

Care Dog Grain-free Puppy Salmon

Label score

5.0/5

Grade

Grade A

Protein

30%

High nutrient disclosure

Its primary protein source is also chicken and is worth comparing from the label-first view.

Puppy · All sizes

Rawz

Meal Free Dry Dog Food Chicken, Turkey & Chicken

Label score

5.0/5

Grade

Grade A

Protein

40%

Its primary protein source is also chicken and is worth comparing from the label-first view.

All life stages · All sizes

Alleva

Holistic Chicken & Duck + Aloe Vera & Ginseng Medium

Label score

5.0/5

Grade

Grade A

Protein

36%

Its primary protein source is also chicken and is worth comparing from the label-first view.

All life stages · Medium breed

Alleva

Holistic Chicken & Duck + Aloe Vera & Ginseng Mini

Label score

5.0/5

Grade

Grade A

Protein

37%

Its primary protein source is also chicken and is worth comparing from the label-first view.

All life stages · Small breed

Primal

Kibble In The Raw Chicken

Label score

5.0/5

Grade

Grade A

Protein

31.29%

Its primary protein source is also chicken and is worth comparing from the label-first view.

Adult

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

Highest Protein, Appalachian Ranch Recipe Dry Dog Food

All life stages · All sizes

Plant-protein boosted

Label score

4.0/5

Grade B

Acana

Adult Small Breed Recipe

Adult · Small 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

Ingredient Grade

Good

1Fresh Chicken (18%)

Fresh Meat · Top

2Chicken (18%)

Fresh Meat · Top

3통적렌틸콩

Whole Plant Protein · Lower

Ingredient Analysis Comments

•Fresh Chicken (18%) is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
•Chicken (18%) is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
•통적렌틸콩 is a whole plant-protein ingredient. It is not a processed protein concentrate, but when it appears near the top it can still weaken the animal-protein-led structure. It reads as an lower-tier plant protein booster.

restaurantIngredient Grade BGood

Full collected ingredient list

39 ingredients

Fresh Chicken (18%)Chicken (18%)통적렌틸콩통완두콩신선한 닭고기 내장(간, 심장)(7%)Chicken Fat (7%)Turkey (4%)계란(4%)생 가자미류(4%)Herring (4%)피쉬 오일(3%)통녹렌틸콩통병아리콩통노란완두콩완두콩 섬유질완두콩녹말생 칠면조 간(1%)소금말린 해조류신선한 통호박신선한 통땅콩호박신선한 통당근신선한 통사과신선한 통배신선한 통주키니말린 치커리 뿌리신선한 케일신선한 시금치신선한 순무 그린신선한 비트 그린신선한 통크랜베리신선한 통블루베리신선한 통새스커툰 베리TurmericMilk ThistleBurdock RootLavender마시멜로우 뿌리Rosehips

Primary positive ingredients

Support positive ingredients

Alternative protein

Neutral ingredients

Caution ingredients

High-caution ingredients

Why processed plant proteins are reviewed cautiously

Ingredient lists are ordered by input weight, not protein contribution. Fresh meat 100g and Soybean Meal 50g can both contribute about 20g of protein, and Pea Protein can deliver a similar amount at around 30g. So these ingredients can materially lift crude protein even outside the top three. The review treats processed plant-protein boosters cautiously because they can weaken the animal-protein-centered profile most guardians expect from a high-protein food.

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

No fails

No major red flag jumps out first, though undisclosed rows still define the limits of this safety read.

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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