Back to all foods/Acana
Public ReviewGrade CKibble (Extruded)Manufacturing: Kibble (Extruded)

Acana

Acana Puppy Small Breed Recipe Dog Food

3.0★Public ScoreManufacturer-independentPublic-data basedIngredients · nutrition · safety

Key points

Protein source

Moderate caution

Whole plant protein source in the top 3

Top 3: Fresh chicken, chicken meal, whole red lentils

The crude protein number may include influence from whole plant ingredients.

This is not the same as processed protein boosting, but it is not purely meat-led.

Ingredient guide

Included support ingredients

Nutrient guide
Fish oilSkin and joint support ingredientChicoryGut support ingredientCranberryUrinary support ingredientTurmeric/curcuminAntioxidant and joint support ingredientMilk thistleLiver support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientEPA+DHASkin, joint, and heart support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
Needs context

Ingredient grade

C

Grade C

Top ingredient profile

Fresh chicken
chicken meal
whole red lentils
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
Crude protein33%
Crude protein33%
Crude fat20%
Other 47%

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

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

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 ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • 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. When whole plant protein sources are also high in the list, part of the crude-protein number may come from those plant ingredients.
  • Whole plant protein sources can contribute to crude protein, so the animal-protein share still needs a closer read.

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 are still usable, but this is the part to inspect more carefully before calling the recipe a clear strength.

restaurantIngredient Quality Analysis

C3/6
Ingredient Grade
Mixed
1Fresh chicken
Fresh Meat · Top
2chicken meal
Named Meal · Upper
3whole red lentils
Whole Plant Protein · Lower

Ingredient Analysis Comments

  • •Fresh chicken is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
  • •chicken meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.
  • •whole red lentils 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 CMixed

Full collected ingredient list

39 ingredients
Fresh chicken (18%)chicken meal (18%)whole red lentilswhole green peasfresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (7%)chicken fat (7%)turkey meal (4%)eggs (4%)raw flounder (4%)herring meal (4%)fish oil (3%)whole green lentilswhole chickpeaswhole yellow peaspea fiberpea starchraw turkey livers (1%)saltdried kelpfresh whole pumpkinfresh whole butternut squashfresh whole carrotsfresh whole applesfresh whole pearsfresh whole zucchinidried chicory rootfresh kalefresh spinachfresh turnip greensfresh beet greensfresh whole cranberriesfresh whole blueberriesfresh whole saskatoon berriesturmericmilk thistleburdock rootlavendermarshmallow rootrosehips.
Primary positive ingredients
Support positive ingredients
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

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.

Where it sits in the same processing cohort

Kibble (Extruded) cohortUpper middle

Within the Kibble (Extruded) cohort, this recipe sits in the upper middle band.

Final word

There is enough here to keep the food in comparison, but not enough to stop comparing yet.

Back to all foods

What to compare next

Criteria to compare with this food

These criteria come from the product name, brand, veterinary purpose, and disclosed nutrients, so you can compare similar foods after reading the review.

Brand analysis

Royal Canin dog food analysis: veterinary diets, breed lines, and label checks

Royal Canin spans veterinary, breed, and daily lines, so product purpose matters first.

Heart criteria

Best dog food for heart disease: sodium, taurine, L-carnitine, omega-3, and DCM context

Heart context should connect sodium, taurine, L-carnitine, and omega-3 disclosure.

GI criteria

Best dog food for sensitive stomachs: digestibility, fat, fiber, and transition checks

GI context should connect fat, fiber, transition speed, and veterinary purpose.

Joint criteria

Best dog food for joint support: weight control, EPA/DHA, glucosamine, and mobility checks

Joint context should connect weight control, EPA+DHA, and disclosed support ingredients.

Label basics

Best dog food criteria: ingredients, calories, disclosure, and health context

Before the brand claim, compare top ingredients, guaranteed analysis, kcal/kg, and disclosure.