I'm so excited!...Acana v Orijen please?!

[Harrysmum]

Hello everyone!

I normally home-cook for Harry (yes, with supplements!!) and there's always kibble down for him in case he gets peckish

I'm always reading on YT about all the different foods you have in America, and have been longing to try some.....

So, when I went into a pet shop today, I saw that they'd started stocking Acana and Orijen - I couldn't believe my eyes!

So, my question is - which should I try out on Harry? Which do your Littlies prefer? I don't want to buy them all at once....apart from upsetting his little tummy, they're really expensive over here....help please? Many thanks, Sally + Harry x

[Nancy1999]

Did you ask the pet store about samples? Many pet stores will allow you to return the bag, if you keep the receipt.

[sganow]

I believe Orijen and Acana have trial packages available too. If the store has them you can either buy them for a small price or sometimes they will just give you some to try. That would be best. I know people have good experiences with both. Some prefer Acana because it is not quite as rich as Orijen and some dogs do better on it if they are sensitive to richer foods.

[Harrysmum]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Did you ask the pet store about samples? Many pet stores will allow you to return the bag, if you keep the receipt.

Yes, I did, thank you They'll do it for the 'over here' ones, but not for the imported ones....silly, isn't it? How will the world in general get to know about them? I wouldn't have - if it wasn't for YT! Sally + Harry x

[Nancy1999]

Oh fancy, imported. I know others here are happy with those foods, I'm not sure they are worth the premium price.

[Harrysmum]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Oh fancy, imported. I know others here are happy with those foods, I'm not sure they are worth the premium price.

I know! Like if you had 'Lily's Kitchen' or whatever from over here (holistic, organic) suddenly in your local pet shop? Aaaargh!

Some stuff that you'd been hearing and reading about for months, everyone raving/debating about - and suddenly it's here?!!? For instance, I can't find TOTW anywhere - but I'd like to try it (rather - Harry would!! ). And when that happens (as it probably will!) - that'll be yet another thread! Sally + Harry x

[Nancy1999]

It sounds like Lilly's Kitchen is every bit as wholesome as Acana and Orijen. I prefer foods that do testing and have proof that they do what they say they do, but many people are happy with these smaller companies. Why don't you want to use Lilly's Kitchen?

[Harrysmum]

It is, it's totally wholesome!! But Harry got fed up with it, it's quite dry and 'mealy' tasting (I know, I tried one!! ) - that's why I'm asking your Yorkie preferences! Sally + Harry x

[backwardsrain]

I'm pretty sure Acana and Orijen are made by the same company and the main difference between them is that Orijen is grain-free and Acana isn't. I used to feed Jax Orijen but it was pretty expensive so I switched to Taste of the Wild, which he likes a lot.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Harrysmum

It is, it's totally wholesome!! But Harry got fed up with it, it's quite dry and 'mealy' tasting (I know, I tried one!! ) - that's why I'm asking your Yorkie preferences! Sally + Harry x

Lol, you are a good mum!

[RileyDC]

Originally Posted by backwardsrain

I'm pretty sure Acana and Orijen are made by the same company and the main difference between them is that Orijen is grain-free and Acana isn't. I used to feed Jax Orijen but it was pretty expensive so I switched to Taste of the Wild, which he likes a lot.

Acana has 4 Grain Free formulas.

[Harrysmum]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Lol, you are a good mum!

I am indeed - it's the wet food that I hate.... Sally + Harry x

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Harrysmum

I am indeed - it's the wet food that I hate.... Sally + Harry x

I will not buy canned dog food because of the smell, it makes me sick to my stomach. I actually love the smell of Joey’s food, and accidently tasted it once, it tasted like boiled bone. They say dogs don’t really have taste buds like humans and go more on the smell, so as long as they think it smells good it can taste like poop, and they’ll still eat it!

[Yorkiedaze]

You could email the company and ask if they could send samples or the .75 lb. trial size to the store that sells it. Acana Dog Food

[Britster]

I LOVE Acana!!! I have had the best luck with it out of ANY food we've tried. Currently we are on the Singles line and doing the best (lamb & apple, and duck & pear) but used the grain-frees w/ great success as well!!

It's cheaper than a lot of the other foods I see in pet stores. I pay around $15, I believe, for a 5.5lb bag of Prairie Harvest (and I think it's $1 more for lamb, $2-3 more for Ranchlands, etc) whereas I've seen Science Diet, Royal Canin, Solid Gold, and others for a LOT more!! The Singles foods ARE a bit more as they are being targeted as 'hypoallergenic' foods w/ minimal ingredients, so I guess they charge more. It was $18 for a 5lb bag (vs. 5.5lbs that the grain-frees are). But price varies by location.

But anyways yep, I like Acana the best. Though I think Orijen is nice, I am not sure it's necessary for our pet dogs (active or not). There's just so many ingredients, etc, I prefer a bit simpler, yet still not containing by products, soy, wheat, corn, etc. Just my personal preference.

I like that it's made in it's own manufacturing plant, they don't outsource to another place to make anything (which is why they don't have canned foods- they won't use any other cannery, and don't like the current choices out there), and that it's a fairly small owned company, and I like where the ingredients come from. I find their quality to be suberb and I even appreciate the vacuum-sealed bags! lol! Each kibble smells like what it is. I.e. the lamb ones all have a smell of lamb to me, the fish ones are VERY fish-smelling, which I like.