# Acana problems



## golfbum (Jan 11, 2010)

I will first say that we love the results that we have got on Acana, nice coat, firm small poop, no odor etc....

However our little girl does not seem to like it very much. I started her on the pacifica and she ate the bag several meal times that she was not interested in her food, when that bag was out we switched to the grasslands and she liked this more then the fish, we then tried the chicken and she loves it but has terrible poop on it. Wet and soft. We moved back to the pacifica and she shows little interest in her food again. 

I want a brand a food that I can switch the flavors and protiens any thoughts or opinions?

What about Natures Variety Instict line?


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## chicagojosh (Jun 22, 2010)

try out Taste of the Wild. my puppy has had pooh issues on other premiums, and is doing good so far on the "High Prairie" formula. It has Bison, Venison, Lamb, pototoe, no corn. im still transistioning him, but so far so good. They have 3 other formulas to hop back and forth between


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

golfbum said:


> I will first say that we love the results that we have got on Acana, nice coat, firm small poop, no odor etc....
> 
> However our little girl does not seem to like it very much. I started her on the pacifica and she ate the bag several meal times that she was not interested in her food, when that bag was out we switched to the grasslands and she liked this more then the fish, we then tried the chicken and she loves it but has terrible poop on it. Wet and soft. We moved back to the pacifica and she shows little interest in her food again.
> 
> ...


 
There is no reason to switch foods around or use a rotation diet. Forget about flavors you will just make the dog picky and it could lead to other behavior problems from being spoiled.

If you like Acana stay with it. If she doesn't eat the food take it away and teach her a lesson. Don't indulge her, don't hover over her, don't add anything, don't get upset, don't talk baby talk to her. Stand firm.

I guarantee in 3 days she will be eating that food like its green tripe.

Rotation diets are a gimmic. Stay with one source of protein so you have spare bullets if an allergy develops. This way you start with a clean slate on a new protein.

Take my advice tough love. If she doesn't eat take the food away. She will come back in 3 days or less.

Dogs are smart, she will play you like a fiddle.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Sometimes they don't like certain foods because it makes their stomachs feel bad. Like certain foods with chicken make my dogs itchy and stomach upset...so I listen to them on that - I don't eat some foods for the same reason. 

I rotate every 2 months. I go between brands. I have certain criteria that I use for the foods I pick, ingredients to look for or not. I have used Nature's Variety Rabbit I think it was, I use Nature's Logic, Acana, Orijen, GO Salmon/Oats, sometimes Pinnacle, Fromm...all sorts of different foods. 

Gimmick or no (not sure why a gimmick), I have had no problems doing this with my dogs, and they seem not to have any issues with it either. Food is a basic, like water, so I am not worried about spoiling them with it.


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> Sometimes they don't like certain foods because it makes their stomachs feel bad. Like certain foods with chicken make my dogs itchy and stomach upset...so I listen to them on that - I don't eat some foods for the same reason.
> 
> I rotate every 2 months. I go between brands. I have certain criteria that I use for the foods I pick, ingredients to look for or not. I have used Nature's Variety Rabbit I think it was, I use Nature's Logic, Acana, Orijen, GO Salmon/Oats, sometimes Pinnacle, Fromm...all sorts of different foods.
> 
> Gimmick or no (not sure why a gimmick), I have had no problems doing this with my dogs, and they seem not to have any issues with it either. Food is a basic, like water, so I am not worried about spoiling them with it.


 

Dogs are not like that. Dogs like a feeding routine. Humans spoil them and create picky dogs. That is a fact.

As for Rotation, if your dog is susceptible to allergies, which you can never know ahead of time, introducing multiple proteins is a very bad idea. Allergies to protein develop over time from exposure, so the more variety you feed the fewer options you have. This does not seem to apply to raw feeding.

There is no benefit to a Rotation diet, only risk.

GSD's are among the smartest of breeds. If you spoil them they will take advantage.

Tough love and one diet, unless there are problems with it, is the only way.

I would never feed a novel protein like rabbit unless there was a reason. Keep that handy until you need it down the road. I have seen many dogs that were allergic to chicken, go on lamb and develop the same allergies a few months later because they had been exposed to lamb in smaller amounts before.

Feeding a dog is a routine, find a food you like and stick with it. It is not at all unsual for a dog to refuse food or eat less this time of year because of the heat.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

As far as pickiness, I have seen this develop in dogs who tend to have a low drive for food in the first place. I have a friend who can create a picky dog in a matter of days! She offers a lot of food at a time! She leaves the bowl with the dog if they don't finish it promptly. Also, puts additives in if they don't seem to "like" what is offered. This all creates some big feeding problems in the dogs that are not very food driven. When the same dogs stay with someone else, the problem is not nearly so bad. I would say, yes, they can be spoiled and made picky. 

I rotate foods myself. Much of it is due to availability in my area. This does not cause problems for mine, but I won't let pickiness develop in the first place.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

sable123 said:


> Dogs are not like that. Dogs like a feeding routine. Humans spoil them and create picky dogs. That is a fact.


If that is a fact, then explain how it works here? Has been working for a few (5 at least) years now, works with foster dogs, my dogs, adult dogs, puppy dogs, old dogs, GSD dogs, discerning mixes, etc? All indoor dogs as the common denominator. 

Do I have that many anomalies?


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I have to get dog food every 5-6 weeks I rotate between Blue Buffalo Blue Wilderness Chicken Recipe and Duck Recipe. Every couple of days I add in some of Blue Buffalo wet dog food, I use different flavors of that like Thanksgiving Dinner, Chicken Pot Pie and Backyard BBQ and I rotate them as well. He does not get wet kibble everyday.

I also feed my 3 cats the same brand and I also rotate theirs. Every couple of days I add Blue Buffalo wet cat food, I use different flavors of that like Salmon Spa, Beef Dinner and Turkey Dinner and I rotate them as well. They do not get wet kibble everyday. 

They are not picky eaters, I am not spoiling them, I am giving them a variety of food because *I* would not want to eat the same thing everyday. It does not matter if they get all dry kibble or wet and dry mixed, they always run for the bowl and finish everything.


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> If that is a fact, then explain how it works here? Has been working for a few (5 at least) years now, works with foster dogs, my dogs, adult dogs, puppy dogs, old dogs, GSD dogs, discerning mixes, etc? All indoor dogs as the common denominator.
> 
> Do I have that many anomalies?


I dont understand your question but lemme guess. Are you asking how you create a picky eater? That is easy. People constantly change foods, add things to make it more palatable and eventually the dog learns to wait for something better.

It is a complete waste of time and money to always change foods or rotate foods. The downside is that you increase the chance of food sensitivities and create behavioral problems.

Some dogs will just eat but the ones that are picky are NOT naturally picky they are made that way by their owners. If anyone has a picky dog try this: Fill the bowl and if its not eaten in 15 minutes take it away and wait till the next feeding time to try again. In 3 days the dog will eat and you wont have to worry about pandering to the dog.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

We began rotating our cat's food many years ago on the advice of our vet, whose theory was that if you feed a certain kibble for extended lengths of time, since each company's formulation is slightly different from the next, you may over time create a nutrient deficiency. Is there one perfectly balanced kibble? 

Can we claim _anything_ to be perfectly formulated? 

Why not give my pet a varied diet, if that pleases me?

To each his own. The allergy theory holds merit, but is not applicable in every single case.  Which is the greater threat? Allergy or possible nutrient deficiency? Perhaps that depends on the breed, I don't know.

I think the OP has been sufficiently warned about the allergy danger. It can't hurt to try out a couple other kinds of food. We went through several before finding the right fit for our dogs. Neither became picky eaters. Would it have been the end of the world if they had? I'm pretty picky about the foods I eat too.


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

Good_Karma said:


> We began rotating our cat's food many years ago on the advice of our vet, whose theory was that if you feed a certain kibble for extended lengths of time, since each company's formulation is slightly different from the next, you may over time create a nutrient deficiency. Is there one perfectly balanced kibble?
> 
> Can we claim _anything_ to be perfectly formulated?
> 
> ...


Given the foods being discussed on this forum which are generally high-end, the risk of a nutritionally deficiency is about zero.

It is rare that a dog goes to the vet with that problem compared to allergies.


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## Matthew333 (Aug 20, 2010)

try Taste of the Wild..its good and works better...u can get satisfactory results....


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

sable123 said:


> *Dogs are not like that. Dogs like a feeding routine. Humans spoil them and create picky dogs. *That is a fact.
> 
> As for Rotation, if your dog is susceptible to allergies, which you can never know ahead of time, *introducing multiple proteins is a very bad idea. *Allergies to protein develop over time from exposure, so the more variety you feed the fewer options you have. This does not seem to apply to raw feeding.
> 
> ...


Your preaching bugs me to the bone sometimes. 

If you'd be so kind, please, _please _site your sources for all of these 'facts.' Because everything else I have read about the forbidden rotation diet contradicts what you say.


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## zeus von entringer staal (Jan 3, 2011)

I switch between Acana and Orijen, currently on the six fish, which I think he does not like as much as the others. He really liked the LB puppy Oirjen, and the Acana Grasslands.
I think he likes the variety, but I think I wont go back to the fish. I sometimes mix Canidae wet food approx 25 % in the kibble. He goes through a 15 lb every 2 weeks, growing boy!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

sable123 said:


> Given the foods being discussed on this forum which are generally high-end, the risk of a nutritionally deficiency is about zero.
> 
> It is rare that a dog goes to the vet with that problem compared to allergies.


I disagree completely.

It's not that hard for a dog to be deficient in nutrients caused by kibble. We see dogs respond dramatically to some supplements, which means that their diets are deficient in those nutrients.

I would also say that the majority of vets would never notice such a deficiency; in fact, they are very difficult to identify.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

chicagojosh said:


> try out Taste of the Wild. my puppy has had pooh issues on other premiums, and is doing good so far on the "High Prairie" formula. It has Bison, Venison, Lamb, pototoe, no corn. im still transistioning him, but so far so good. They have 3 other formulas to hop back and forth between


I added TOTW High Prairie to the Orijen 80/20 my dog is eating and it put an end to her loose stools. I am phasing out Orijen .......


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## Mika140 (Jan 8, 2011)

To the op: it sounded like your dog liked the Acana Grasslands and did well on it. Why not just stick with that if it works?

I've got no problem switching foods for my dogs if they were to decide they didn't like something or weren't doing well on it. But to switch foods just because we want them rotated? Doesn't seem like the dog is telling you that's what it wants/needs.


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

We buy TOTW High Praire and Orijen 80/20 androtate between the two to keep things interesting. My lab will eat anything, but Zoe appreciates the change every now and then. Then there's my cat- she's picky and eats only California Natural chicken and brown rice....everything else gives her terrible diarrhea and she won't touch it


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