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Dogs are evolved as carnivores and despite a modern lifestyle their anatomy remains unchanged!That’s why Acana Dog Food is formulated with the same variety of fresh meats that dogs would eat in their natural environment and keeping in mind the modern lifestyle of today’s companion canine often means meeting healthy calorie requirements as well!
Acana Dog Food provides a meat-concentrated diet that is higher in protein, lower in carbohydrate and far better matched to support the carnivorous anatomy of your companion canine. And by enhancing metabolism and enabling peak physical condition, Acana Dog Food helps keep your dog healthy allowing him to achieve his full potential!
For the health and well-being of your treasured canine Acana Dog Food adheres to these FIVE NATURAL PRINCIPALS that guide the formulation of all Acana Dog Foods!
- Ingredient freshness and variety to match the natural diet.
- High in animal proteins.
- Low or Free from grains (depending on variety) and carbohydrates.
- Rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Contain tonic herbs to strengthen the body and spirit.
Acana Dog Food is one of our favorite kibble dog foods and should certainly be considered to be included as part of your dog’s diet plan.
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Dear Abby,
My five year old Cocker Spaniel has been on a restrictive diet of Duck and Potato kibble for over 3 years due to her skin allergies. She has developed an annoying habit of getting into any available waste basket and eating tissues and tearing up paper.
Even after securing waste baskets out of her reach she has now attacked the toilet paper and is eating that right off the rolls. She also eats any remaining grass clumps left over from mowing, whether dry or wet. This is really becoming a problem both as a behavioralissue, and I am afraid she will create a digestive blockage of some sort. Is there a dietary deficiency, or is this a behavioral problem? I would really love any suggestions you might have.Thank you,
Cheryl EDear Cheryl-
I am really sorry to hear that your Cocker Spaniel is so driven to ‘help’ with taking out the trash. I have a hunch that she is too smart for her own good & could use a little more stimulation. I would suggest that she receive at least one meal from a treat dispensing dog toy daily (Tug a Jug, Treatstik). She will have to use her 007 detective skills to learn how to get her meal out of the ball. She will spend more time working for her food & less time looking for paper to shred.Also, dogs who receive two leash walks a day tend to be better balanced. I am guilty of letting my dogs out to run around in the yard as I do our farm chores a majority of the time. It is pretty amazing to see their eyes light up when I break out the leash for a real walk. There is something to be said for that connection you get with your pet as you are working together as a team for a good walk. If you can only squeak out five minutes twice a day it will really make a difference in her life.
It is difficult to determine if your dog is being destructive due to a dietary deficiency. My suggestion would be to ask your veterinarian what foods would be ‘legal’ to feed her as a snack. She may appreciate a few more veggies in her diet since she is really searching out the grass clumps. Even though she is on a restrictive diet there are some veggies etc that are allowed. If you stick with cooling veggies and fruits (ie lettuce, celery, cucumber, watermelon, banana) your dog is less likely to have a flare up of her skin allergies.
As you seek additional options for your pet you may find yourself thinking about your diet etc. I would recommend you consider getting the book Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford. I came across this book during my acupuncture training, and it has been an eye-opener.
Good luck with your dog, Cheryl. Keep us posted on her progress.
-Abby Strobbe, DVM
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Available pets at the Lincoln County Shelter, video by Lee Arnot.
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I love our work here at The Animal House and with Woofstock. The rewards from these are gratification enough to keep me going indefinitely. This year we were blessed with DownEast Magazine award for best pet food store in Maine, and it was about that time that we launched our web presence to the world. Overnight the online store took off and has been steam rolling every since. With online you never you see anyone face to face, and often you wonder if your service is appreciated or even thought fondly of.
We recently just received national recognition from a pet industry association Pet Product News as the best online presence for a pet retail store in the nation. I am extremely over joyed at the award because we didn’t hire an agency to do our web stuff… it was 100% me. If that wasn’t enough our recently launched Kitty Cam was listed as one of the top ten cams in the world right now, by the largest webcam directory online, EarthCam!
If that wasn’t enough I was picking up my call in order at Sarah’s Cafe in Wiscasset, when I was checking out the Maine Illustrated Map marking all the tourist destinations and landmarks around the state of Maine. I gazed upon the Damariscotta area of the map where there was an illustrated dog with word Woofstock above the dog! Simply amazing that a charity event we have put together shows up on a map. I am overjoyed at the recognition have received so far this year. -
Dear Abby,
I actually have a real question…this totally grosses me out but I’m sure there’s an explanation for why it happens.We have two male labs…Sam (yellow, 10) and Kernel (black, 8). I keep the yard picked up regularly (daily, if not more), but without fail Sam finds pleasure in eating Kernel’s poo. Why does he do this? Other than standing immediately behind them while they’re doing their business (which is not always possible anyways), what can I do to prevent this? It even happens right after they eat a meal. YUCK!
Thanks Doc
-AaronDear Aaron-
I am sorry to hear about Sam’s offensive taste buds. Coprophagia is a fairly common problem in dogs, and can be caused by a variety of conditions including a behavioral issue, poor digestion, or an underlying medical problem.If you would like to try training Sam to not eat Kernel’s feces there is a really good training exercise explained on the website www.veterinarypartner.com. A simple ‘poop eating’ search will get you into the canine behavior series on the website.
There are food additives that make the feces taste unpleasant. You can feed Kernel SEP (Stop Eating Poop – Solid Gold) or Coprophagia Deterrent (NaturVet).
Sometimes a change in diet can help, and based on Sam’s current issues I would suggest considering switching him to a grain-free food. Aubrey, Dan, and their fine employees at The Animal House can help you pick out an over-the-counter brand that Sam & Kernel would enjoy.
Lastly, I would recommend a good check up with your vet including a senior blood panel and a fecal sample to rule out intestinal parasites, hypothyroidism, and other internal medical conditions that can cause dogs to seek more calories – no matter how repulsive we may find their snacking habits.
Best of luck, Aaron!
-Abby Strobbe, DVM
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