Are you paying lots of dollars for this brand of food? There are some good reasons why you shouldn’t.  

When Natural Pet Foods opened up years ago in the Ottawa neighbourhood of Westboro, Royal Canin was one of the best brands we could stock. Since then though, there have been huge improvements in the quality of pet foods and an explosion in the number of brands available to customers. Royal Canin has not improved much though. It's expensive and not worth what pet owners are paying for it when much better pet foods are available.  Here's why. The ingredient list for Royal Canin Labrador Retriever dog food is as follows pulled off their website this day. 

INGREDIENTS

Chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, brown rice, oat groats, brewers rice, barley, natural flavors, chicken fat, dried plain beet pulp, pea fiber, wheat gluten, pork meal, fish oil, vegetable oil, sodium silico aluminate, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, psyllium seed husk, salt, sodium tripolyphosphate, taurine, fructooligosaccharides, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], L-lysine, choline chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, trace minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate], L-carnitine, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), tea, chondroitin sulfate, rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.

http://www.royalcanin.ca/products/catalog/Royal-Canin-Breed-Health-Nutrition-LABRADOR-RETRIEVER-ADULT-dry-dog-food/183015

When we look at the ingredient list this Royal Canin dog food the first ingredient is chicken byproduct on an ingredient list we looked up on April 26th 2018. This means they are likely  using cheap non-human grade parts of the chicken. The stuff that wouldn't go into grocery store packages of chicken for humans and isn't on the ingredient list of any pet foods we sell.

This is how wikipedia defines chicken byproducts. 

 "Poultry by-product meal (PBM) is a high-protein commodity used as a major component in some pet foods. It is made from grinding clean, rendered parts of poultry carcasses and can contain bones, offal and undeveloped eggs, but only contains feathers that are unavoidable in the processing of the poultry parts."

And from the PetMd website

"By-products (for example, chicken by-products or beef by-products): clean non-rendered "parts", other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, blood, bone, fatty tissue and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents."

https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/evr_pet_food_for_your_pets_sake

Things that are rendered are considered unfit for consumption by humans and can taste bad to pets. This can sometimes require pet foods to be sprayed with fats or salted excessively. In the case of Royal Canin the salt shouldn't even be on the ingredient list. It is very hard for an animal being fed a good diet tro be salt deficient.

Another questionable ingredient on the Royal Canin Labrador Retriever ingredient list is corn gluten meal. Despite it's name corn gluten meal is not a gluten. It's often a byproduct of processing corn is an inexpensive filler that bumps up protein levels in a pet food. For most pets the most digestible protein comes from high quality animal meat, fish  or eggs.  Even grocery store foods  are sometimes superior to Royal Canin. Ask yourself why you are shelling out $75 or more for something that shouldn't cost more than grocery store food. Or better yet ask yourself what's in Natural Pet Foods brands of pet foods. 

In our store we carefuly choose the brands we carry. We want a wide selection of pet foods that will allow all customers to find what they are looking for. There are no byproducts, cheap fillers, artificial flavors/preservatives, or Chinese produced rice etc. This is why Natural Pet Foods is your  trusted source. From the begining we wanted to have the healthiest possible choices for your pet.

What our foods do have is lots of high quality meat. Often times there are healthy natural fruits and vegetables. These superfoods have antioxidants that could slow down aging and have anti cancer effects.  This is why Natural Pet Foods is your  trusted source. From the begining we wanted to have the healthiest possible choices for your pet.

These natural sources of antioxidants are almost totally absent in Royal Canin dog food. No surprise there because they are trying to make their food cheaply and things like berries and spinach are expensive. The ingredient list of Royal Canin Dog Food makes a tiny mention of marigold extract and tea at the end of the ingredient list but this is really ridiculous because the ingredients at the end are the LEAST heavy by weight in the pet food kibble when we looked at it. 

http://www.royalcanin.ca/products/catalog/Royal-Canin-Breed-Health-Nutrition-LABRADOR-RETRIEVER-ADULT-dry-dog-food/183015

If you buy Royal Canin for your pet you should be asking yourself 

"How healthy would I be if all I ate was chicken byproduct, corn gluten meal, and synthetic vitamins?"

We often tell our customers that dogs are survivors and that they will survive on anything. For a while at least. And some do live long lives on whatever they are given. On the other hand, research is hinting that certain plants like fruits and vegetables have cancer protective properties and that their antioxidants could prolong life and maybe even protect against cancer. Secondly most of our store's customers treat their pet as a member of their family, and as such want their pet to eat a diet that , like theirs, that contain at least a portion of the fruits and vegetables that they have in their own diet. Dogs and cats being carnivores eat a smaller fraction of these plants, but all the same when they consume some when they eat their natural prey. 

. Many people are also attracted to the breed specific bags like the Labrador Retriever bag we looked at. Our opinion is that the small differences in these foods should not be very significant. 

In our online store we carry some of the top rated pet foods like Orijen, Acana, Fromm, Natural Balance, Boreal and Pulsar. These companies often own their factories and are very conscientious about the quality of the ingredients that go into making their kibble. There have been very few recalls of these brands in contrasts to cheap foods made at facilities where cross contamination from other brands produced there is possible.

Our store is online and you can simply search for the right result. We highly suggest the Orijen 6 Fish Lines for it's superior Omega 3s and joint support ingredients, as well as it's high inclusions of whole fish from sustainable sources.

Just for comparison check out just a few of the ingredients in the Fromm Chicken A La Veg for dogs formula

INGREDIENTS

Chicken, Chicken Meal, Pearled Barley, Oatmeal, Sweet Potatoes,Brown Rice, White Rice, Dried Whole Egg, Menhaden Fish Meal, Millet,Chicken Fat, Dried Tomato Pomace,Safflower Oil, Herring Meal, Cheese,Flaxseed, Carrots, Broccoli,Cauliflower, Apples, Green Beans,Chicken Cartilage, Potassium Chloride, Cranberries, Blueberries,

Looks just like what you would eat dosn't it? And it should because your pet is a member of your family and should eat just as well as  you.

Check out some of our great natural pet foods  in our online store at www.naturalpetfoods.ca

The Surprising Reasons Lentils Might be in Your Dog's Food

Red Lentils are common in Indian Curries but lately they have become a popular addition to many pet foods. But it might surprise you to find that they are in many dog formulas today. But take a look at all the health benefits and advantages that this little superfood has, and we're sure you'll agree you're dog will get a health boost out of eating them.

Pet Parents usually want to get the best for their pups, and Champion Pet Foods Orijen Dog Formulas do their best to make the best possible kibble for your pet. The 6 Fish Formula (made with non-GMO ingredients from sustainable sources) used to have potatoes but the kitchen has now replaced the spuds with lentils. In the past the potatoes were a source of starch to "glue" the kibble together. They were low carb, but the lentils make it even lower in carbs.

Here is the award winning Orijen Dog Food available in our online store. We consider it to be one of the best fish based foods out there and it's suitable for all life stages and sizes of dogs. It's designed to be a very low carb food as well.

Lots of Meat Means Low Carb

Dogs seem to have an improved ability in comparison to wolves to break down starches in carbs into sugars, but their diet should still be primarily meat. They are still genetically very close to wolves which eat very few starchy foods. That's why Orijen's 6 Fish formula ingredients include 85% meat products. The remaining 15% includes a healthy portion of low carb  fruits, vegetables,and legumes like red lentils. Red Lentils have a high content of antioxidants, more fiber, and more overall nutrition than potatoes or grains.

Lower Risk of Diabetes

Dog food formulas containing low amounts of simple carbs will convert to  glucose more slowly. There are less blood sugar spikes, and thus there isn't a great demand for the release of insulin which transports glucose to cells. Research is showing this my be a factor in reducing the chance of diabetes developing.

More Antioxidants

There are high amounts of healthy antioxidants in lentils as well. Legumes that are brightly colored like red lentils have extra high amounts of antioxidants that latch onto nasty damaging free radicals and neutralize them. Antioxidants are widely thought to slow down aging and preserve overall health. Good for your pet to have them and good for you too.

Fiber is Good For Your Pet

The final point we'll talk about with lentils as that they have a lot of fiber in them. This should help to regulate the bowel movement, and help to make your pet feel fuller. The fibers should also help to clean nasty toxins out of the system. If you are concerned about the fiber causing gas not to worry we haven't heard of many problems. The dog's digestive system is too short for this to be a problem most times. Plus the fiber feeds the friendly bacteria that help breakdown and digest food. Things that feed the friendly ones are called prebiotics and red lentils are definitely one of them.

With 85% Animal Orijen has so much animal protein in it that healthy levels of taurine are assured in it. Perhaps a lower grade of pet food would include lentils as a filler and have lower levels of taurine as a consequence, but this is absolutely NOT the case with Orijen. With all the Omegas in Orijen 6 Fish Dog food, it is extremely healthy for your dog. 

Recipe for a healthy pet right?

There are lots of other cool features about this food so check it out in our online store! It's also available for cats.  You can find the dog version of it here:

Orijen 6 Fish in our Online Store

https://naturalpetfoods.ca/products/orijen-six-fish-dry-dog-food-new?variant=35035660360

As usual this blog is not intended to constitute medical advice. Please consult with your veterinarian before changing your pet's diet.

Here are some other links about the benefits of lentils. Most are written with humans in mind but most benefits translate to dogs very well.

Antioxidants in lentils

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20040617/antioxidants-found-unexpected-foods

Why eat lentils?

  https://www.openhand.org/blog/5-reasons-why-you-should-eat-lentils

One of the world's healthiest foods

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=52

Looking for great deals on pet supplies? Look no further - we have amazing deals on pet supplies 50 - 90% off everyday! I've picked just a few to show you the kind of deals you can find online at www.naturalpetfoods.ca

1) Rogz Tango Paws Flat Podz over 60% off. I love this bed because it is dirt and water resistant and lasts forever!

2) Pet Loo over 60% off! These are great for small dogs in the winter, cats who have litterbox issues, or senior/ill pets, basically any apartment dweller.

3) Leash Lockets are 75% off! These are the best item you can invest in for anyone who walks their dog in an off-leash park.

4) B.F.F. Cat Cans are only 99 cents! What a smokin' good deal for the kitty cats!

5) Weruva Variety Pack of 24 dog cans are $49.99! That comes to just over $2 per can! It will keep your dogs interested with the wide array of flavours.

6) Pet Gear creates are over 60% off! Xsmall starts at $29.99 and mediums are only $49.99!

7) JW Slide 'n Treat Toys are 50% off and the treats that go along with them are only $1.99!

8) Safemade treat trays are 50% off. These great toys and treat trays meet the kid-safe standards!

9) Classic Flexi leashes are 50% off! I always have a flexi for my dog walks.

10) Rogz Sportskins and Rainskins are only $14.99 until stock runs out! These are amazing quality coats with a buckle.

Natural Pet Foods is very pleased to announce we are now carrying Pulsar Grain Free Dog Food. This excellent new Canadian made dog food comes in Chicken or Salmon flavor and will be especially attractive to budget minded consumers. These days it's hard to find a food that covers all the bases and still costs less than $60, but Pulsar does it with flying colours. In this article we will look specifically at the Pulsar salmon formula.

It's priced at $56.99 for the fish formula but the formula has all the characteristics of a food that would retail at $100 a bag. It's first ingredient is quality salmon, it's grain free/low carb, has a good portion of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, and probiotics to help maintain good health.

So let's start with the ingredients and why they are good things for your dog. Salmon meal is a quality protein that is highly digestible. This is wild caught salmon, which means that it has a higher amount of healthy Omega 3s in it. This essential fatty acid is important for coat, heart, and brain health. We're sure you will notice an extra glossy coat very soon with this food.

You will notice on the ingredient list that there are no potatoes or grains to provide the starch that "glues" the kibble together. Instead you find ingredients like red lentils. These add more fibre, antioxidants, and are lower carb than potatoes or grains.

With regards to the fruits and vegetables Pulsar has made some excellent choices. Antioxidant superstar blueberries are excellent for eye health and have significant anti cancerous  properties. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage have many nutrients and also have their own anti cancerous benefits.

The probiotics added to this food help with digestion and immunity to round out a very complete and up to date dog food. Why spend more for a food that may be inferior to Pulsar?  It is definitely one of the best values we have in our store. You can find it here in our online store.

https://naturalpetfoods.ca/products/pulsar-grain-free-dog-food

Would you like your dog to have a shiny coat like this one?

Just as I began writing this post, a customer walked up and picked up a large bag of the Orijen 6 Fish. As usual we got some great feedback when the customer told us this grain free fish based food had solved his dog's dandruff problems. It is loaded with coat health enhancing Omega 3 fatty acids, which also benefits their cardio-vascular system, brain health, and are powerful anti inflammatories. This is especially nice in winter when coats tend to get a little duller. The omegas help keep those coats nice glossy.

This food has long been one of the store's favorites and one of it's attributes is that you can feed it to any dog. It's great for puppies, adults, AND seniors. To boot it's single protein so many dogs with allergies can eat this without any reactions. Champion Pet Foods owns their own factory and are super conscientious about quality. 6 Fish is sold all over the world so there is even a special European Union inspector that checks that Orijen ingredients are human grade.

So what is this food made of ? Lots of fresh saltwater  fish go into this food. Not just big industry, but people actually go fishing. In past times the food sometimes actually went in short supply for a short time when the lakes froze up and fishermen were not on the lakes fishing. The food is now readily available at all times though and we like to make sure it's always in stock for our customers. The types of fish included change periodically so that the stocks are sustainable. The fish are caught fresh and delivered to the factory right from the coasts.

One of the many special things about this food is that it is marked on the bag that of the raw ingredients going into it, 80% of those are from meat. And it's steamed cooked at a low temperature of 90 degrees Celsius that preserves the nutrition. These ingredients are also non GMO (non genetically modified) which is an extra bonus for some.

Some with older school thinking don't like the high protein content, but studies have shown that dogs do very well with this. If someone you you know is critical of this ask them to show you a study that proves it ... they won't be able to because it doesn't exist!

See the links at the  end of this article for excerpts from  studies sent to us by Orijen.

Besides the high content of delicious sea food, 6 Fish also contains a healthy portion of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, botanicals, probiotics, and a whopping 1400 mg/kg of joint health promoting glucosomine. It isn't just about what is in the food though. It's also about what ISN'T. By choosing a food that is based around wild caught fish you can avoid many of the chemicals/pesticides almost inevitably found in livestock. A really well thought out food indeed.

This food is so impressive some competitors couldn't even believe it was being sold for the price that it is.

So what are you waiting for? Try out a trial bag of Orijen and see how much your pet will love it !

You can find Orijen 6 Fish in our online store here

http://naturalpetfoods.ca/products/orijen-6-fish

Dogs with kidney problems by Dr. Lucy Pinkston, D.V.M.
"Because by-products of protein digestion are the main toxins that need to be excreted by the kidneys, an obvious assumption might be that all one needs to do is to cut out the protein and the kidneys wouldn't have any more hard work to do. . . . There is significant evidence, however, that the daily protein requirements actually increase slightly for dogs in chronic renal failure. Therefore, severely restricting the protein for such a dog is likely to result in protein malnutrition, in spite of the fact that the levels of blood urea nitrogen, or BUN (the primary by-product of protein metabolism) would be correspondingly lower." This article contains a great deal more useful information in easy to read format.
Are High Protein Diets Harmful to a Dog's Kidneys? from the Veterinary Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.
"The myth that high-protein diets are harmful to kidneys probably started because, in the past, patients with kidney disease were commonly placed on low-protein (and thus low-nitrogen) diets. Now we often put them on a diet that is not necessarily very low in protein but contains protein that is more digestible so there are fewer nitrogen by-products."
The Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function by Kenneth C. Bovee, DVM, MMedSc
"Morris subsequently developed, produced, and sold a low-protein diet, KD, for dogs with renal failure. He and others were influenced by the erroneous work hypertrophy concept for urea excretion advanced by Addis. While experimental or clinical data were never published to support the value of this or other diets, the concept was broadly accepted without challenge in the veterinary literature." This article talks about the history of protein restriction, and about 10 recent experimental studies that have failed to provide evidence of the benefit of reduced dietary protein to influence the course of renal failure. This article is no longer on line, but I have a copy of it that I could send to anyone who is interested in reading it (ask for Bovee.pdf).
Nutrition and Renal Function from the Purina Research Report
"Dietary Protein and Renal Function: Results of multiple studies indicated that there were no adverse effects of the high protein diets." This report also includes information on metabolic acidosis and on the beneficial effects of omega-3 essential fatty acids in patients with chronic renal failure. The complete reports on each of the three studies mentioned in this report are no longer available online, but I have copies of them that I could send to anyone who is interested in reading more, as follows: "Effects of Dietary Lipids on Renal Function in Dogs and Cats" (ask for Brown.pdf); "Effects of Dietary Protein Intake on Renal Functions" (ask for Finco.pdf); and "Acid-Base, Electrolytes, and Renal Failure" (ask for Polzin.pdf).
Feeding the Older Dog from the SpeedyVet Clinical Nutrition Library
"The assumption was that low-protein diets retarded the progression of renal degeneration. This assumption was disproved, using partially nephrectomised dogs, which showed no uraemic signs and had reduced but stable renal function for 48 months. These dogs did better on moderate-protein diets than on low-protein diets. There is no direct evidence that high protein intake damages canine kidneys or that reducing protein intake in dogs with renal dysfunction results in preservation of either renal structure or function."
Dietary Management of Chronic Polyuric Renal Failure from the SpeedyVet Clinical Nutrition Library
"Dietary protein restriction improves the clinical signs and quality of life of uraemic animals with both naturally occurring and experimentally induced renal failure. . . . However it is highly questionable whether protein restriction is appropriate in the azotaemic, but non-uraemic patient. The main risk of protein restriction is protein deficiency. The protein and amino acid requirements of dogs and cats with chronic renal failure have not been established, but may well be increased. . . . The main justification for protein restriction early in the course of renal failure would be if it was proven to slow progression of disease. The data that are available do not support this case in dogs. Dietary protein has been shown to affect renal haemodynamics in the dog, however, moderate protein restriction does not alleviate glomerular hypertension, hyperfiltration and hypertrophy. . . . Thus there is no evidence that moderate protein restriction slows the progression of renal failure in dogs, and it is not recommended in dogs which are not uraemic."
Demystifying Myths About Protein from Today's Breeder Magazine
"In contrast, research over the past 10 years or so has shown that protein does not harm the kidney of dogs. In studies conducted at the University of Georgia in the early 1990s, both in dogs with chronic kidney failure and in older dogs with only one kidney, protein levels as high as 34 percent caused no ill effects. . . . In other studies, David S. Kronfeld, Ph.D., indicated that compared with high- or low-protein diets, moderate-protein diets, those with up to 34 percent protein, had no ill effects in dogs with chronic renal failure and were associated with general improvement."
Fortify The Food Bowl For The Aging Canine by Susan Thorpe-Vargas, Ph.D. and John C. Cargill, M.A., M.B.A., M.S.
"Because of certain biochemical requirements, the healthy geriatric dog requires about 50 percent more protein than the young adult, and depending on the quality of the protein, it should make up 20 percent to 30 percent of the total calories ingested. . . . Until recently, protein restriction was recommended in an effort to protect renal function. Limiting protein fails to prevent urinary filtration problems . . . Indeed, newer research shows dietary protein is not detrimental to kidney function. On the contrary, protein restriction can result in impaired wound healing, diminished immune function and lowered enzyme activities and cellular turnover. Those dogs with impaired renal function do better with dietary phosphorus restriction; however, limiting this mineral is unlikely to delay the onset of renal disease or to benefit healthy geriatric dogs."
Dietary Management for Clinical Disorders in Dogs from the Journal of Indian Veterinary Association, Kerala
"Recent research on dietary protein and the kidney has shown that
o dietary protein does not cause renal failure
o dietary protein does not appear to be involved in the progression of chronic renal failure
o inappropriate restriction of dietary protein may actually have an adverse effect on the normal or compromised kidney"
Kidney Failure from the Iams nutrition symposium
“'For years, physicians and veterinarians have treated renal failure by reducing protein levels in diets,' said Gregory Reinhart PhD, an Iams researcher. 'After working with leading universities, we have now found that restricting protein in a dog's diet may do more harm than good by potentially putting the companion animal at risk of protein malnutrition.'”
Managing a Renal Crisis by Martha S. Gearhart, DVM
". . . at least one study has taken several groups of dogs in kidney failure and fed them diets that varied in protein level and phosphorus level. The groups with severely restricted phosphorus lived longer than the groups with normal or high levels of phosphorus. The protein intake made no difference at all in longevity. . . .
"It is important to remember that phosphorus is more important than protein -- feeding vegetables or salt-free crackers to a dog in kidney failure will not add protein but it will add phosphorus."
Dietary Protein and the Kidney by Patricia Schenck, DVM, PhD, Veterinary Nutritionist
"High protein diets cause an increase in blood flow through the kidney (glomerular filtration rate). The myth has been that if the dietary protein is restricted, this will make the kidney work less, and will ‘spare' the kidney from damage. Thus in the past, many have recommended low protein diets to ‘protect' a dog from developing kidney disease. This has been the focus of considerable research over the last 10 years. There has been no scientific evidence to support this theory. The feeding of low levels of dietary protein are NOT protective against the development of kidney disease.
"Reducing dietary protein in the older pet will not protect them from the development of renal disease. In fact, reducing the protein in the older dog's diet may have adverse effects. As pets age, their ability to utilize nutrients decreases. The older pet actually requires a higher level of protein to maintain its body stores of protein than does the younger adult dog. . . .
"Dietary protein restriction is appropriate in renal failure when the disease has become severe. Restriction of protein is based on the appearance of clinical signs. It has been recommended to start protein restriction when the dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen) is greater than 80 mg/dL [28.6 mmol/L], and the serum creatinine is greater than 2.5 mg/dL [221 µmol/L]. Both BUN and serum creatinine are good indicators of kidney function. Protein is restricted in an attempt to keep the BUN below 60 mg/dL [21.4 mmol/L]. Dietary protein may need to be gradually decreased over time as renal failure progresses."
Effects of low phosphorus, medium protein diets in dogs with chronic renal failure
"In this study, 60 dogs with early CRF were fed either Medium Protein Diet, (CMP group) or a home-made diet (HMD group) which respectively contained 0.36% phosphorus, 27% protein, and 0.38% phosphorus, 21.5% protein on a dry matter basis, over a 28 week period. . . .
"From the results of this study, it can be concluded that many dogs with mild to moderate CRF can benefit from early diagnosis of the condition and dietary management using a diet with a low phosphorus and moderate protein content."
Dietary Protein by Dr. Jeff Vidt, specialist in Chinese Shar-Pei and Renal Amyloidosis

Note that the above sites are from very traditional sources, including Purina and Iams. I think Hills is the only company still toeing the "low protein" line. The thinking now is that low protein can actually be harmful, and that a  moderate amount of high quality protein is desirable for dogs with kidney disease. In addition, feeding reduced protein to dogs with normal kidneys does not help prevent kidney failure.
See http://lpi.orst.edu/infocenter/minerals/phosphorus/ for (human oriented) information on phosphorus and what excess levels in the blood

We all want the best for our pets, but what which brands get you the most  per dollar?

These days people are looking for the best ways to stretch their money. With prices going up everywhere, customers want to give their pet the same as any family member, but many are still concerned as super premium dog foods can cost more than $100 a bag. A very good quality pet food has lots of meat, a good portion of vegetables/fruits,  extras like probiotics, and often  ingredients for joint support like glucosomine. It does NOT contain corn/wheat filler, byproducts, artificial preservatives/colors.

Many brands that have this criteria cost upwards of $80 per bag. With the Acana Burbank Chicken and potatoe 13.5kg bag  you can have all of this for less than $60 and it is one of the few that can do so . Besides a chicken and fish inclusion of 60% , Acana Chicken has a healthy portion of vegetables and fruits. These have lots of antioxidants and are natural sources of vitamins and minerals. Just to be sure though  the formula has the usual complement of vitamins as well though.  Other fantastic features of the Acana Burbank Chicken formula are a unique complement of botanical grasses/flowers, beneficial probiotics, and glucosomine.

The Acana Chicken formulas also comes in variations for  puppy, large breed puppy, light and fit (weight management formula), small breed adult, large breed adult , senior, and sport. They are usually just a few dollars more than the adult.

Acana has also expanded it's line of single protein formulas and well as a complete line of grain free formulas. Single protein recipes include lamb, duck, and pork. They are easy to digest and a little lighter in protein levels. Grain Free formulas include the Pacifica (fish), Grasslands (lamb/duck), Ranchlands (beef),  and Wild Prairie (chicken). Protein levels are higher in the grain free formulas so the pricing is higher than the basic Acana Burbank Chicken formula.

Acana is made for both dogs and cats. The feline version is 100% grain free and features all the same benefits of the Acana grain free line.

Our full collection of Acana Products can be found here in our online store or at either one of our retail locations.

http://naturalpetfoods.ca/collections/acana

 You can be sure Natural Pet Foods keeps stocked up with Acana!

NOW Fresh

A Food No Vet Could Complain About!

Grain-Free, moderate in protein, and packed with fresh meats, veggies, and fruits

NOW Fresh is a fantastic pet food choice for both dogs and cats

This Canadian-made food has found a unique niche in the pet food market. It's grain-free and yet moderate in protein levels. It's a food we tell customers that their vet will have no problem with. Just look at what it's got going for it 

• Grain-Free
• Moderate Protein
• Lots of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables
• Probiotics
• Canadian-Made

It's a manufacturer we have worked with for many years, and Jeffrey, our sales rep, was actually one of the first customers at our Westboro store. It has some unusual features that we like a lot and make it an appealing food for customers searching for the right pet food. Despite the fact that it is a regular dog food, Now! Adult Dog  does not contain any chicken. This is great because chicken is a very common allergy. 

While we don't interfere with veterinary prescriptions, some customers with pets that they suspect have kidney issues choose Now! because of it's relatively low phosphorus levels. There is some controversy about how important protein level is for a pet with compromised kidneys, but there is no doubt that low phosphorus levels will help out in this situation.

Another benefit of the Now! foods is the excellent variety of fruits and veggies. Many of the foods that are often called "Superfoods" are right there in the Now! pet food. Cranberries, raspberries, bananas, spinach, and broccolli are all there, among many other ingredients packed with antioxidants. Can you believe this food even has grapefruit in it? Many times foods that we know to be healthy have health benefits for dogs and cats too.

And this pet food is available for both dogs and cats. For dogs it comes in puppy, large/small breed, adult, and senior-weight management formulas. For cats it comes in kitten, adult, and senior-weight management formulas.  The cat food has a new trout formula available as well which will please seafood loving felines. You can check out the details on their website at http://www.petcurean.com/ and order online on our website.