Where does ACANA dog food rank
BALANCED RECIPESFOR ABALANCED BUDGET
When it comes to ACANA pet food, every ingredient that goes into our thoughtfully crafted recipes is important, and were dedicated to making quality dog and cat foods with the world's best ingredients. Our foods are crafted with quality fresh or raw animal ingredients balanced with whole fruit and vegetables. Our fresh ingredients use refrigeration as the sole method of preservation, and our raw ingredients are frozen at their peak freshness. ACANA premium dog foods and treats are protein-rich, nutritious and delicious, and use ingredients from a curated group of farmers, ranchers and fishers weve known and trusted for decades. Our recipes are ideal for dogs of all ages including puppies, adult dogs and senior dogs and are available in no grains ingredients added recipes, Wholesome Grains recipes, and Singles recipes for dogs with sensitivities. ACANA premium cat food recipes offer a variety of recipes and flavors rich with animal protein and nutrients, so your cat is getting everything they need to look and feel their best. With diets for kittens, adult cats and senior cats, theres the right food for every cat. The name "Acana" was inspired by the farmlands of Alberta, Canada. Through the years, it has become synonymous with quality. Today we craft our food in our world-class kitchens in Edmonton, Alberta and Auburn, Kentucky.
TLC Dog Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons
Review Summary
Our Final Verdict
We give TLC Dog food a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
TLC Dog Food is a Canadian dog food company different from your traditional pet foods. They offer four grain-inclusive recipes: one adult recipe, one puppy recipe, one cat recipe, and one dog biscuit recipe. They certainly lack options, but their recipes dont lack nutrition.
TLC recipes contain excellent ingredients with meat meals, fresh meat, salmon oil, several grain options, chicken liver, and chelated minerals. All of these combine to make delicious recipes.
The only catch is you have to order exclusively through TLCs website. We had trouble finding good resources for reviews, so we cant say much about their customer service. But their nutrition and ingredient labels show us that its a brand worth trying.
At a Glance: The Best TLC Dog Food Recipes
Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Our Favorite | TLC Whole Life Dog Food | CHECK PRICE | ||
TLC Whole Life Puppy Food | CHECK PRICE | |||
TLC Whole Life Dog Biscuits | CHECK PRICE |
TLC Dog Food Reviewed
Who Makes TLC Dog Food, and Where Is It Produced?
TLC pet foods are manufactured in Canada in New Hamburg, Ontario. However, they have an American location in Tonawanda, New York. TLC sources its ingredients from North America, New Zealand, and Norway.
Which Type of Dog is TLC Best Suited For?
Unless your dog has a medical ailment requiring a special diet, any age dog may eat this food. TLC offers a specialized puppy formula and includes glucosamine and chondroitin in their adult dog food. They may not have a variety of flavors or specialty formulas, but they make up for this with their nutrient-dense food catering to all life stages.
Which Type of Dog Might Do Better with a Different Brand?
We recommend trying Blue Buffalo if you dont think your dog will do well on TLC dog food, if they need a more specific recipe than what TLC offers, or if you need something more readily available. Blue Buffalo has similar recipes with just as much nutrition and several specialized formulas and flavors. Theyre about the same price, too.
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)
Overall, were pretty pleased with TLCs ingredients and overall quality. Our only issue with the food is that it contains a lot of meat meal and not much fresh meat. Meat meal isnt an issue, but wed expect fresher protein for the bags price.
All of the recipes are similar, with a few minor differences. Most of them include:
- Meat meal
- Various grains
- Several fruits and vegetables
- Salmon oil
- Chicken liver
- A prebiotic
- Chelated minerals
- Amino and fatty acids
- Glucosamine and chondroitin
All these ingredients are excellent, making TLC an above-average dry dog food. Lets look at some other factors as to why this is.
High-Protein, High-Fat, Low-Fiber
All of their recipes are high-protein, high-fat, and low-fiber compared to the average of other dry dog foods. Most of the protein comes from meat, even with a high level of grain and peas. Depending on your dogs dietary needs, these factors can be good or bad.
High-Calorie
On average, dry dog food has around 325 to 350 calories per cup. TLCs food contains about 445 kcal/cup, much higher than the average. Youll need to watch your dogs activity level and make adjustments, so your dog doesnt gain a few extra pounds on this food.
Protein Quality
The protein quality in pet food matters. In our opinion, its one of the first things to look for. With TLC, most of the protein is meat-based, stemming from meat meals like lamb, chicken, and salmon. Meat meal is a highly concentrated end version of meat. Its cheap and keeps the protein levels high.
Youll also find chicken liver in this food, an excellent source of natural and highly digestible nutrition. Were always fans of pet food containing organ meat for this reason.
Vitamins and Minerals
We love that TLCs food contains chelated minerals. Chelated minerals are bound to chelating agents or organic compounds such as amino acids, making the minerals easier to absorb. So overall, your dog is getting a nutritious diet with highly digestible vitamins and minerals.
Prebiotics and Probiotics
The gut is considered the second brain, so its essential to take care of it, including our dogs gut. Prebiotics and probiotics manage the guts microbiome and keep everything running smoothly. This ultimately affects the bodys overall health and immunity. TLC has a variety of prebiotics and probiotics, which is a very good sign.
Customer Service
TLC is different from other pet food companies, so its worth mentioning how they run their business. TLC offers their pet food exclusively on their website. You cant order it anywhere else. On the positive side, you can save money by signing up for a convenient subscription. Even better, TLC offers a great range of timing options so you can receive exactly the amount of food you need when you need it. TLC also offers free shipping, which is always nice.
A Quick Look at TLC Dog Food
Pros
- No by-product
- Salmon oil for DHA
- Nutrient-rich chicken liver
- Chelated minerals
- Free shipping
- Subscription options
Cons
- Expensive
- Sold exclusively through the sellers website
Recall History
At this time, the FDA doesnt note any recalls regarding TLC dog food.
Reviews of the 3 Best TLC Dog Food Recipes
1. TLC Whole Life Dog Food
TLCs dog food is good for dogs of all ages, including seniors. They only carry one recipe containing several protein options, delicious herbs, and vegetables. The first two ingredients are meat-based (lamb meal and chicken meal), followed by oatmeal, fresh chicken, and whole-grain barley.
We like that your dog can get the same amount of DHA in this adult recipe available in the puppy formula. This recipe has a protein content of 26%, much higher than lower-quality pet foods. It also has a fat content of 16% and a fiber content of 4%. This recipe has more grain than meat, though. But at least your dog will stay full longer.
Pros
- Contains delicious herbs for flavor and nutrition
- Same amount of DHA as puppy food
2. TLC Whole Life Puppy Food
Not all small pet food brands have puppy food, so its nice that TLC created a formula just for the little guys. In this recipe, the first three ingredients are meat-based (lamb meal, chicken meal, fresh chicken) followed by whole brown rice and chicken fat.
This formula has a higher protein-to-carbohydrate ratio than the adult dog food. In fact, theres more protein, fat, and fiber in this recipe in total, which is exactly what puppies need. If your puppy likes this food, it will be a nice transition to adult dog food.
TLC markets this puppy food as good for all breed sizes. However, large and small breeds need slightly different nutrition since large breeds grow much bigger. So, we question if this formula is suitable for large breeds.
Pros
- First three ingredients are meat-based
- More fat, fiber, and protein
- Nice transition to adult dog food
Cons
- Formulated for all breed sizes
3. TLC Whole Life Dog Biscuits
TLCs Whole Life dog biscuits are delicious, healthy, and crunchy. These biscuits are primarily whole wheat, followed by fresh chicken, whole egg, whole brown rice, and canola oil. These treats even contain glucosamine and chondroitin for hip and joint health. We also love that there are fresh vegetables in these treats. Not many dog treats have veggies.
We dont like that these treats are pricey. Dog biscuits are usually cheap dog treats. Then again, they dont typically contain this many healthy ingredients!
Pros
- Contains glucosamine and chondroitin for hip and joint health
- Fresh chicken
- Several veggies
Cons
- Expensive compared to other dog biscuits
What Other Users Are Saying
Since you cant order TLC from anywhere other than their website, finding reviews on trusted websites proved challenging. You cant even find a review on their website. Instead, we looked for reviews on trusted dog food review websites to see what people say. We could only find one at this time.
- Dog Food Advisor Ive been feeding this to my 2 dogs for a year now. Australian Shepherd and a Mini Australian Shepherd. They have both do really well on it. Both have nice coats and bright eyes, and lots of energy. I like that they keep it simple and fresh when making the food. Plus, the foods not sitting in a warehouse to go to a store to come to my house. Im able to buy direct from the ones making it.
Conclusion
Yes, TLC lacks options, but their recipes are packed with nutrition. We like that they offer a puppy recipe. You can easily transition your puppy to the adult version when its ready. We also love that TLC includes glucosamine and chondroitin in their adult food and biscuits, making it a great brand for senior dogs.
Although some customers report great customer service, we simply dont have enough evidence to confirm that. But overall, the ingredients make us happy enough to give two paws up!