The dog food market offers Canadian pet owners more choices than ever before. Believe it or not, some of the very best quality dog foods are manufactured right here in the Great White North. From dog foods designed specifically for dogs with allergies to raw and even home cooked, there is something to suit even the pickiest canine with the dog foods now made and sold in Canada.
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Acana
Acana is a dog food manufactured by Champion Dog Food Canada. A top shelf dog food producer for more than 25 years, Acana’s nutritional focus is ingredients that are at the peak of their freshness and that are locally sourced. Acana is a strong supporter of Canadian farmers and fishermen. Their diets come in many different flavors with each recipe intended to replicate the diet the wild dog would have enjoyed in his natural environment.
Though Acana’s product line was mostly comprised of grain-free foods; today, this company also offers several recipes based on nutritious whole grains. Acana strives for a “whole prey” model in each of their recipes by ensuring their foods contain meat, organs, marrow, and cartilage. The proteins selected for Acana’s foods are of the highest possible quality to ensure optimal nutritional value for dogs.
To preserve the highest nutrient value, Acana’s dog food is slow cooked at temperatures not exceeding 90 degrees C (195 degrees F).
Among the advantages of choosing Acana for your dog’s meals are:
- Protein-rich to simulate the dog’s diet in the wild
- Free from antibiotics, GMO ingredients, and hormones
- Ingredients that are fresh and locally sourced
- Whole prey model recipes
The Acana product line includes freeze-dried meals and treats, kibble, and tetra packs.
Website: www.acana.com
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Big Country Raw Dog Food
Big Country Raw Dog Food is a premium quality balanced raw diet. Their product line includes not only raw food for dogs but also for cats. The foundation of Big Country Raw is high quality meat products that are either pasture-raised, free-range, or wild caught. This diet is comprised of organic ingredients and is prepared in small batches in a food production company in Canada.
To begin the manufacturing process, the ingredients for each recipe are delivered to Big Country Raw’s facility. Each ingredient that goes into the food is fresh and in whole form. Once each ingredient has been carefully inspected for quality control, they are then broken down for use in Big Country Raw’s various recipes.
Big Country Raw began their product line with a senior dog food that has become one of the top-rated foods for elderly pets in the country. They first began production in 2012 in Ontario and now also have a processing plant in Vancouver.
Among the benefits Big Country Raw offers are:
- Lots of flavors to choose from
- Exotic meat-based foods for dogs with allergies including rabbit and kangaroo
- Wide product line that includes full dinner, whole ground meats, unique meal blends, and Trek dehydrated foods
- Appropriate for all life stages
- All ingredients sourced in Canada with the exception of the kangaroo meat
- Company support for rescues and working dogs
Some of the Big Country Raw Dog Food offerings include frozen raw meals, side dishes, and raw bones.
Website: www.bigcountryraw.ca
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Boreal Dog Food
A dog food manufactured by a company named Lincoln Biotech, Boreal was developed by a team of brothers; one of which is a veterinarian. Boreal Dog Food has been preparing their high-quality canine meals in Canada for more than 20 years. Similar to Acana in their philosophy, Boreal models their diets after the foods the ancient canine would have enjoyed in the wild.
Boreal’s recipes are based on easily digestible proteins such as salmon, lamb, and turkey. They also prioritize the use of items that are low in simple carbohydrates and that have a low score on the glycemic index. By putting together formulas based on this foundation, Boreal is able to provide dogs with the fuel they need for a steady stream of energy to support their active lifestyle. Boreal strives to help dogs achieve and maintain a healthy weight, eliminate food-related allergies, and promote optimal wellness.
Boreal’s dry foods are manufactured in two distinct food processing plants, both of which are located in Ontario.
The main advantages to feeding your dog Boreal include:
- No grains, starches, cereals, added salt, or artificial colors
- Emphasis on low carb and low sugar ingredients such as Western Canadian peas and Northern White Pea beans
- The addition of Zinpro to boost coat and skin health
- Locally sourced meats, peas, and beans
- Added probiotics to boost digestive processing
- Boosted antioxidant profile through the addition of herbs, fruits, and vegetables
Boreal’s product line includes canned food, kibble, and treats.
Website: www.borealpetfood.com
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Canada Fresh Dog Food
The latest addition to the Petkind line of foods is Canada Fresh Dog Food. Crafted from the finest locally sourced ingredients produced by Canadian farmers, Canada Fresh Dog Food is a wet diet that is suitable for a dog’s daily meals or as a topper to encourage hearty consumption in picky eaters.
Canada Fresh Dog Food is prepared in a Petkind manufacturing plant located in British Columbia. The approach to this diet hinges on a recipe that is derived from natural ingredients and a high protein content. Canada Fresh is deeply committed to environmentally friendly work practices and products. From each case of food they sell, the company donates 25 cents to help preserve and protect the ecosystems in Canada.
Among the benefits your dog can enjoy from a steady diet of Canada Fresh Dog Food are:
- Single protein recipes (with the exception of the red meat diet)
- 95% animal protein base in each recipe
- Grain and potato-free
- Ingredients are sustainable and locally sourced
- Based on a limited ingredients list
- Good solution for pets with food-based allergies
- Suitable for all breeds and all life stages
At present, Canada Fresh Dog Food is only available in wet form (canned food).
Website: www.petkind.com
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Carna4 Dog Food
Carna4 Dog Food was founded by two Canadians committed to producing a diet that offered a top-quality grain-inclusive dry food equal in quality to a raw diet. The name of the company is taken from a Roman goddess named Carna whose role was to help provide protection over the organs of the body and assist with optimal digestion and nourishment.
Carna4 Dog Food is processed as little as possible and is created from real food ingredients in their whole form. Carna4 has earned the distinction of being the first dog diet to include natural ingredients that rate higher than the required AAFCO nutritional standards.
Branding themselves as the “unkibble,” Carna4 is quite similar to a dehydrated food. The diet is baked in an EU-certified bakery by the name of Bio Biscuit. Bio Biscuit is located in Quebec.
Carna4 offers your dog:
- Three different protein bases: chicken, fish, or duck
- 90% protein meat-based protein plus sprouted seeds
- Boosted prebiotic fiber and antioxidants through sprouted seed inclusion
- Nutrient density to maximize your dog food dollar
- Suitable for all breeds and all life stages
- Baked low and slow to maximize nutritional value
Website: www.carna4.com
Carna4’s products include meal toppers, dog treats, and oven-baked kibble.
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FirstMate Dog Food
Manufactured in a family-owned and operated processing plant since 1989, FirstMate Pet Foods was founded with the desire to create dog foods of exceptional quality, based on limited ingredients, and with nutrient-rich fish as their protein source. What started as a small business has now grown into a worldwide brand. Each FirstMate diet is created in a top tier, modern food factory in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
The benefits FirstMate offers your dog are:
- Grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes
- Limited ingredient diets
- Exceptional quality proteins including free-range chicken and turkey and wild salmon and tuna
- Corn, soy, and wheat-free
- Single proteins in each diet
- Nutrients applied after processing to ensure maximum absorption
- Canned foods manufactured from human-grade ingredients and contain no gums or preservatives
FirstMate’s product line includes canned food, kibble, and treats.
Website: www.firstmate.com
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Horizon Dog Food
Horizon is a Canadian-made dog food that bases its formula on locally sourced ingredients to promote environmentally conscious manufacturing standards. Quality control is key to Horizon’s success. Each ingredient is carefully inspected to ensure it is nutritionally sound and beneficial for inclusion in dog food. Each of Horizon’s diets is based on high protein content derived from exceptional quality, lean, and easily digestible meats.
Horizon Dog Food is proudly manufactured in Rosthern, Saskatchewan.
The things your dog gains from a steady diet of Horizon Dog Food are:
- High protein content
- Low glycemic grains included
- Secondary higher protein line Legacy contains no grains
- Specific line for small breeds (Amicus)
- Product specifically for dogs with allergies (Pulsar)
- Included prebiotics and probiotics to help with ideal digestion
Horizon is currently available only as a kibble.
Website: www.horizonpetfood.com
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Hurraw Dog Food
A truly exemplary dehydrated diet for dogs, Hurrah is based on fresh ingredients that have been designated as suitable for human consumption. The ideal solution for raw feeders looking for a food that does not require refrigeration and that is convenient for those that travel a lot, Hurraw offers all of the benefits of a raw diet and more. The dog food specialists at Hurraw have over 14 years of experience creating top shelf canine diets. This expertise allowed them to create a hybrid diet that combines the dehydration process with freeze-drying. The food is prepared in a low-temperature dehydration unit to allow for maximum nutritional preservation. Hurraw is easy on dogs’ digestive systems and can be used as a meal, a topper, or even as training treats.
Hurraw is proudly manufactured in a processing plant in the province of Quebec.
Hurraw offers dogs the following benefits:
- Three different flavor choices: pork, fish, and turkey
- Extremely calorie dense
- Derived from ingredients that are high quality and designated as human grade
- Suitable for all breeds and all life stages
At present, Hurraw is available only in dehydrated raw form.
Website: www.hurraw.ca
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Smack Dog Food
Another food that is also dehydrated raw, Smack Pet Food is an excellent choice for your dog’s regular meals or even as a topper to encourage heartier eating. This diet’s foundation is a very limited list of high-quality ingredients that includes meats, fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Designed to promote optimal health and wellness in dogs of all ages, this high-performance food encourages healthy digestion and excellent coat and skin quality. Whole superfoods and organic ingredients are used in each recipe. Smack Pet Food includes no grains, gluten, or fillers in their recipes.
Smack Pet Food is made in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their product line has been on the market since 2008.
The key features Smack Pet Food provides your pet are:
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Multiple protein bases including chicken, salmon, rockfish, herring, and pork
- Suitable for all breeds and all life stages
- Limited ingredients list
- Suitable for dogs with allergies and picky eaters
- Can be served dry or reconstituted to restore the texture of real raw food
- Nutrient-dense
- Easy to digest
Smack Pet Food is only available as a dehydrated raw meal or topper.
Website: www.smackpetfood.com
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Tripett
Tripett is a canned food that is comprised of different types of tripe. This diet is manufactured by Petkind. Tripett is designed to function as a digestive aid. It can be included as part of a regular diet or fed as a treat or meal topper. Tripett will encourage even the pickiest of canines to eat with hearty abandon; however, be forewarned, it has a very potent smell that most owners find quite off-putting.
Tripett consists of 100% tripe and includes no carbohydrates or preservatives. The ingredients for this diet are all imported from various regions of North America or New Zealand. The tripe used in Tripett’s canned foods is green, unbleached, and processed as minimally as possible.
Manufactured by Petkind, Tripett has been produced in British Columbia since 2001.
Among the reasons to feed your dog Tripett are:
- Effective digestion tool
- Encourages picky eaters
- Several flavor options
- Several novel proteins such as venison and bison available
- Some formulas suitable for dogs with allergies
- Promotes optimal coat and skin health
Tripett only comes in canned form at this time.
Looking for a new food to feed your dog and wanting to try something Canadian-made? Consider our list of some of the most popular Canadian manufactured dog foods. You just might find Fido’s new favorite food to feast on there.
Website: www.petkind.ca
