Protein content

Question
I recently changed foods to Acana Grasslands.  I selected this brand because I have a dog with food sensitivity and it contains no grains and only lamb, fruits and vegetables.  Since starting to switch foods, I was told that the protein level of 32% is far too high.  My dogs are dobermans and they are 3 and 2, both are fairly active with daily exercise which varies from doggie day care to walks and or bike rides.

Answer
Hello Linda,
I'll do the best I can to answer you reasonably. I am not a certified nutritionist nor have I ever owned that regal breed, Dobermans. If my response to you is not totally satisfactory, I have an address for you of a wonderful and brilliant woman who is very knowledgeable in all nutritional need areas. I have been in touch with her for years and she has really been a boon to my three dogs--small dogs.I'll give you her email address anyway in case you want to contact her She does not charge because she adores animals and believes in the natural road she follows.

Having said the above:
Feed your Doberman pinscher a high-grade dog food as you are doing. The first ingredient should be meat if you want a quality product. The best proteins for Dobies come from beef, pork, venison and the like. The least helpful proteins for Dobies come from chicken and fish sources. Crude protein should be no less than 30 percent and crude fat no less than 20 percent. The fiber content needs to be 4 percent or less. I did not come up with this info off the top of my head. I asked a friend of mine who is also quite knowledgeable in the Dobie area.

So it sounds to me as if you are right in the correct ballpark. Your dog is an adult and needs more protein than a pup. If your dogs are getting regular exercise then I think the level you are at is just fine. Anything between 25-35% should meet their requirements. Of course, check out their behaviors, attitude and overall demeanor too. If they are healthy, good coat, happy and energetic then don't change a thing.

I hope this helped. Also, here is the email address of this wonderful woman that I credit with saving my Yorkies nutritional life:

DoniaSea@aol.com.

If you do decide to write to Donia, tell her that Sue Behlmar sent you. She and I have been in contact for years now.

bye now, Susan

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND RATING. IM USING ALL CAPS TO DISTINGUISH THIS SHORT MESSAGE FROM THE ONE I WROTE EARLIER..I AM NOT ANGRY LOL. PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR LOOP. AFTER YOU CONTACT DONIA, GET BACK TO ME AT MY EMAIL ADDRESS IF YOU WOULD. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU LEARN FOR YOUR PUPS. HERE IS MY EMAIL ADDRESS:
DazzlinDaawg@aol.com
GOOD NIGHT AND ALL THE BEST TO ALL OF YOU!! SUE BEHLMAR