American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Deboned Salmon
    2. Chicken Meal (a source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate)
    3. Turkey Meal
    4. Peas
    5. Sweet Potatoes
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 390 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 32%
  • Fat: 14%
  • Fiber: 5%

American Journey Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, one of the best dog foods for Akitas, offers optimal nutrition and incredible value, making it a win win for both Akitas and their owners. This diet is grain-free and also contains no corn, wheat, or soy, making it a great choice for Akitas with known food allergies.

Carbohydrates are derived from nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, carrots, and dried kelp. This food is rich in protein, listing whole deboned salmon as its first ingredient.

Salmon oil and flaxseed have been included to promote excellent skin and coat health as well as support for cognitive function and vision.

Pros

  • Owners love the price of this food, feeling it gives them premium tier nutrition and great value for their dog food dollar.
  • Most dogs love the salmon in this food, licking their bowls clean every meal.
  • Dogs fed a steady diet of American Journey Grain-Free Adult displayed coats that were thick, lustrous, shiny, and soft.
  • Owners reported their dogs had excellent stool quality when fed this diet on a consistent basis.
  • Owners like that this diet includes sweet potatoes as the basis of its carbohydrate content. Sweet potatoes are a superfood that are rich in antioxidants and dietary fiber, helping the Akita to achieve good digestion and a healthy immune system.

Cons

  • Some dogs found the heavy emphasis on salmon in this diet off putting would not eat it. Another American Journey food based on a different protein may be a better fit.
  • A few owners expressed they would prefer to feed their dogs a diet that includes whole grains in its formulation.
  • In rare cases, some dogs saw an increase in flatulence when fed this diet. This may be due to an ingredient that doesn’t agree with the dog’s system.
  • Peas, chickpeas, and pea protein are all found in this recipe. These ingredients are of questionable nutritional quality for dogs and may be linked to such problems as DCM, elevated blood sugar levels, and even lowered fertility rates in breeding dogs.
  • This diet contains no supplements to boost joint health in the active Akita.

Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Raw Grain-Free Pacific Catch Recipe Salmon, Whitefish & Trout Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Deboned Salmon
    2. Salmon Meal
    3. Whitefish Meal
    4. Sweet Potatoes
    5. Potatoes
  • Type: Freeze-dried raw and dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 390 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 34%
  • Fat: 16%
  • Fiber: 3.5%

Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Raw is an excellent quality food that has been crafted to provide the fuel large breed dogs like the Akita need from their diet. This food, rated among the best foods for the Akita, contains freeze-dried raw bites and kibble that is coated with freeze-dried meat to increase its flavor. The main ingredient in this food is real deboned salmon, a meat that contains a healthy amount of amino and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to keep the Akita healthy and well.

Merrick Backcountry contains no grains. Its carbohydrates come from highly digestible fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants to support a healthy immune system. Glucosamine and chondroitin are also included to assist with joint health.

This diet is free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Pros

  • Owners were pleased to report that their dogs suffering with sensitive stomachs tolerated this diet very well, finding complete relief from their symptoms.
  • The fish proteins found in this diet make this food particularly flavorful. Dogs enjoy it as a meal, a snack, and even as a training treat.
  • Owners love that Merrick Backcountry Raw is available in several different protein options, allowing them to offer their Akitas some variety in their daily diet.
  • Dogs were easily able to achieve and maintain healthy weights when fed this diet consistently.
  • Dogs fed a steady diet of Merrick Backcountry Raw Pacific Catch had coats that were healthy, soft, and shiny.

Cons

  • Several owners expressed they felt this diet was too expensive.
  • Some dogs did not like the heavy emphasis on fish in this diet and would not eat it.
  • A few dogs picked out the freeze-dried pieces of fish and ignored the kibble entirely. To avoid this problem, owners can reserve the meat to feed as a treat once the dog’s main meal has been consumed.
  • Rarely, some dogs struggled with mild signs of gastrointestinal distress when regularly fed this food. This could be a sensitivity to an ingredient or may be the result of too quick a change in the dog’s diet.
  • Some owners were discouraged that this diet does include peas in its formula, an ingredient of questionable nutritional value for dogs.

Holistic Select Large & Giant Breed Adult Health Chicken Meal & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Chicken Meal
    2. Rice
    3. Oatmeal
    4. Oats
    5. Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 453 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 24%
  • Fat: 14%
  • Fiber: 4%

Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed Adult is a diet specifically designed with the nutritional needs of large breeds like the Akita in mind. A diet that contains healthy servings of both l-carnitine and taurine, Holistic Select provides critical support for the Akita’s heart health.

Holistic Select includes both whole grains and fruits and vegetables in this formulation. The recipe is easy for the Akita to digest and is rich in fiber and antioxidants, making it among the best foods for Akitas with sensitive stomachs.

Glucosamine has been included in this diet to encourage healthy joints.

Pros

  • Even the pickiest of eaters loves this food, lapping up every last piece in their dish with great enthusiasm.
  • Dogs with sensitive stomachs did very well on this diet, finding relief from their symptoms.
  • Owners are pleased this diet includes some high quality whole grains in its recipe, providing the dietary fiber needed for good digestion.
  • Dogs regularly fed this diet saw an improvement in their coat quality. Their fur was healthy, shiny, and soft.
  • Owners love that this diet has been formulated specifically to address the nutritional needs of large and giant breeds like the Akita, feeling confident this diet supports optimal health and wellness in their dogs.

Cons

  • A few dogs disliked the taste of this diet and would not eat it. Holistic Select does offer other foods for large and giant breeds that have a different protein base. One of these may be a better choice.
  • Some owners felt this diet was too cost prohibitive for their budgets.
  • In rare cases, some dogs struggled to achieve good digestion, displaying loose stools consistently. This could be due to a sensitivity to one of the diet’s ingredients or may be from too quick a dietary change for the dog’s system.
  • Several owners indicated their bags of food contained a large amount of crumbled kibble.
  • A few owners felt the kibble pieces in this diet were too small for large and giant breed dogs like the Akita. They expressed concern that their size may make them a choking hazard for their dogs.

Now Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed Adult Recipe Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. De-Boned Turkey
    2. Whole Dried Egg
    3. Potatoes
    4. Peas
    5. Potato Flour
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 393 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 27%
  • Fat: 13%
  • Fiber: 4%

Now Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed is a top-quality food that provides the exceptional nutrition the active Akita needs from its diet to thrive. This food formulation is both grain and gluten-free, making it an excellent selection for Akitas that suffer from food sensitivities. It is also free from by-products, wheat, corn, and soy; ingredients that can be common allergens in the breed.

Now Fresh is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to encourage healthy coat and skin. Prebiotics and probiotics have been included in this recipe to support digestive processes. Coconut oil provides valuable antioxidants to encourage disease-fighting properties.

With all of these benefits to its credit, it is not difficult to see why Now Fresh has been rated one of the best dog foods for Akitas.

Pros

  • Owners report their dogs love this diet, looking forward to their every meal. This food is so flavorful that it can also be used as a training treat.
  • Owners shared they found no difficulty transitioning from their dogs’ old diet to Now Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed. Their dogs continued to have good stool quality and no stomach problems.
  • Owners reported dogs that regularly suffered with ear infections found relief with a switch to this diet.
  • Owners of dogs that previously had poor stool quality reported great improvements when feeding this diet regularly to their Akitas.
  • The absence of grains in this diet gives owners confidence that this food is ideal for Akitas suffering with food sensitivities or allergies.

Cons

  • Owners expressed they felt this diet was a little expensive but readily agreed it was of exceptional quality.
  • Some puppies began to suffer with increased bouts of flatulence with a switch to this diet. This may be due to a sensitivity to one of the ingredients in the food.
  • Some dogs did not like the taste of this food and would not eat it.
  • Several owners indicated that the price of this food seems to fluctuate on a fairly frequent basis. They would like to see more consistent pricing of this product.
  • Some owners disliked that this food was grain-free, preferring to feed a diet that includes some whole grains in its recipe.

FirstMate Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Pacific Ocean Fish Meal Formula Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Ocean Fish Meal
    2. Burbank Potato
    3. Norkotah Potato
    4. Tomato Pomace
    5. Chicken Fat (Mixed Tocopherols)
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 484 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 23%
  • Fat: 10%
  • Fiber: 8%

FirstMate LID Grain-Free Dog Food has been carefully crafted to meet the needs of active breeds like the Akita. This diet’s protein is derived from one high quality meat alone: ocean fish. This limited ingredient formulation makes it an ideal choice for dogs that suffer from skin or stomach sensitivities as it is unlikely to trigger any allergic reaction.

FirstMate contains no grains. In addition to being a stand alone food for dogs with allergies, it can also be used alongside elimination diets for owners who are trying to determine any foods their Akita may be allergic to.

One of the reasons this diet earns top marks as one of the best Akita dog foods is that it contains no corn, wheat, or soy.

Pros

  • Dogs suffering with dry and itchy skin found relief when fed this diet on a consistent basis. Their skin was well-hydrated, and their fur was healthy, soft, and shiny.
  • Owners love that this diet is based on a very limited list of ingredients of only the finest quality. They feel this emphasis makes this diet ideal for Akitas with allergies or food sensitivities.
  • Dogs that regularly struggled with ongoing flatulence saw a big reduction in this problem when regularly fed FirstMate LID Grain-Free Adult.
  • Dogs love the taste of this food, finding the fish meals highly flavorful. They lick their bowls clean at every meal.
  • Owners are pleased with their dogs' energy levels when fed a steady diet of FirstMate LID Grain-Free Adult.

Cons

  • Some dogs found the fish meal in this diet too strong in flavor and refused to eat this diet. A different FirstMate formulation based on another protein may be a better option for these dogs.
  • A few owners expressed that they found this diet rather costly.
  • Some owners noted their dogs’ stool was very loose after a change to this diet. This may be from too quick a change from the old diet to the new and may resolve in time.
  • Owners disliked that this food is not in resealable packaging. They felt this made it more difficult for them to keep their dogs’ food fresh.
  • Some owners indicated this food became very soggy when combined with broth or water. When the kibble pieces became mushy, their dogs lost interest in eating this food.