Orijen Dog Food
Orijen dog food is widely considered to be one of, if not the best, dog foods on the market.
For over 30 years, Orijen has been producing high-quality foods for dogs and cats in a variety of different formulas. This company produces 6 different dry foods for dogs that incorporate whole meats and organs to mirror the natural diet of wild dogs. In addition to these dry foods, Orijen also produces three freeze-dried dog food formulas and a number of foods and treats for cats. All of Orijen’s products are made with natural, wholesome ingredients such as cage-free poultry, nest-laid eggs, wild-caught fish and ranch-raised meats.
Orijen’s Biologically Appropriate dry dog food is made according to the whole prey model of feeding for dogs. This means that it includes 80% fresh whole meats which gives their food a protein percentage between 38 and 42% — this is incredibly high compared to many commercial dog foods. Orijen’s dry foods are formulated for dogs of all walks of life from puppy to senior dog, also accounting for large-breed and active dogs. Three freeze-dried formulas provide all the natural, nutritious goodness of raw food in a convenient, longer-lasting product.
Orijen dog food is manufactured by Champion Pet Food in Alberta, Canada. The company has been in business since 1975, and they have won awards in western Canada and Alberta for their manufacturing and leadership. Champion also makes Acana dog food which is similar to Orijen, though the meat percentage is a little lower. Champion says there are plans at some point in the future to make canned foods.
Recent Recalls
Please Read First: If this statement is still here we are actively watching for new recalls. Below you will find a history of recalls. If you would like to know as soon as we find out about a recall, visit the Dog Food Recall page and fill out our form. We will only email this list in the event of an actual recall.
We also encourage everyone to bookmark the site for future reference.
Where to Buy Orijen Dog Food
Orijen is manufactured in Canada but it is widely available in the U.S. You can buy it from many online pet food distributors such as Petfooddirect.com, Petflow.com, Amazon.com, and other sites. You can also go to the Orijen website and look at their “Where To Buy” page.
For a look at other top brands, visit our reviews on Victor and Acana.
Orijen Dog Food Review
Champion makes six Orijen dry dog foods, eight kinds of freeze-dried treats, and three kinds of freeze-dried dog foods. Orijen’s foods are based on the idea of the “whole prey” diet. They make food with the belief that dogs should eat a diet similar to that of their wolf ancestors. Orijen is made with 75 to 80 percent meat, which makes it different from just about every other kibble you can name. Recipes have 38 to 42 percent protein, 15 to 20 percent fat, and a maximum of 25 percent carbs, which is very low for commercial dog food.
Ingredients in Orijen foods include local and regional ingredients. According to the company, they use cage-free poultry, nest-laid eggs, ranch-raised meats, and wild-caught fish. Ingredients are fresh, passed fit for human consumption, and are preservative-free.
The company says their foods are as free as possible of ethoxyquin, a preservative often used in fish meal. Obviously, when food has fresher, more carefully raised ingredients, you’ll pay more – which is why Orijen is expensive. They set the standard for how pet foods should be made – with lots of protein, fewer carbs, no preservatives or anything artificial, and everything in the ingredient list named and identified.
We note that Orijen uses chelated or proteinated minerals. This means that the minerals that have been added to the food are organic mineral complexes that bond with the amino acids in proteins so they are easier for dogs to digest. It’s more expensive for companies to use proteinated minerals so this is something you generally see in better dog foods.
Is there anything not to like? Well, not everyone agrees that dogs need so much protein in their diet. Or that you have to spend quite this much money to feed your dog. There are many excellent dog foods that cost a little less than Orijen dog foods. Not everyone likes the whole prey model for their dog’s nutritional needs. And some of the ingredients in Orijen’s foods seem a little gimmicky, like the botanical inclusions – such as angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile, dandelion, etc.
Current Formulas
Puppy
First five ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Atlantic Flounder, Whole Eggs, Whole Atlantic Mackerel
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 38 percent, Crude Fat: 20 percent, Crude Fiber: 6 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 449 kcal/cup
Puppy Large
First five ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Flounder, Whole Eggs, Whole Atlantic Mackerel
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 38 percent, Crude Fat: 16 percent, Crude Fiber: 6 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 449 kcal/cup
Original
First five ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Atlantic Flounder, Whole Eggs, Whole Atlantic Mackerel
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 38 percent, Crude Fat: 18 percent, Crude Fiber: 4 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 449 kcal/cup
Six Fish
First five ingredients: Whole Atlantic Mackerel, Whole Atlantic Herring, Monkfish, Acadian Redfish, Founder
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 38 percent, Crude Fat: 18 percent, Crude Fiber: 4 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 445 kcal/cup
Regional
First five ingredients: Deboned Beef, Deboned Wild Boar, Deboned Goat, Deboned Lamb, Lamb Liver
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 38 percent, Crude Fat: 18 percent, Crude Fiber: 4 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 440 kcal/cup
Tundra
First five ingredients: Deboned Goat, Deboned Wild boar, Deboned Arctic Char, Deboned Venison, Steelhead Trout
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 40 percent, Crude Fat: 18 percent, Crude Fiber: 9 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 460 kcal/cup
Fit & Trim
First five ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Liver, Turkey Liver, Cod Liver, Whole Eggs
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 42 percent, Crude Fat: 13 percent, Crude Fiber: 8 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 402 kcal/cup
Senior Dog
First five ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Deboned Turkey, Atlantic Flounder, Whole eggs, Whole Atlantic Mackerel
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 38 percent, Crude Fat: 15 percent, Crude Fiber: 8 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 414 kcal/cup
Adult Dog Freeze-Dried
First five ingredients: Chicken, Turkey, Whole Herring, Chicken Liver, Chicken Heart
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein: 36 percent, Crude Fat: 35 percent, Crude Fiber: 5 percent
Calorie Content (calculated): 80 calories/medallion
In-Depth Look At Orijen Regional Red
Orijen Regional Red is a dog food for dogs who really love their meat. If you feed this food to your dog you should follow the suggested feeding guidelines on the label.
Here’s a look at each of the first five ingredients:
Beef, the first ingredient, is easy for most dogs to digest and they get a lot of protein from it. Boneless Angus beef is about 74 percent protein and 26 percent fat. It’s also a good source of riboflavin, niacin and zinc, and a very good source of vitamin C, vitamin B12, iron, phosphorus, copper, and selenium.
Wild boar is pork but there are some differences from your typical ham. Dogs will appreciate the much stronger flavor. Wild boar also has less fat and more protein than beef.
Unlike many dog foods who import lamb from New Zealand, Orijen’s lamb is raised in Alberta, Canada – locally. It’s delivered fresh daily like their other meats. Lamb is the meat from a sheep in its first year which makes it very tender. Lamb is 59 percent protein, 36 percent fat, and 5 percent carbohydrates. It’s a good source of vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, phosphorus and manganese, and a very good source of vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, copper, and selenium.
The fourth ingredient is beef liver. Orijen’s biologically appropriate diets include lots of organ meats, such as different kinds of liver, which are rich in vitamins and minerals. People who feed raw diets will be familiar with the importance of including organ meats in the diet.
The fifth ingredient is boneless pork. Pork is an estimated 81 percent protein and 19 percent fat. It’s a good source of vitamin C, niacin, phosphorus and zinc, and a very good source of vitamin B12, iron and selenium. Most dogs love pork and it’s used much more in dog food than most people realize.
You’ll notice that this is a grain free dog food but it does have about 22 percent carbs as mentioned above. The carbs come from different sources in the food but especially from some of the fruits and vegetables: sun-cured alfalfa, pumpkin, butternut squash, spinach greens, carrots, Red Delicious apples, and Bartlett pears. There are several sources of natural preservatives in the food such as the antioxidants cranberries and blueberries.
There are some ingredients in this food that cause concern. Orijen has altered their recipes in the last year and reduced the meat protein in their foods. This particular food now includes a number of different kinds of peas/legumes that weren’t in the food before: red lentils, chickpeas, green peas, yellow peas, and green lentils. Dog food companies usually make changes like this so they can save money and use less meat while trying to keep a higher percentage of protein since peas/legumes are plant protein. The food already included pea fiber which is used as a fiber/protein in dog foods so this brand, known for its meat content, is starting to contain lots more plant protein. This is something for people to consider carefully when they are being asked to pay very high prices for this food.
Guaranteed Analysis
On a dry matter basis the food has a protein percentage of 42.2 percent (high); a fat percentage of 20 percent (good for the protein percentage); a fiber percentage of 5.6 (within the correct range for the other percentages); and a carb percentage of 22.2 percent (very low). There are 450 calories per 1 U.S. cup of this dog food. That’s a lot of calories making this a very rich dog food.
Pros and Cons for Orijen
As is true for any pet food, you need to do your research before you buy. Orijen is a top-rated company that produces high-quality foods, but it is not necessarily the right choice for everyone. Below you will find a list of the pros and cons for Orijen products so you can make an educated decision for yourself:
Pros:
- Fresh, human-grade ingredients used in all pet food products
- Whole protein sources and low carbohydrate content
- No artificial preservatives, flavors or dyes
- Products are biologically appropriate – designed to meet dogs’ nutritional needs
Cons:
- Locally raised ingredients contribute to higher product prices
- High protein content may not be right for all dogs
- Availability of products may vary by region
Given the information in this article, you should have no doubt that Orijen produces high-quality, healthy products for dogs and cats. If you are looking for an all-natural product to provide your pet with wholesome nutrition, Orijen pet foods should definitely be on your list.
Let us know what you and your dog think of Orijen!
Below is a list of Products reviewed in this article
- Puppy
- Puppy Large
- Original
- Six Fish
- Regional
- Tundra
- Fit & Trim
- Senior Dog
- Adult Dog Freeze-Dried
- Orijen Regional Red
Consumer Ratings
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Great food just to pricey
You get what you pay for. Wal-mart has Old Roy. Maybe that will fit your budget.
I agree with all the controversy over dog food now days I will pay more if it means my dog doesn’t die from eating it
There is always 2 ways to say something, John. For example:
(1) While it is true that Orijen is pricey, it has been my experience that if you want top quality, you will have to pay for top quality. There are less expensive choices availablee, i.e., Old Roy, Pedigree, Purina, etc., but if you compare the ingredients and the nutritional values you wou will quickly see the difference in nore than just the price.
and the 2nd way to say this same thing and to be very sarcastic and unnecessarily rude in the process can be found in your comment above.
I personally purchase Orijen and I personally agree that it is very pricey dog food. But as long as I can swing it financially, I will CHOOSE to buy Orijen. But I would never look down on someone who CHOSE something different for financial reasons or any reason for that matter. Learn to respect others . . .
Thanks for this kind reply, Sandra. I agree with you and you sound likea really good person. Perhaps John didn’t mean any offense….but I appreciate your tactful and constructive criticism of the verbiage used 🙂
My dogs love Orijen. I noticed a difference in my puppy’s coat after just a few feedings….more shiny/glossy and overall healthier looking.
BLUE & Royal Canin brands are also very good in my opinion and a bit less expensive than Orijen.
My dog has suffered from allergies for over 6 years. I’ve tried nearly every dog food on the market (including “good” ones like BLUE and Royal Canin) with no success. When you look at the ingredients, they don’t come close to Orijen. Also, I’m actually paying LESS buying Orijen than buying any of the previous brands I’ve tried. Check out the feeding guidelines to see for yourself. My dog gets about 2 hours of exercise per day, so I feed him based on the “active” guidelines. A 13 kg (28.6 lb) bag of food lasts him 66 DAYS!!! It costs $106, which means I’m only paying about $1.60/day. If he was less active, I could feed him a bit less and the bag would last even longer. I was spending much more than this on every other diet (including a home-prepared one that I tried as a last resort), especially when you factor in the constant vet bills for skin rashes, yeast infections, staph infections, ear infections, etc. I will NEVER feed my dog anything but Orijen ever again, and I recommend it to everyone I know!
I Sandra,
I heard good things about this product but also heard rumors about the manufacturing in Kentucky. Can you give me any feedback about it
No actually orijen is manufactured right in Alberta. Why would they manufacture in the USA. That is just a rumour about Kentucky, just to give Orijen an untruth.
I just purchased a new bag of Origen puppy and it says “Made in USA in our Kentucky kitchens “on the bag.
I wish it was a rumor. All products sold in the USA are now made in Kentucky. They changed the formula of both the US & Canadian dog food and treats so you can’t get the previous versions in either country.
I talked to Champion today, as one of my pups stopped eating food and treats (he lives to eat!). Originally, I understood that Acana was going to be the “US version”, but I they moved it all. The formula changes were significant enough Champion recommends transitioning the food, but they failed to market these changes so you actually could. Also, the treats have inconsistent sizes, which raises concerns about quality control. 🙁
Lack of transparency about the manufacturing and formula changes are big red flags IMO – I expected better from Champion than a blurb on their website or telling distributors to pass along. I’ve been using Orijen for three years so I should have no need to visit their website often. They have my email – use it.
They said that they still meet the EU standards in the Kentucky plant (but they aren’t required to). I chose Orijen BECAUSE it was made in Canada and HAD to meet those standards. I’m now looking for a new food, as both have lost weight due to food avoidance (ZiwiPeak looks promising).
I’m interested to know if there will be a new review given that the formulas have changed, as well as manufacturing.
Thank you!!that was very well put
There are a lot of factors (too many to mention) that helps folks decide what they can reasonable afford to feed their special fur babies. I currently buy Blue Buffalo Fish and Sweet Potato for my two dogs. I am careful to buy them a relatively top tier food because their health is very important to me. I would love to buy this food for my dogs, but the cost keeps it out of reach for now. With 2 Saint Bernards that eat 5 cups of food per day EACH (10 cups a day total for those with math issues), it is just too much!! A 28lb. bag ($80-$100 each) would maybe last me a week and a half at best. I would be spending almost $300/month on dog food alone! I suppose I would need a new job or a good raise first. 🙂
If however you have a tiny pooch, a 28 lb. bag would last FOREVER and I think it would be very easy to absorb this costly choice.
My two cents? Just buy the best dog food you can afford. Be mindful of your dog’s health and know you are doing your best for them.
Remember, been that Orijen is so concentrated and high quality , you feed about 30% less that other foods, so is not necessarily so much more expensive.
Isn’t blue buffalo manufactured by diamond?
Yes it is and there are recalls currently on all poultry kibble.
IT ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING CHEAPER THAN A LOT OF TOP END BRANDS!
I agree with JD, we own two dobermans who also go thru a ton of food. We originally fed them wellness core and recently I decided to try something different. The ‘rated fit for human consumption’ got me. After seeing how much more our one picky eater enjoyed the food, I did the math. Figured the price per gram and multiplied by the amount of grams eaten daily. In the end, we were actually SAVING money because the higher nutritional content required the dogs to be fed smaller amounts. I urge anyone who thinks orijen is too expensive to compare feeding charts and do the same.
I am sure most people do their best when looking for the right nutrition for their dog or none of us would be doing research. Demeaning anyone to the level of Walmart’s signature “Old Roy” is not necessary, ‘Mr. Wonderful,’ aka John. Cost is not the biggest concern with Orijen. The fact that they have changed their processes with out allowing the cost to change with it is just as revealing. I am sure you know all about this, though. Good Luck!
I know it’s pricey but I was having an issue with my puppy who I recently adopted. She didn’t like the foods that were recommended. I wasted money trying to switch her from whatever she was eating in the shelter. She actually stopped eating, thank goodness Orijen because that’s all she will eat. I did a comparison of the nutritional value of a few foods and Orijen came out on top. Having pets are like having a kid….
Well, it’s actually not that pricy. If you’ll do the important math of bag weight divided by daily serve you’ll see its even cheaper copper to other premium brands. In most cases You need with Orijen to feed about 100 grams less per day, that’s a huge difference which sums up to 15 more meals per bag.
Great food choice. Mickie loves it.
My rottweiler Roxi loves this food amazing she is 2 and always eats Orajen .
My rotty, Anja, and Shih-tzu, Sophie, both love this food alike. We were feeding them an all raw diet but found we could save money with Orijen and get just as good results. Who knew Orijen was actually the cheaper way to go. The rotty has a beautiful, silky, shiny coat who always gets praise and comments. We love this stuff.
Which Orijen are you feeding your Rotty? regional Red? or the 6 fish?
We have been feeding our dogs Orijen since they were puppies. They love the food. They have a soft and shinny coat, which everyone comments on how beautiful they look. Orijen is a bit pricey, so we switched to another less expensive brand, but our dogs didn’t like it too much and we saw the difference in their coat. So we switch back to Orijen. I would highly recommended.
I love providing this brand to my pet. Honestly, for what you are getting it is not expensive. Compared to other pet food, it is expensive, but that is because most (not all) pet food is of poor quality, this no comparison). This isn’t the difference between fine dining and eating on a budget. This is the difference between eating healthy and eating fast food. Having said that, unfortunately, not everyone is going to be able to afford this food. My recommendation is, if you can’t afford good quality dog food, to stop buying the garbage brands and shop at the grocery store. Feed your dog lean meats, chicken, etc. You can certainly do this yourself, less expensively. Orijen is great, because it does it all, and has many varieties of prey that I am not going to make at home. It’s a great product, and if you have a small dog, one bag supplemented with your own staples at home will last a couple months. I will definitely continue to purchase it. I can’t even keep my cats away from it!
I switched to Orijen dry dog food and both of my dogs love it. The only downside to this food (besides the price) is that I’ve noticed they seem to have smelly farts more often.
Mine to, I’m glad I saw this post I was thinking about changing their food. The one I was going to switch to saw recalls so I’m sticking with Origen it’s pricy but worth it.
Laughed when I read your comment about the flatulence issue you have noticed with your adorable pets.I would like to share my encounter with you.One day I noticed a new pet store had opened in my area “The Pet Palace” Ocala Fl….I love to support local merchants, so with that being said ,I shop there now…The owner’s are totally into taking good care of animal’s which is rare these days.I mean no disrespect to any chain’s out there in the pet industry. I decided to try Orijen / Original formula.So far my Shelti ” BINGO’ is pleased with his new Breakfast and Dinner menu…Never have I noticed him passing gas before until I switched to Orijen. Bingo was sitting totally happy and relaxed at my feet one evening when all of a sudden I and he heard toot toot’s.At first I didn’t know what the sound was for sure.When I looked at Bingo and obviously at the second round of toot toot’s He looked at his hind quarters and then up towards me ‘lol’ trust me it wasn’t me ….. I just laughed and laughed. However this is the only and first time he has had the toot toot’s. In closing > I highly recommend Orijen. Thank’s to all that love their pets and who want to provide the very best they can to the best of their ability towards their animals. Stay Happy and take good care, Sheri
Now that was funny! My mom in-law’s little Maltese,Marcus, is my white shadow. When Im there be really doesn’t bother with anyone else,including his Mama. If I have the occasional nap or there house sitting he insists on sleeping next to me. His usual position is on his back,totally spread eagle. When I open my eyes, all I see is his little pink button about 5 inches from my face. Can’t imagine waking up to foot toots! Lolol
I wonder if the price evens out in the long run because you feed less of it than lower quality and lower priced brands. I knew the recommendations for my 60 lb dog are much less than the recommended amount for other brands.
i have a 100lbs Doberman, and honestly, I can say from experience that Orijen more than pays for itself. With cheaper dog foods, I’ve be buying a bag a week (or more), using their feeding guide. With Orijen, a large bag lasts a month, easily, and my pup has never been healthier.
Not to mention, with less filler, their is less waste in the yard. Less filler in, less filler out.
my yorkie had been on science diet for 5 years. early 2014 i did research and was appalled to read about science diet and its crap. i was already aware of the negatives to iams and purina, but when i found out science diet was so bad i had to switch. it took me nearly a full year, up until november, to find a dog food to switch to that didnt cause my poor dog to vomit day and night, given that he is sensitive to most dog foods. i tried many high end foods, including natures variety, and they all made him sick. i found out about orijen and my dog immediately showed signs of positive behavior to eating this. he never throws up and his coat has been shinier than ever, not to mention his energy has increased. i give this food 10 stars out of 5.
My vet. told me to give my 3 small dogs science Diet oral. for it helps clean thier teeth. But now im reading all the bad things about it and its made in China and distributed from US.. Ive got to stop giving my dogs this crap.
The reason the vets push science diet is because Hills science diet trains them on nutrition.
My vet got his education paid for by Science Diet. I had to do my own research on dog foods. I was not able to get good recommendations from him. My Corgi was on Eukanuba when I got her, and my Aussie’s breeder recommended Purina Pro Plan . I knew that both of them were crap, and was given a recommendation of Nature’s Balance, which was OK, but not the best. I then tried Blue Buffalo, and gave it to them gradually, and they both got diarrhea from it. I mainly changed to Orijen because my dogs were eating poop, and a friend said that when she gave her dog Orijen, her dog stopped eating poop. Well, I tried Orijen, but it did not stop the poop eating. I liked the many results of feeding Orijen, and liked the composition of the ingredients, and am still feeding Regional Red to my dogs today.
Feed them pumpkin for the poop eating. Apparently it makes the poop taste bad lol … worth a try & my pups love it
You have to pay to play
I haven’t met a vet yet that knows anything about nutrition and preventative healthy living.
It’s really a shame
Science diet lobby most vets, so they recommend it
I have been wondering about this Science Diet and Hills etc. My Vet pushes it like crazy and as course the prescrition stuff they sell. When we had to have a hip replacement on our 2 year old Rottie the surgeon told us to immediately take him off of Science Diet. And yet they sell it buy the truck loads ?
my dog pennie turned 16 in nov.-she was switched to orijen by my friends recommendation—it seems she is drinking more and eating more and her skin and coat have improved=i have her on adult food just ordered SENIOR food see if it makes a difference=you cant put a price on whats left of your pets lie span you want to always know you did all you can for them===i got her at 5 wks old and have fed her a few different foods hoping this will help her=====
I’m thinking of switching dry food for my dogs. I’m perplexed that if this is one of the best dry food, then why this brand has so many recalls??
I used to feed my dogs Halo. One of them has soft stool and itchy paws. That’s why I wanted to switch her food. Although Halo isn’t rated as high as Orijien, Halo brand seems safe and never has had any recall.
What recalls? I haven’t found any recalls for Orijen in the past 5 years.
There were like 3 recalls from what I can see, however, it was nothing major. There were some bone remnants found in a few bags. At least we know they are using real meat, poultry and fish. Another recall was due to an issue with the beef. Acana (owned by same company) had an issue. Needless to say, all three issues were corrected immediately. May I add, there was nothing wrong that would “kill” your pet unlike some of the other major brands. I just switched from Bufallo Blue to Orijen. My poodle had become ill. I recently learned that their formula changed, and had started including China imported ingredients. I started to google, and to my surprise, there are over 1600 people who’s pets have fallen ill after eating Bufallo Blue. After 2 days of my dog eating Orijen, she is almost back to normal.
You are so right. I fed my three dogs blue wilderness and they would leave those little pellets all over the place. And yes, blue changed their food so I started with Origen. All three love it, eat it up and so true about less in and less out! A large bag lasts me a month, and my three are all 80 lbs and up! After so much research I am so glad to have found Origen. But this article talks about the addition of peas and lentils and that kind of concerns me. What do you think? Did they really change their recipe too?
We started feeding our 6 mo. old Lab a mixture of Purina Puppy and Beneful. She would separate it and eat the Beneful and eventually the Purina. I got some Eukanuba and a day later her Orijen Puppy arrived. I put the Eukanuba/Beneful mix in her outdoor feeder and the Orijen indoors. To this point, the Orijen is all she chooses to eat. I’m satisfied she would eat the other if she got hungry enough. We have a bag of Halo coming in this afternoon. Will have to report on that later. The quality of Orijen really does reduce the amount she eats. It’s nice to see her finally like something that’s so good for her.
Thats great to hear I am reading reviews and wondering to feed to my dogs. I have one that needs to lose weight and one who is very active… Let me know please about Halo too.
Cindy,
She eats the Halo, but does not choose it over the Orijen. I’ve been feeding them together just to get rid of the Halo. Once it’s gone, we’ll be on a straight diet of Orijen.
Very smart of you to let your dog choose it’s kibbles. A dog knows what’s good for them.
I pet sit dogs and time after time, after they get a taste of premium kibbles they refuse to eat their own lower quality kibbles. Many people should upgrade dog food quality instead of choosing to add a little somethin’ somethin’ on top to make them eat.
But even with premium kibbles, it needs to be switch at least yearly or whenever your dog doesn’t show as much enthusiasm at feeding time.
Pricier? Yes, but will save you trips to the vet in the long run.
Personally I find this and Acana to be basically the same quality, it all depends on what type you want and Orijen is better for very active dogs or ones with very high metabolisms.. my dog is a pit-bull/whippet mix so she definitely needs all the protein she can get and the freeze-dried liver seems to be more enticing to her.. (something acana doesn’t have in it’s dry formulas)
I live in BC so this is about as local as it gets, and because of the deals given by my pet store and getting every 12th bag free it’s actually a lot more affordable and higher quality than many other foods in the pet store!
Grocery store food may be more affordable.. but vet bills aren’t! Also a side note, with orijen you actually don’t need to feed your dog very much compared to other foods so it’s price is not as high as you might think when you break it down carefully (and it’s value is actually incredible, you would not be able to buy the same quality ingredients yourself without spending a fortune)
Another tip, if your dog is super picky and simply won’t eat kibble without adding anything, their freeze-dried food or treats are very easy to shred and mix in with food! I add a few nuggets of the freeze-dried stuff and warm water and my dog always demolishes her food! They are expensive on their own but affordable if used in this manner. (You actually get 80-85 treats for ~$13 with virtually no moisture.. again good value if you look at the ingredients and their actual cost carefully)
I love this brand and will continue to buy it for my dog 🙂 Her food bill is still less than $3 a day which is a lot less than mine and she eats better than I do so I can’t complain 😛
My maltipoo is the fussiest eater ever, I bought Orijen dry fish food and he loved it, I can’t believe it!!! Send me coons
Hello everyone I have a lot of questions my maltese mixed shit was taking Beneful dog food which has a recall on it and it was making my dog sick he would not even eat it I had to add wet food with it for him to touch it.so I’m trying to find a good dog food for my dog he is 7 months old I purchased the Blue Buffalo dog food from Petsmart but I am seeing a lot of recall on it.
would like to know what’s the difference between grain free and regular dog food most importantly what is a good dog food for my dog ? I’m so confused from all these different dog food I just want my dog to have a great dog food. Help Please
I have been feeding my 4 year old Shepard mix (Smokey bear) Beneful for 4 years. In the last year he has had seizures…one last month, throws up yellow, and we had to go back to the vet AGAIN 2 weeks ago because I thought he had a bladder infection but it turned out to be a bacterial infection. Yesterday once it came out on the news about Beneful it all made sense why he was going through all these problems. I had decided to go with Blue Buffalo but once I did my homework on the Blue Buffalo Consumer Affairs Review website people were descibing the same problems like Beneful. I looked up Orijen and went out and bought a bag last night. Smokey liked it! I am sooooo thankful to get away from China made products. I would much rather pay the high price for the food because you guys have no idea on what I have been paying in vet bills.
I am bringing home a new maltipoo in 2 weeks and was wondering what would be best for her? Orijen or Acana? She has been started on Puppy Chow but I want better for her. I know that she needs to be transitioned slowly but so confused as to what to feed her. Thank you in advance!!!!
Orijen and Acana are both from the same company. Either would be great. I went with Orijen, but all of the food is manufactured in the same warehouse. There is a slight difference between the two options, however, not enough to get any gray hairs over it. Google “what is the difference between Acana and Orijen?” That should get you to the company’s site where all of the info is broken down.
My dog just had his leg amputated. He’s usually a gannet and not a fussy eater at all. He’s refusing to eat his Taste in The Wild Kibble. Just eating homemade food. So we were given a bag of Orijen from the vet as a trial. So we tried him today and he loved it and was dribbling for another handful. I gave a handful to my 3 others and they chomped it down. I then offered a couple of Taste of The Wild kibble to each and they promptly spat it on the floor. So 5* from us.
Orijen is the only food I trust. It is expensive but I started to feed it exclusively when one of my Labs was diagnosed with diabetes. It was rated the #1 low glycemic food at the time – critical for a diabetic dog. I am convinced that it helped me regulate her blood sugar levels and gave her a wonderful quality of life. I also feed it to my new boy – I’m sure I could find lower priced quality foods but I’m just going to stay with a proven performer. I recommend this brand above all others.
Could you please tell me if your diabetic dog is overweight? I’m trying to switch my overweight baby girl Lab from Blue Buffalo to different brand and Orijen definitely got my attention. I was wondering if your dog is overweight (because diabetic dogs usually are, I’ve had one in a past and I feel for you, hopefully she is under tight control). If so, have you noticed any weight loss after switching your dog to Orijen? I was told by vet that extra weight is to blame on Blue Buffalo and I’m horrified to think that my new baby is going to become diabetic if I don’t switch her food ASAP. Your reply would be greatly appreciated. Thank you and God bless you and your loved ones
I have a 2 1/2 year old Siberian Husky… yesterday for the first time I feed him some of the Orijen Adult Grain-Grain Free mixed with some of his old brand “Iams”. First I must admit the freshness I could smell the first time opening the package… “Huki” even ran over and wanted to get into the bag. I mixed 2 part Iams with 1 part Orijen and feed it to him. WOW he loved it… and before long want another bowl. If my “Huki” is happy then I’m happy!!!
Treana
Hi, I hope you are following up on your questions & I hope this helps.
I am not a canine nutritionist but I have spent years studying canine, feline, & equine nutrition. The reason for this intense study is that I am fortunate to be able to rescue. I only rescue the animals that have been given up on.
Dogs: Sharpei – extremely smart & opirated & high maintenance.
Starvation & neglect, & allergies that I have found to be mostly food induced, bad immune systems that I have found to be greatly enhanced through nutrition, and sadly heart breaking diseases common to the breed. Genetic predisposition diseases in Sharpei are always terminal, but through much study, effort, care & love these dogs are granted many more quality years before I cannot hold disease at bay.
German Shepard – military bomb dog, deployed that was injured. His eyesight & hearing are compromised, he has PTSD & arthritis & inflammation. Man is he a finicky eater & really hard to keep weight on and has a few food allergies & his arthritis & inflammation can be exacerbated via food.
Various Mutts – starvation & neglect
Cats: Main Coon, starvation & neglect
Egyptian Mau, genetic disease
Just Cats (mutts), starvation & neglect
Horses: performance & show & personal
American Saddlebred: horse show performance 5 gaited & pleasure 5 gaited, horse show pleasure 3 gaited, English/Western, long distance completions, cattle ranch work.
Morgan: horse show performance & pleasure, English/Western, long distance completions, cattle ranch work.
Arabian: horse show performance & pleasure, English/Western, long distance competions.
Quarter Horse: horse show Western pleasure, reining.
Appaloosa: Western pleasure, gymcana sporting, long distance completions, cattle ranch work.
Spotted Saddle Horse: long distance & way just for fun
Believe it or not horses are rather fragile. The harder they work (especially in venues) the more exquisitely nutrition has to be monitored &adjusted.
So anywho as you can see in order to meet my responsibilities to these animals that I am responsible for their health, safety, welfare, and quality of life, I must educate myself and when needed work closely with really good vets.
Now to the point. For dry kibble I only feed Orijen (adult & or senior). I have tried with 2 different breeds to feed the red (I love the ratios), but both dogs slowly developed a lot of disperste problems requiring a fortune of vet trips that nothing seemed to help. Concerned I started feeding a home made nutritionally complete (including pre & probiotics) that was all organic. Once (given time) they improved I switched them to Orijen senior, then around 4 months later to Orijen adult.
I decided to use Orijen after scads of research (enough long evenings that my hubby started turning into a late 50 something fussy) that included tracking down where the source their ingredients (I mean when a DOGFOOD says beef etc…it can mean diseased cows from anywhere in the world or cows that died on the farm/dairy “a while ago” that has been preserved with who knows what. DOGFOOD does not have to list where the ingredients come from or what was used to preserve it befor processing, or the condition of the meat at time of processing) by the way did you know that animal fur is considered “protein” in the US, and the same goes for fruit and veggies used. Don’t get me started on grains and filler, fiber (i.e. Sawdust) in the food condition befor processing it can be in. Don’t forget the chemicals that have to be used to make it palatable and man made nutrients that have to be sprayed on the kibble after processing (so that when it is tested it will meet regs)’ and finally the presertives. Oh and let’s not forget extreme high heat to remove unpleasant smells, pathogens & speed dehydration? It is enough to make a person run away screaming and hide under the bed! I am not trying to be alarmist, or activist, or a tree hugger, for God’s sake I grew up and have lived on a working ranch/farm, can you say branding and castrating, I can honestly say I am a realist that is very down to earth.
Orijen is sourced locally when ever possible, when not, ingredients are Canadian & sourced responsibly. Canadian organic laws are a lot more stringent than US. It is made in small batches (for commercial volume) in inspected plants, is packaged in heavy air, moisture, light proof bags. The reason for small batches is short shelf life. It does not sit in any number of hot warehouses BEFORE it ever hits store shelves, so it is fresh and finally it is vacuume packed.
As a last FYI, 2x a year I go through all of the organic dog foods to check for recipe changes. The ones that make my top 5 I follow the compliances, sources, processing, warehouse, and shipping. I also check to see if ownership has changed.
Whew, way long winded but I feel that these are ALL things that have to be accounted for. After all I am the one responsible for the quality and life of my furry friends.
Respect for your post. Good on you!
PS I did spell check but I am a horrible (with a capital H) speller. 🙂
I’ve been very happy feeding my 1 1/2 year old Belgian Malinois Orijen Adult and Regional. I’ve learned that within the next few months, all U.S. sources will get their food from a new plant within the U.S. This raises concern for me about the quality of the local sourcing being as high as it is now. For instance, I understand the fish will no longer be pacific wild caught, but rather Atlantic. What are your thoughts on this change? (you are so incredibly knowledgeable regarding your previous post) Thank you!
Hi,
I’m curious as to where you found this information? Definitely not happy about this change.
Shanna
Shanna, it is really good that they are not using Pacific fish because they are all dying off in the Pacific of horrible things and not being able to re-breed. I figure it is the food chain side effects from Japan that is finally affecting our side of the ocean now. So switching to Atlantic fish is best. I don’t like hearing they are going to restrict it to a US manufacturer. That means who knows what. I hope we hear more on that topic, as I have not been impressed with budget cuts to US inspections on goods from other countries. This is how the last fiasco happened, bad stuff passing for good stuff. My dog also ate Blue for a while and she didn’t like the vitamin pellets either, plus I don’t think it had as much nutritions as they said. I switched to Solid Gold wee bits for a while and it was ok, but no kudos. However, when I put her on Orijen, wow! Her mouth issues have improved a little bit (inflammation) and she no longer eats her poo! YAY! So I am convinced this is giving her better and more absorbable nutrients that her body can use. She has been on it a month.
Would you please give us updates on the new processing plant in the U.S.
My Siberian husky female, age 4 has been on orijen since she was a puppy. Recently she had stopped eating and seems to really dislike her food. She is on Adult Original. The bag is different now, the nuggets are smaller and it does have a different odor. Has anyone else had this experience. Please advise.
My Alaskan Malamute pup is doing the same thing. He doesn’t care for the new food at all. I need to start looking for a new food. This stinks!!
Yes, I have been feeding regional red to my dog for 7 years and now that it is being made in the USA he doesn’t like it anymore. I called the Kentucky manufacture and they said they did change the recipe and they now use goat and mackerel instead of salmon. The prices don’t reflect this and I can’t get my dog to eat it anymore! Orijen was my last hope for dog food, as I have had one of my dogs die from bad food years ago I no longer trust any dog food made here in the US, look at the crap they put in human food!
Theresa, I’m picking up a new puppy in a couple weeks. His is a Xolo. This breed needs a high protein/low fat/ no grain diet. Most posts are two years old. I thought I finally found the “no brainer” dog food. Since you have used the food before and after the geographic and ingredient change, I think you to be the best to ask. Did you find a better food? Also, it does take time to know how the dog will react to the food change. So I will check into this discussion periodically in hopes of finding your response. Chris
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Our 11 month old doberman absolutely loves orijen. Granted she never had anything different except some puppy formula prior before we got her at 3 months, but wanted her to have a great diet from the beginning. We did our research and finished the bag a dry food from the owner we bought her from. We started her on the puppy version dry food from orijen and she is now on the adult dry, mixing it up between 6fish & red every other bag.
Energy all the time, great vet check ups, healthy & being a short haired breed no dandruff . Her fur is so shiny people ask all the time if we use some expensive conditioners.
Great dog food- wouldn’t think of buying anything different.
I have a 4 mo old shih tzu & a 16 mo old shih tzu. My older one has been picky since day one…….he will love all the good brands of dry until about a few weeks later – then is less enthused. Both are now on Acana as the pet shop owners feel puppy foods are really only for large dogs that grow very rapidly. The Acana lamb is good, and no chicken, which we think made our Tzus so itchy. I am keeping them on the Acana – no more switching games! I measure the food accordingly as too much protein is not ideal. They are at good weights and are very active at play & can walk a mile or more. After a mile the baby is put in her pet stroller…..for growth reasons. Stay away from soy & corn, etc. I would think brown rice in limited quan’s is OK.
We have been feeding Royal Canin to our now 1 yr female silver lab since she was 8 weeks and not happy with her coat and skin. I liked that the RC was formulated for specific breed needs. She may have a slight skin sensitivity issue but I think her skin is dry and dull coat. She is extremely active, happy and healthy, but I think we will try Origen due to her poor coat/skin and the negative Royal Canin reviews. For the price of Royal Canin and how it is supposed to be a “superior” food, and considering she has no health issues per regular vet check ups, I think her coat and skin should be better.
I began purchasing Orijen 6 years ago when I adopted a dog with allergies. I have been feeding all 4 of my dogs Orijen since that time. My dogs are all in excellent health. I have a 14 year old Malamute that is still going strong. Yes it’s pricey, but compare it to comparable foods and the prices are very close, maybe 10 to 25 cents per lb difference. Also, Champion is building a factory in my home state of Kentucky and using Kentucky grown meats and products. The price is worth your dog’s health.
My lab loves Orijen (5-6 year customer), but she was really packing on the pounds when I first started feeding it to her. When I reduced her portions, she was hungry all the time. Now, I add steamed and pureed vegetables to her dry food, i.e. spinach, squash, carrots, broccoli. The veggies help to fill her up without adding lots of calories. Green beans were suggested, but she HATES green beans. I also add 1/3 cup of warm water to her dry food. She is not a big water drinker and the vet suggested that as a way to increase her liquid intake. She will soon turn 9 and people think she is till a puppy…very active, slim with a beautiful coat. Hope we have her at least another 9 years!
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Hi! We have 4 month old German Shepherd Puppy and she is very picky. When we got her from the Breeder at the age of 6 weeks, (which my husband considered “RESCUE!”. As the Breeder was a mess which costs me few visit to the Vet) she was eating Purina Puppy Chow. Did my research and found out that Purina is the lowest rated ever! Not to mention her coat is dull/dry and she’s itching really bad (with tons of fleas). I immediately changed her food to Whole Earth Farms but her itching didn’t go away. I changed her food again to Victor active puppy. She love it for quite sometime but now she’s again eating little bit at a time and sometime not. She really need to get fatten a little bit as she is so skinny. She weighs 29.5 lbs right now and found out she have UTI. After taking this Antibiotics for 3 weeks we have to go back to see if she still have the UTI. If she does then we will have to change her food and I am considering putting her to Orijen. Hoping to hear your thoughts and hopefully this will really help her!
There are a lot of factors (too many to mention) that helps folks decide what they can reasonable afford to feed their special fur babies. I currently buy Blue Buffalo Fish and Sweet Potato for my two dogs. I am careful to buy them a relatively top tier food because their health is very important to me. I would love to buy this food for my dogs, but the cost keeps it out of reach for now. With 2 Saint Bernards that eat 5 cups of food per day EACH (10 cups a day total for those with math issues), it is just too much!! A 28lb. bag ($80-$100 each) would maybe last me a week and a half at best. I would be spending almost $300/month on dog food alone! I suppose I would need a new job or a good raise first. 🙂
If however you have a tiny pooch, a 28 lb. bag would last FOREVER and I think it would be very easy to absorb this costly choice.
My two cents? Just buy the best dog food you can afford. Be mindful of your dog’s health and know you are doing your best for them.
Hi there…do you know what the process would be to test suspect food? We had some sealed bags of Orijen, and Acana donated to us that was just expired (Aug & Sep), smells fine, & started feeding one of our feral colonies. The mature cats would not eat it…but some of the kittens ate some. Over the past 3 days we have had 2 disappear, 2 die, & 2 become sick & currently being treated. We would like to rule out the food as the cause…their symptoms present as a toxin of some sort…lethargy for approx 24 hours, off feed, then vomiting & some diarrhea for 24 hours, then crash…flat out w white gums & dehydrated within another 24 hours. Any information you can offer would be appreciated. Thank you!
MJ Siebold
Lac La Biche Regional Humane Society
My dog seems to be sensitive to most dog foods. After taking him to the emergency room from blue buffalo and seeing the skin condition he got from natural balance i decided to try orijen. His fur turned glossy and smooth within a week. I didn’t transition to orijen slowly by mixing his old dog food with the new. Even still his stool was better than it had ever been. I’ve never seen him so excited to eat his food. He sits infront of the dog food bin and stares at it for hours. Deffinetely recommend.
Great review! Though I wanted to comment regarding your point about the “gimmicky” ingredients such as fenugreek, peppermint, dandelion, etc… Those who understand the power of plant medicine know that those herbs work to aid the digestion, improve overall function of the kidneys and liver, as well as provide strong immune support. Those aren’t gimmicky in any way and actually have helped me decide that I do in fact want this brand for my dog.
Pro: I have two German Shepherds and feed one of them Orijen red meat and fish exclusively. I gave up trying to find another cheaper dog food that did not contain chicken or white potatoes and didn’t list peas as the second ingredient. He is allergic to chicken and white potatoes. He suffered many scratching, biting his extremities, rashes and digestive tract problems. His eyes constantly ‘water’. Since feeding Orijen, the biting and digestive issues have improved, and his rashes have disappeared. And his coat is a beautiful, shiny black. My other GSD eats Blue wilderness, Acana or Orijen . Fortunately, she can eat anythingl Yes, it gets expensive feeding 6 cups of Orijen daily.
Con: I noticed that the bags are no longer vacuum sealed. Very disappointing! I liked that feature and it was one of the reasons I didn’t mind paying extra for a good dog food. I haven’t read the label in a while and didn’t know about the pea addition. Meat as the first ingredients is the main reason I pay the price for this food. Again, disappointing that Orijen is adding to the protein content with peas, like many other dog foods.
This Canadian company (and I’m proudly Canadian) is out right price gouging its customers year after year and there is no legitimate reason for it. Human grade poultry has not risen significantly in the last few years so why is this company hiking up the price so much each year to make the product almost unaffordable?
I’ve complained to the company but they simply referred me to their inferior Arcana product which made my golden doodle sick.
They should be listening to their customers and responding by lowering their prices. More people need to complain.
Hi, Can you tell me how many kilograms I should feed my 4 month old short haired german pointer please?
Regards
I’M OWNER OF 7 MONTH OLD BLACK RUSSIAN TERRIER. I’M SO CONFUSED ABOUT GETTING THE BEST NUTRITION FOR HIM. WHO CAN YOU BELIEVE ABOUT THE BEST FOOD FOR DOGS. PRICE IS NOT THE ISSUE. MY VET. RECOMMENDS HIS FOOD THAT HE SELLS WHICH I’VE FOUND IS ONE OF THE WORST RATED. I’VE CONSIDERED MAKING MY OWN BUT THERE’S A LOT TO THINK ABOUT IN MAKING IT BALANCED. RIGHT NOW I’M FEEDING FROMM LARGE BREED PUPPY. SEEMS TO BE THRIVING O.K. BUT HIS TRAINER WANTS HIM TO GO RAW. JUST DON’T KNOW WHAT’S BEST THANK FOR LISTENING.
There are a lot of great super-premium dog foods that any otherwise healthy dog should thrive on. Take a look at our 5-star rated foods here. Any food from these brands would be a suitable choice for the health and prosperity of your dog. As with anything, every dog is different so if you find your dog isn’t taking to a particular blend you may need to shop around a little until you find the perfect match.
I work at Pet Supplies Plus where most of our staff is consisted of certified pet nutritionists and we all agree that this is the top of the line food, and most of us feed at least one of our animals a Champion pet food recipe. Both my Scottish terrier and Maine Coon mix are on the Orijen Regional Red recipes (dog and cat, respectively) and they both love it and have never looked or felt better. It is quite expensive but it’s completely worth it, especially when you compare how the conditions of your animals improve as they eat a biologically appropriate, high protein, low carb diet-and pets love the flavor of the fresh meats and fruits in each recipe. I’ll never feed any of my animals anything but this brand, and I’ll always sing my praises about it.
I have both my Shibas on Orijen and they love it! Yes, it’s very expensive but quality costs money!! The point that hit home with me on this food is this, Dog food made in the USA is not regulated. Canada’s regulations on dog food is on par with the USA standards for food for human consumption. If that doesn’t tell you something that you can keep feeding your dog crap and I’ll go to bed knowing every night that my girls are eating an excellent quality food.
We have two Dachshunds Gabby & Phoebe … They inhale Orijens 6 fish blend dry food … THEY LOVE IT … They have been eating it for several years … The smell is a little strong … Who cares … My husband myself really put our girls needs ahead of ours … REALLY … Guess that is why we don’t mind the extra expense … They really run the show in our household … Our girls say jump … Our is response is how high …
My puppy has been eating Orijen since she waa 3 months and is now 10 months. She gets 3 cups a day as I feed her 3 times a day. She’s always pooped about 5 times maybe more a day. Is this normal? My las Lab didn’t. She’s about 50 lbs. and seems to grow quickly.
Should I swith her food or be concerned?
Thanks,
Vicki
My Brooke loves this food and I was buying her good food before. I switched to this an she inhales it. You see that she enjoys it an I like the quality ingredients. It is worth the price for her health.
We just purchased our first bag of Origin Senior on the recommendation of a friend who feeds it to her 9 year old dog. Our yellow Lab is 10 & 1/2 years old and is slowing down a bit and her coat is dull, despite the salmon oil that we add to her meals. So far she LOVES this food and goes back to lick her bowl long after it’s empty. It’s expensive but contains glucosamine so I won’t have to purchase those tablets separately anymore. I’m happy to give my dog the best that I can afford, if it ensures she lives the healthiest, longest life possible.
I agree on the price but my dogs seem healthier now. They were having problems with allergies and our Schnauzer had the worst breath. We had tried everything. After a month he is healthier and his bad breath is gone!!!
My Dog or should I say as my Dog’s person… I only want the best for Sophia. She is my best friend and companion. I like Orijen because it is made of quality clean chemical free products. I do not want her to suffer the side effects of long term feeding of low quality food…. I do not think Origen is expensive for a quality food… Lets face it Lab’s love to eat and other low quality foods do not digest properly and as much comes out as goes in…. I have to feed less with Orijen for the same calories and no allergies ….. Yeah………..
I have been feeding my Murphy freedom blue buffalo, he’s a bit overweight, he used to eat wilderness duck, I’d like to give him orijen, he loves it, I’d give it to him here n there, he’s a small /medium dog, I wasn’t sure which one to give him, he loves them all, I was hoping for some advice. Thanks.
I have been feeding my lab/Weimaraner mix Orijen for three years. I alternate between Six Fishes and Adult. My only complaint is the packaging. Since there is no zip or Velcro closure, the bag rips the more I unfold it. I don’t have room for a large container so do worry about keeping the food fresh.
“you can expect to be paying about $75-$100/month to feed your buddy Orijen.”
Based on the feeding guide on the back of the bag.. my 60lb pit consumes 3 scoops a day. This lasts us around 6 weeks per 30lb bag. So, it is certainly indicative.
Side note though – I recommend this to EVERYONE I can that has a dog.
I hate that musty “wet dog” smell.. and this all but eliminates it. The fish flavor is the key though, as we’ve tried others.. Her coat, after just a month (we’ve been on it two years now) turned a vibrant sheen and left her feeling extra soft.
This food is well worth it..
All this Information? is now Wrong , if you live in USA you don’t get Canada food anymore ! I used for 10+ years and NOW IS FROM KENTUCKY PLANT and I won’t use this . I started with Canada Food and promised Regional food source, NOT KENTUCKY Stuff ?? So Much for the FAMILY owned and run Business ~ its GONE to $$$$$ plate collection ? SO SAD Champion FOODS you are a sell too…………
I don’t have the time to make my own dog food to ensure quality ingredients. It’s honestly worth every penny knowing that my pup is eating food that’s not full of corn and fill. I look at ingredients for the food I buy for myself, how can I not do it for my dog. A large bag for my 40 pound dog lasts just over a month, that’s about $20 a week and worth it when it comes to my dog’s health plus she loves it!
Orijen actually saved me money, LOL. Before, I was buying Solid Gold puppy food (costly), but the puppy didn’t like the flavor. I guess the company was recently sold, and changed the recipe. So, I had to buy lots of expensive treats to use for training the puppy. Puppy claims that Orijen Six Fish flavor is so tasty, that there’s no more need to buy treats. He likes his kibble better than the treats. Now, THAT is a true compliment. Imagine that, a dog liking his daily kibble better than his training treats! Warms my heart! While I was recovering from the shock of that surprise, I was hit with an even greater surprise. A dear friend down the street was given a young female ferret that still hadn’t opened its eyes yet. PetLac milk replacer was purchased and we went online to compare ferret foods for the little girl. With little one’s health being paramount, we wanted the best. Surprise! Surprise! Orijen Cat and Kitten food was recommended above almost every other brand of food that is specially made for ferrets. Kind of throws you for a loop doesn’t it? Vets recommend ferrets have 38% protein, 20% fat, no plant proteins, and stress the “whole prey” concept as highly favorable over the mere “meat byproducts” issue. Would you believe that next to none of the ferret foods on the market live up to those recommendations, and that Orijen Cat and Kitten came out on top for ferrets, especially for offering a wide variety of different proteins. It’s worth the bother to make adjustments to the monthly budget, and even if you can’t afford to feed it as daily kibble, you’ll find that it makes a good deal as a treat for training. Orijen’s kibble is tastier and healthier than other brand’s treats.
Why am I not able to buy Canada made Origens but now must but from USA… Will the USA product have the same quality…
My Alaskan Malamute pup will not eat the new food from Kentucky. He doesn’t care for the new food at all. I have to put treats or human food in it now for him to eat it. He use to gobble it up. I need to start looking for a new food. This stinks!!
I’ve fed Orijen red& blue to my Akita his entire life. He is my buddy, his health is important & you get what you pay for. He also received fresh meat & vegetables. my only complaint about the dry food is the lack of of fatty acids/omega3/6s. I supplemented him w/pollock oil. For sr dogs, the kibble is lacking glucosamine & chondroitin. Orijen’s puppy kibble was the only diet formulated w/proper amount of calcium for large breed dogs.
On the other hand, I’ve offered him victor kibbles. Omegas & glucosamine are included.
I’m all for keeping my buddy healthy & happy!
If you have large dogs this food will be pricey. The cost simply reflects the quality of the protein in the food. For small dog owners the cost increase is minimal and well worth it. My dog seems to like it. The most expensive food is the one that your dog won’t eat.
I have used Orijen and Acana both made by Champion. I just found out they built a new building in Kentucky and won’t be coming from Canada anymore. I am very disappointed since they cut some of the ingredients and no longer vacuum pack the food. I rotate between the beef and fish. When I opened the bag before you could really strong smell and now there hardly any smell. I paid the price because one of my own dogs and one foster dog has allergies so what I paid for dog food saved me in vet bills. Looks like another good food is going down the drain. I will be searching for another good food. As of now I started making them home made. Very disappointed in Champion lowering the standards. You can verify this by calling Chewy and they will tell you. I read about it on line.
My pup won’t eat the new stuff. Let me know what you switch to.
Try Timberwolf Organics or Horizon Legacy. Those are the brands I am using in place of Orijen now.
You get what you pay for. Plain and simple. Nothing “gimmicky” about this product at all.
Sadly, Orijen has lost my confidence due to the lack of quality coming out of their plant in Kentucky. We finished a bag from Canada- and purchased ‘one of the first batches out of the Kentucky plant’ and our five year Orijen Original dog food eating dog began to have issues. Skin, ears, and we thought possibly it was allergies-although she was avoiding the food- then the second week into the second bag, her skin has erupted into open wounds, she has watery stool and is only eating when very hungry.
While investigating the new plant, I stumbled across a conversation between two pet store workers who had met with the Champion people (who bought out or joined with, whatever) Orijen. They were discussing the number of pets who were having health problems with the new Adult formula coming out of Kentucky, as well as the fact taht QC was bad- plastic was found in the food- and that many were switching their pets from Orijen. They both commented on how odd it was to see people leaving Orijen.
Currently, I’m looking at Natural Instincts Raw Boost or Fromm GrainFree. Unless we can get the Canadian formula, made in the original Northstar plant- we are not purchasing Orijen dog food again .
I feel the same way!!! Why can’t we purchase from Canada anymore? My pup won’t eat the new stuff.
They are now making orjien in the USA and have changed some of the ingredients.
I used to feed my Samoyed Natures Variety Instinct Salmon kibble and he did very well on it. It was one of the only dog foods that did not give him gas. I then switched to Orijens when NV’s prices skyrocketed. My Sammy absolutely loved the Orijens 6 Fish kibble however it did give him a little gas.
After almost 5 years feeding Orijens , I am considering switching back to NV for 2 reasons. First, even though the Orijens is labelled 6 Fish the main protein source is chicken. If you check the ingredients in the Orijens cat food however they use fish as the sole protein. NV also uses fish as the main ingredient namely salmon but do not guarantee it sources only Pacific Salmon. Secondly, due to daily medication for SAD my Sammy’s gas problem has become significantly worse.
I am tempted to feed him the NV Salmon kibble and sprinkle the Orijens Salmon cat kibble on top to achieve approximately the same protein content.
I want to update my previous comments on the ingredients in the Orijens 6 Fish dog kibble. It appears that Orijens made changes or had different versions of the ingredients for the 6 Fish dog kibble. I had purchased a couple of bags of 10 lb Orijens 6 Fish kibble on clearance from an online store and those were the ones that had chicken as the main ingredient. The bags had 10 months before they expired. The kibble size was notably smaller from what I had previously purchased. The 28 lb bags I normally got from my local store had salmon as the first ingredient listed. Orijens’ online website shows that Atlantic mackerel will be the first ingredient in their 6 Fish kibble starting October 2016 replacing salmon which is no longer listed. Atlantic mackerel is also high in omega 3, low in mercury & sustainable. I do prefer wild salmon because it is very high in astaxanthin and I don’t know if the same may be said for Atlantic mackerel. All of this has me wondering if this is the result of changes they have been making to their manufacturing locations. They should disclose the manufacturing location of the product on the bag. I will definitely be monitoring their product more closely due to these inconsistencies.
I have fed Origen for years last week I order the New senior and noticed it was made in USA my dog got gastric distress and wouldn’t go near it!! I ordered the adult which he has had in the past before I switched to senior he ate right away!! Not sure what the problem was but Mr Chewy was kind enough to refund me on the senior food made in USA.
I presently use Orijen for my dogs. Pricey yes, but I didn’t have to worry about the quality of ingredients.
Soon, if not already, we will only be able to buy Orijen products from the US (if you live in the US). Can you please give us some insight on the new Orijen brand made in the US compared to the Canadian ingredients.
I probably will change to another brand, and not happy about it. beacuse I am not hearing good things regarding the modifications.,
Thank you for your input
My pup won’t eat the new stuff
My very active 7-yr old border collie does extremely well on Orijen, his coat gleams, he is very healthy and maintains an appropriate weight. However, I’ve heard that Orijen is now made in the US, and the food is lower quality at a higher price. Does anyone have information?
I buy Orijen, and yes its expensive, for my German Shepherd ‘Sammy’. He has always been a picky eater, and at almost 11 years old is even less interested in food. I’ve tried a dozen or more foods, dry and wet, even home cooked, and Orijen is his favorite (ok so I’m not a great cook). Sammy can still play hard with our 5 month old English Lab, though he needs a little more rest afterwards. The only thing that would make Orijen better would be that it was American made, but Canada rocks too. Love this website 🙂
I was wondering what type of oriijen dog food you would think you be best for my two mini doxies . Two females , one is around 91/2 the other is 6 years old both have problems with anal glands.
Your review is not completely accurate. It is now made in the USA also. The kibble appears different. I noticed this and asked the clerk why the difference and she said she didn’t know but pointed out the left bottom of package where it states, “Made in our USA Kentucky kitchens”. I’m personally done with price hikes and weight decreases and questions on content. I started resourcing my own food and make my pets “real” food. Now I do not stress out! Cheaper too!
I dont think this food is pricey for two main reasons:
– if you spend less money on cheap low quality foods, you animals are going to pay a high price for it with its health and well- being. If you feed them junk, you are goj g to spend to s of money on vet bills, and perhpas even shorten their lives.
– because this food has no fillers, and high nutritinoal value, you should feed less of it to yoyr dogs. My German Shepherds get obe cup in the morning, one at night, and they are solid, energetic and happy.
My dogs mean everything to me. I want them to be with me for a long time, and I want them to be healthy.
And that is PRICELESS to me.
Been feeding this food to my dog for eight years. Received my first bag made in US. Broke out in hot spots within three days into the new bag.
The new formula (Original Flavor) has substituted animal meal as protein rather than real meat protein. They have substituted mackerel fish for salmon. Mackeral fish is known as junk fish to fishermen. They have also shortened the bag weight from 28.5 pounds to 25 pounds but charge the same. My dogs immediately had bowel problems when give the new formula. Sadly, the bean counters have taken over quality control for Orijen.
We fed out dogs Orijen made in Canada for years and did really, really great. But now we are forced to buy Orijen USA because Orijen will not sell Orijen Canada in the USA. At first my dogs did ok – not great but ok. But soon they started having problems, then more and more problems. Now they will not eat any Orijen at all. As soon as we put them on another dog food, all problems stopped and their appetite returned. Sorry Orijen, you lost a customer for good.
I did research into where they are sourcing and their fish is now coming from a fish farm in Western Kentucky where the pond is only a few acres in size. That is why they now state on their packaging FreshWater Fish….not like Orijen/Acana from Canada which is Wild Caught in the Lakes of Northern Canada and around Vancouver Island, BC.
I’ve had a few e-mail exchanges with their customer service rep…..for right now….we are sticking with their products that are coming out of Canada. That fish farm has farm fields around that pond and one of my concerns was runoff from those fields into the pond. With soo much Round-Up and 2,4-D being used on crops by farmers just want to be safe….the World Health Organization is back after Monsanto and DOW in 2015 because these chemicals do cause cancer. The EPA stopped glyphosate back in the 1970’s but Monsanto though lobbyists had the finding reversed in 1991 to allow it to be used. 2,4-D is one of the major parts of Agent Orange……both chemicals are linked to HSA in dogs.
Since only the Kentucky Kitchen Products are sold in the USA now, I’ve noticed a major difference that is not good.
Even after a few exchanges they failed to response to these additional questions:
When it comes to other ingredients in your product line, are any suppliers using Round-Up. WHO is opening up the issue of cancer regarding the it’s all clear statement back in the 1990’s on the use of that product.
When did Bedford Capital purchase Champion Pet Foods?
Where does the new kitchen get it’s ground water and what type of filtering does it use?
I’m concerned because there is still an active Super Fund Site that is only 2 miles away in Auburn and one of the major issues is Chromium waste that even though now closed, was an active landfill from 1970’s till the 1990’s.
There are many people that we come in contact with that do dog performance sports in both the USA and Canada and they too are concerned about the direction of Champion Pet Foods and are on the fence right now in the USA from buying your products.
Wow ! I thought myself thorough (some might go so far to say OCD re: health/pet’s health) but you have beaten me : how you managed to find out info that in-depth?? Major kudos to you! I used to use Orijen, (CA version) then found out our rescue Pitt had super high ALP/GGT levels. I’d had her on the 6 Fish for only about 6 mos. After lots of $$ for ultrasounds to make sure organs were fine, I deduced it was due to too much protein from the fish. Changed her to the Acana LID Lamb/Apple, along w/home cooked (grass fed filet, AK salmon, organic eggs, etc) & all was well. I have her blood work done every 6 mos by a special lab in CA (which, is fantastic, Dr.. Jean Dodds) who’s trying to get Rabies vaccines challenged, since titers prove 7 yrs or life humoral immunity), Her last labs again the liver enzymes are THRU the ROOF. This has happened since the “better US plant,” & now Acana has added: green lentils, red lentils, pea, cured alfalfa, & a list of ingredients that NO dog would eat on their own. I had a salivary test done, & it came back that her allergy to Lentils was epic – surprise. I have called them, & gotten the “we had to use US facility due to regulations” & how the “Mexican salad” as I called it, wouldn’t bother my 13.5 yr old girl. I am SO SO disappointed in both lines, as they truly are the ONLY food I can find out of 70 or more, that really do have the most organ, meats, least additives, etc… I cannot find any other manufacturer, unfortunately, that still comes close to the ingredients: either adds potatoes (on her no-no list), lentils, rancid oils, GMO’d crops, it’s ridiculous that for what I paid over a decade to Champion, that for the sake of some added beans, I’m now losing sleep over what I can find for her.
When we decide to bring a pet in our lives ‘ than its are responsibility to give them the best nutrition ‘ if you cant afford to pay than don’t get a animal ‘ as there is a lot of garbage food out there that’s causing a lot of Heath problems ‘ dogs weren’t born with alergies it’s the chemicals they put in the food it’s a profit industries which I know it’s really not about the animal’ they add very low graded vitamins and all the left over meat that is not for humans to eat. , the best is homemade. ‘
Question, can a small dog with cushings eat this dog food?
The ingredients surpass those of many commercially available products.
However, I repeatedly found many extremely sharp bone shards in the Orijen freeze-dried food when I broke the medallions part before adding water to feed them to my dog. I wrote to the company and sent photos and I filed a complaint with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently. I have not been impressed with the response from the company which is to suggest in a very patronizing fashion that the bones are cartilage and soften if subjected to warm water.
To the contrary, the many bone fragments that I discovered most assuredly do not dissolve in water! In addition, there are sharp pieces of shells from sunflower seeds and these, together with the razor sharp bones, are sufficient to perforate the esophagus, stomach or intestine. There have also been lawsuits against the company in Australia and elsewhere as I discovered in conducting research.
I no longer feed this product to our beloved dog, as a result. If a company is charging a premium price, justifiably, for a high quality product, you would expect them to take quality control issues seriously. Other companies who produce similar dog foods, in the freeze-dried category, are able to offer their products free of bone shards and obviously pay the requisite attention to the quality of ingredients provided by suppliers and to their manufacturing processes.
I provide this feedback as I do not wish others to feed their dogs the Orijen freeze-dried foods (who do not break the medallions apart, following the package instructions) and unwittingly have their dogs sustain injuries. For those who can afford premium dog foods, it is wise to examine the food for sharp bone matter that should not be present.
Great food. My doberman is extremely picky. He turned his nose up at every food I tried. I got a sample of the Orijens Regional Red and he gulped it down. He eats this daily and loves it. He also doesn’t have to eat as much of this because it’s so rich. It is a little higher to feed him this, but his coat and teeth show the difference.
I put days of research into finding the best possible dry dog food for my 3 long haired miniature dachshunds. Orijen is my pick! I don’t think there is a better dog food out there. I love my dogs to pieces and want them to have a long life without expensive vet bills. I read about all the scary processing, additives, and horrible ingredients including euthanized dogs ground up into “pure meat protein” really? Why would you feed this to your dog? Orijen is amazing on so many levels from the raising of the meat, to the processing, to the lack of additives because is is naturally complete, to the nutritious plant based ingredients, the lack of recalls, no nasty imports from China (God knows what is in that! Yuck!). I can’t say enough about this brand. If you really love your dog. Feed the best! It is not that expensive because of the extremely high quality, you use much less. My 20 lb. dogs eat a level 1/4 cup twice a day and that keeps their weight under control. I probably could use even less realistically. I trust this brand and will use nothing inferior.
I fed my Bouvier Orijen 6 years ago. These people changed the formula without warning the customer. My dog became extremely ill. I attempted to contact Orijen many many times. They wouldn’t respond to emails and wouldn’t answer their phone. Customer service is non-existent. If you hate your dog; feed them Orijen.
Hi, I have a dachshund that is about a year and a half. Recently, she started having seizures (only 2 so far). I switched her to Orijen Original in hopes that her seizures were food related. She has been eating Orijen for about 2 weeks and loves it! But, the past couple of days, her personality and behavior has been very different. She seems to be in a fog, is mopey and her whole body is very stiff when you touch her. Has anyone experienced this?
My dog loves Orijen! She’s a small breed, About 8lbs. Previously she was eating honest kitchen, but it wasn’t the right fit. Since she’s been eating Orijen, she’s a nice healthy weight, active and alert. Also this is THE ONLY hard dog food I have ever gotten her to eat. She’s spoiled rotten. She loves this brand. A small bag of the food I believe 3 lbs lasts me a month. I pay $20.00 for original flavor .
After having fed Orijen to my 3 Pembroke Welsh Corgis for 5 years, I began noticing they were having the health problems that go along with feeding kibble – even the best kibble. They now eat a raw meat diet, along with selected organic veggies and fruits. They love it and are healthier dogs. It costs about the same as Orijen, pricey, but then, I know where their food comes from, and I don’t have the vet bills.
I just read a review of various dog foods especially pertaining to the level of toxic metals in the foods analyzed. I was so concerned about the results showing that Orijen Original dog food scored extremely poorly. Has anyone else seen this analysis, which was conducted by Clean Label Project? I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks!
My dog has been eating orijen his entire life, breader started I continue, my last cocker spaniel I cooked for him chicken breasts sweet potatoes peas and carrots other vegetables also. I found orijen the best for my dog and cost is no option I wouldn’t skimp on food for my family why my dog who is an important part of the family
what do you think of N&D Natural&Delicicious Pumpkin Formula Chicken,pumpkin and pomegranate
Farmina pet foods.
Hi
My new white puppy now 5 months old on puppy yellow bag is getting staining on her mouth and I was told it is her food. Is there Dyes in Orijen?
It does look like the price for Orijen dog food is fixed. There is no competitive sources that have lower than $99 price for a 25 lb, bag of the regular Orijen kibble dog food.
Looks very suspicious.
Has there, or not been any recalls on Origen Brand Dog food? If so, when & why? Is it linked to heart disease in dogs? Why is it linked to heart disease? Has anything been done about that? Why does it contain arsenic, what is the purpose of that? Please tell the truth, whole story, instead of trying to sell the food.
Our dog had been eating Fromm Gold for a few months then after reading reviews we switched him to Orijen. Initially it was very good, he loved it and his stool was very good. After about 2 months he started having very loose stools and vomiting. Vet visits and eyes on him 100% of the time to make sure he wasn’t eating anything he wasn’t supposed and he was still having vomiting and diarrhea. Then he stopped eating his kibble for 3 days (he’s normally a food maniac). I bought some different food (Nutro) and he gobbled it down like he was starving and then tried to get into the room where the new food was kept. Now everything is back to normal. Not sure if it was a bad bag of food or something else but I will not be buying Orijen again.
I have been feeding Orijen adult dog food to my dogs for the past 10 years. Recently I have noticed some of the morsels are extremely hard. As hard as rocks. My schnauzer now refuses to eat it. Has the formula been changed?
I feed fit and trim as i have bulldogs. Though the food is pricey my dogs are very healthy and full of energy. I do think the company could have a rewards card or coupons to give its customers a break. I use 4 bags a month and will buy it as long as i can afford it.