Orijen Dog Food Review
What’s the deal with this lesser-known brand that seems inaccessible to many? Is their strategy similar to high-end fashion labels like Hermes, where they create a sense of exclusivity by being elusive and highly sought after? Why all the fuss about Orijen in the first place? For those familiar with this dog food brand, it’s common knowledge that most feedback regarding Orijen dog food is overwhelmingly positive. You might question whether these praises are genuine or if there’s some bias behind them. Our role is to offer you an impartial and fair review of Orijen dog food.
Just as a brief preview of the brand, Orijen manufactures biologically appropriate dog food for all breeds in all life stages with fresh ingredients. They source their ingredients straight from their natural environments. The reason why they have a more subtle presence on the pet food market is that they don’t rely on ads and commercials, but they let the food and results speak for themselves.
About the Brand
Before we get into the science of things, let’s get to know the brand a bit better. We supposed this award-winning dog food brand got its name because it honestly sources its ingredients from their origins. If you go on their website, you will see that our assumption is true. Derived from the Latin term “origin”, Orijen the brand aims to mirror a dog’s natural diet and provide balanced meals no matter if you live in Canada, the origin country, the United States, or any other country where Orijen products are available.
Orijen is owned by their parent company, Champion Pet Food and their delicious packages are manufactured in Alberta, Canada, and has been since their establishment in 1975. By building a trusted relationship with pet parents for over 30 years, it’s no wonder each Orijen dog food review is a highly positive one.
They pride themselves on being one of the best high quality dog food brands that put your dog’s health first. Their philosophy is to take your pet “back to the beginning”, the beginning where all the nutrients they need is in their food, and no treats or supplements are needed to meet their nutritional profiles. Orijen is a relatively new brand compared to other brands, but they have quickly solidified themselves as one that produces top dog foods on the market.
Of course, as a biologically appropriate pet food brand, they don’t only focus on producing the best dog foods, Orijen also creates cat food and treats for your feline friends.
Orijen has quite a few different recipes catered to a dog’s different life stages. We have senior dog food, puppy food, and ones centered around breed sizes. There is also a diet food recipe for dogs that love the Orijen brand just a little too much. Of course, they also have freeze-dried dog treats to go along with their recipes if you feel like rewarding your fur baby just a bit.
When we review Orijen dog food recipes, we will be focusing on the different flavors for adults. They have a flavor to satisfy every tastebud with the likes of: Orijen original, Orijen six fish, Orijen regional red, and Orijen tundra.
Table of Contents
Orijen Dog Food Review
1. ORIJEN Original Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Chicken and turkey offer quite a bit of moisture in meals but since they are cooked, both meat sources will shrink in size due to dehydration and won’t make up as large a portion of the entire recipe as other meat sources would. However, chicken and turkey are a healthy and high quality protein source when used cooked correctly.
The second ingredient in the Orijen original is whole eggs, which are also an exceptional source of protein content and micronutrients. Any ingredient that is advertised as a whole will definitely elevate the status of the dog food brand.
Next, we have a chicken liver. Internal organs are a very good source of protein content and Orijen foods for pets puts emphasis on the quality of ingredients, and that pertains to the organs as well. The liver is an excellent contributor for minerals and nutrients.
We then have herring and flounder making up the next two ingredients, and they are an excellent ingredient to derive omega fatty acids from to keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy.
According to the Orijen website, the original blend ingredients are as follows:
Why We Like It – As you can see, the first ingredients are always a named animal protein source, which is the best for dog food. The original recipe focuses on poultry and mirrors your dog’s natural dietary needs. The entire recipe is made up of 85% natural high quality ingredients from animals which is a high percentage when compared to other brands. the recipe is nutrient dense and also steers clear of artificial ingredients, utilizes minimal processing and is cooked in safe facilities.
The guaranteed analysis of the Orijen original blend taken from their website is:
| Caloric Content | 3,940 kcal/kg (449 kcal/cup) |
| Crude protein | 38% min |
| Fat content | 18% max |
| Crude fiber | 5% max |
| Moisture | 12% max |
| Calcium | 1.4% min |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 1.0% min |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 3.0% min |
| Glucosamine | 1400mg/kg min |
Pros:
+ Animal protein is high
+ Ingredients are so fresh that it is actually rated for human consumption
+ No synthetic ingredients
+ May not be suitable for less active dogs
+ Grain free
+ Plenty of fiber
+ Antioxidants
Cons:
– With botanical oils for mental sharpness
– Not ideal for egg allergies
2. Orijen Six Fish
As you can probably guess, the main protein source for the Orijen six fish recipe are six different types of fish. Fish are an excellent source of minerals and omega fatty acids. The first protein ingredients are all fish, which will deliver sufficient amounts of energy.
As all the fish sources are fresh and whole, there is really no other dog food brand that offers such a quality of ingredients that can mirror human food.
Orijen avoids any unhealthy additives, artificial ingredients and preservatives in all their recipes. Their pet food products will keep fresh with simple refrigeration.
According to the website, the six fish ingredients are as follows:
According to the website, the guaranteed analysis for the six fish blend is as follows:
| Caloric Content | 3,940 kcal/kg (449 kcal/cup) |
| Crude protein | 38% min |
| Fat content | 18% max |
| Crude fiber | 5% max |
| Moisture | 12% max |
| Calcium | 1.5% min |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 2.2% min |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 2.2% min |
| Glucosamine | 1250mg/kg min |
Pros:
+ High in protein
+ 85% quality animal ingredients
+ Grain-free diet
+ High amount of fresh fish used
+ Lots of vegetables and fruits include in recipe
+ Ingredients includes herring oil and sunflower oil
+ No recalls
Cons:
– Strong odor and flavor
– No other meat sources besides fish
3. Orijen Regional Red
For dogs that love lots and lots of meat with extra protein, the regional red Orijen blend is your answer. It contains an award-winning blend of all the best and freshest red meats from all the land including beef, boar, bison, lamb, pork and internal organs.
Your dog will always have an abundant amount of energy with their needs met from this regional red recipe. With such a delectable assortment of meats balanced out by fiber, fruits and vegetables, your dog will enjoy his food every day.
The ingredients for the regional red is as follows:
According to the website, the guaranteed analysis of the regional red is:
| Caloric Content | 3860 kcal/kg (440 kcal/cup) |
| Crude protein | 38% min |
| Fat content | 18% max |
| Crude fiber | 5% max |
| Moisture | 12% max |
| Calcium | 2% min |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 1% min |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 2.3% min |
| Glucosamine | 1250mg/kg min |
Pros:
+ Formula is tailored to dog’s biological needs
+ Good for active/working dogs
+ 2/3 of meat used in the formula is fresh and raw
+ Perfect for dogs prone to joint problems
+ Includes a variety of exotic red meats
+ Coated in freeze-dried cod liver
+ There are probiotics that’s good for pet’s tummy
Cons:
– Fewer omega fatty acids than other recipes
– Contains beef, which could be an allergen for dogs with beef allergies
4. Orijen Tundra
From the first few ingredients, you can already see that the tundra doesn’t only focus on one type of meat but instead combines a healthy blend of surf and turf and poultry. The tundra is a great choice to balance all the previous recipes if you cannot land on a specific flavor and all the heavy proteins in this Orijen dog food recipe is balanced out by the right amount of beans, micronutrients, fiber, fruits and vegetables.
The ingredients in the Orijen Tundra recipe include:
The guaranteed analysis of this Orijen Tundra dog food recipe is:
| Caloric Content | 3860 kcal/kg(460 kcal/cup) |
| Crude protein | 40% min |
| Fat content | 18% max |
| Crude fiber | 5% max |
| Moisture | 12% max |
| Calcium | 1.8% min |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 1% min |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 2.5% min |
| Glucosamine | 600mg/kg min |
Pros:
+ Protein-rich venison as the first three ingredient
+ 80% protein and 20% fruits and vegetables
+ Contains fresh apples and pumpkin
+ Raw ingredients are gently freeze-dried
+ Grain-free formula
+ 460 calories per cup
+ 40% Protein, 18% Fat, 5% Fiber
Cons:
– No wet counterpart
Health Benefits of Orijen Dog Food
To quickly give you an overview of why you should choose Orijen dog food above all others, we have compiled this list below. You should rely on more than the Orijen dog food reviews you see online, even though Orijen dog food review sites are mostly positive.
What sets the brand apart from other pet food companies is their recipe, choice of ingredients, and process. Orijen carefully curated each recipe to reflect what your fur baby needs. The flavors are blended together for taste and functionality with biological appropriateness as the focus.
The ingredients the brand chooses to use are also fresh and caught in their natural environments. The ingredients are important for the best dog food and the quality ingredients are all high in nutrient content. Each individual ingredient has a purpose, which is why the result is high quality dog food. The ingredients are procured in an ethical and responsible way and going from the wild into the Orijen kitchens and then processed and packaged into dog food takes less than 5 days to preserve the freshness.
You can trust Orijen’s quality because the dry dog food never changes hands. Orijen oversees the production every step of the way and the process is never outsourced to ensure the quality of the finished product. All the ingredients are from named sources and blended well to give your dog a delicious treat with every bite.
Flavors/Product Line
As mentioned before, other than the flavors we covered, Orijen also provides other product lines that include fresh meats and whole eggs to meet your dog’s needs. Other products include:
+ Regular Orijen puppy food
+ Orijen puppy large
+ Small breed dog food
+ Freeze dried dog food in original, regional red, and tundra flavors
+ Freeze dried dog treats in the 4 primary flavors plus ranch-raised beef, free-run duck, grass-fed lamb, and wild roaming boar.
+ Fit and trim dog food
+ Orijen senior dogs recipe
For grain-free dog food, you may need to refer to Orijen’s sister brand, Acana. Still under the same parent company, Acana is more affordable but lesser quality than Orijen. For pups that suffer from stomach sensitivities and skin allergies may benefit from a grain-free recipe.
Cost
With better quality comes a higher price tag. This is a concept that applies to most things in life. All dog food Orijen reviews will mention the amazing health benefits and quality of Orijen dog food, but we guarantee each dog food review will also mention the higher price.
It’s true that they do come much pricier than standard dog food. But to give your dog the best, it’s the price you need to pay. For outstanding quality, the cost is definitely something to consider.
Where to Buy
Orijen dry dog foods can be found online on their website. Like we mentioned earlier, the brand isn’t as accessible as other dog food brands that can be purchased at local supermarkets or retailers. Even if you can find the brand in your country, Orijen is available in only certain stores. This is so they can control the quality and all authorized resellers have had special training to help you make the best and most informed decisions about your dry dog food needs.
Products purchased from all of Orijen’s authorized resellers are backed by their guarantee. To give you a better picture of what not to do, here is a list of UNAUTHORIZED retailers.
+ Walmart
+ Target
+ Chewy
+ Petsmart
+ Kmart
+ eBay
+ Sears
On their website is an easy to use store locator where you input your zip code to find a store near you that carries Orijen products. There is also a list of online stores that allow you to find an authorized online retailer for delivery.
Recalls
Dog parents will be ecstatic to know that there isn’t a recall history for Orijen. They have always and consistently put out quality products that never had to be recalled. However, Champion Pet Food was hit by a class action lawsuit a few years ago and it has since been dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
Conclusion
Even with a lawsuit in the reviews, Orijen dog food has proven to be one of the best choices a dog parent can make for their pet. Whether you have senior dogs or a newborn puppy, the beneficial blend of fresh meats, veggies, and micronutrients among others will make sure your dogs grow up to be happy and healthy. Each recipe from Orijen dog food has only the best sources directly procured from their natural environments in a humane and ethical way.
The creation process for each kibble is stringent and adhering to the law. Most if not all Orijen dog food reviews online shine a favorable light on the brand and that isn’t without reason. Orijen dog food also produces healthy food for your feline friends and delicious treats to supplement the diet. The three best traits that come to mind when talking about Orijen dog food are the ingredients, formula and the process. Even at higher prices, each bite your dogs take will be 100% worth it.
