If you are looking for the optimal dog food that gives your dog a diet resembling those of their wilder cousins then you are looking in the right place. Orijen dog foods are biologically appropriate for your dog, meaning it will provide your dog all of the nutrients that they need to be happy, active, and healthy dogs.
This is another small company that tends to get lost amongst the bigger name competitors. This Orijen dog food review will help show you all that there is to know about this dog food brand and how it will greatly benefit the overall health of your dog.
Best Orijen Dog Foods
1. Puppy Formula
Puppy Formula
Features
- ORIJEN Puppy dog food delivers a diet rich and varied in fresh, whole animal ingredients from free-run chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish, and cage-free eggs
- With 85% quality animal ingredients, ORIJEN nourishes dogs according to their natural, biological needs
- Using fresh and raw animal ingredients, including meat, organs, cartilage, and bone, ORIJEN is the Biologically Appropriate, grain-free diet that dogs have evolved to eat
- Our Fresh Regional Ingredients are supplied by people we know and trust, and are delivered to our kitchen fresh or raw, in their most natural and nourishing form
When you want to start your puppy right on the path to a healthy body consider feeding them the Orijen Puppy Food.
Key Features
- Protein Content—38%
- Fat Content—20%
- Carbohydrates—16%
- Antioxidants—15%
According to Orijen, puppies share their eating habits to that of the gray wolf, which means they need a diet rich in proteins with lower carbohydrates. Orijen Puppy Food combines six types of animal proteins for your puppy which are: chicken, turkey, flounder, eggs, mackerel, and herring.
At least 2/3 of the meat is fresh or raw while the remaining 1/3 is dehydrated or dried. What Orijen does differently than other puppy foods is that they use a mix of meat, organs, cartilage, and bones with their proteins.
Some people may not like this, but it is the most natural way for your dog to obtain the nutrients that their bodies need so there is no need to add the needed vitamins and minerals from outside sources.
In fact, the only added supplement is zinc. Your puppy will get all of the nutrients they need from Orijen’s unique protein blend. Orijen also supplies your puppy with a high ration of fresh fruits and vegetables that provide your puppy with the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that their bodies need.
The fruits and vegetables also provide an ideal level of carbohydrates and starches that do not add extra weight or unnecessary nutrients to your puppy.
Pros
- All of the meat sourced from the USA
- Provides a high protein diet growing puppies need
- Contains no grains
- Comes in 12OZ, 4.5lb, 13lb, and 25lb bags
Cons
- Some customers have reported that their puppy had soft stool after eating this food
Help your puppy grow into a strong and healthy adult by feeding them Orijen Puppy Food.
2. Six Fish
Six Fish
Features
- ORIJEN Six Fish dog food delivers a diet rich and varied in fresh, whole fish ingredients from Atlantic mackerel, herring, monkfish, Acadian redfish, flounder, and silver hake
- With 85% quality animal ingredients, ORIJEN nourishes dogs according to their natural, biological needs
- Using fresh and raw animal ingredients, including meat, organs, cartilage, and bone, ORIJEN is the Biologically Appropriate, grain-free diet that dogs have evolved to eat
- Our Fresh Regional Ingredients are supplied by people we know and trust, and are delivered to our kitchen fresh or raw, in their most natural and nourishing form
If your dog has a sensitivity to a certain protein or simply loves the taste of fish then they will enjoy Orijen Six Fish Dry Dog Food.
Key Features
- Protein Content—38%
- Fat Content—18%
- Carbohydrates—20%
- Antioxidants—15%
As the flavor claims, six different types of fish are used in this formula. The fish used are Wild Mackerel, Wild Herring, Wild Monkfish, Wild Redfish, Wild Flounder, and Wild Silver Hake.
2/3 of the fish are fresh, wild-caught fish with no preservatives or raw, flash-frozen fish free of preservatives as well. The remaining 1/3 of the fish protein comes from dried fish prepared at 200 degrees Fahrenheit in order to capture a concentrated, rich protein source that fresh fish cannot supply alone.
All of the proteins include the meat, organs, and bones to provide your dog with the optimal nutrient source that best mimics what wild dogs eat. Since your dog will get all of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that their bodies need from fresh fish, vegetables, and fruits there is no need to add them from outside sources.
The only added supplements are zinc and copper. Although dogs do not need carbohydrates it is still best to include them as it provides sugars to your dog’s body through fresh fruits and vegetables while reducing the chance of fat buildup occurring.
Pros
- Includes freeze-dried cod liver for flavor
- Contains no grains
- Dogs of all life stages can eat it
- Mimics the diet their wild cousins would eat
- Comes in 12OZ, 4.5lb, 13lb, and a 25lb bag
Cons
- Some customer have reported the new formula cause vomiting and diarrhea in their dogs
Fish are a great protein that helps your dog’s health inside and out and Six Fish gives your dog that ideal fish protein source.
3. FIT & TRIM
FIT & TRIM
Features
- ORIJEN Fit & Trim dog food delivers a diet rich and varied in fresh, whole animal ingredients from free-run chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish, and cage-free eggs
- With 85% quality animal ingredients, ORIJEN nourishes dogs according to their natural, biological needs
- Using fresh and raw animal ingredients, including meat, organs, cartilage, and bone, ORIJEN is the Biologically Appropriate, grain-free diet that dogs have evolved to eat
- Our Fresh Regional Ingredients are supplied by people we know and trust, and are delivered to our kitchen fresh or raw, in their most natural and nourishing form
Some dogs, whether due to health or low activity level, might be more prone to gaining weight than other dogs. If your dog is in this category consider feeding them Fit & Trim.
Key Features
- Protein Content—42%
- Fat Content—13%
- Carbohydrates—16%
- Antioxidants—15%
To help your dog maintain a healthy weight this formula of Origin dog food uses chicken, turkey, Atlantic cod, nest-laid eggs, flounder, and Atlantic Herring. While the protein percentage is higher than other dog foods aimed at weight management the proteins still do their job since they are raised and harvested as naturally as possible.
They also use the meat, organs, bones, and cartilage of the animal proteins to further help to maintain your dog’s weight. Even though most pet owners try to avoid dog foods that use other parts of the animals other than their meat they are actually preventing their dogs from obtaining all of the healthy nutrients that naturally maintain their bodies.
But animal protein is not all that your dogs need to maintain a healthy weight. This formula of Orijen dog food also uses an ideal level of different fruits and vegetables that naturally help your dog’s body burn fat faster without adding the extra weight giving carbohydrates.
The fat content is also lower than other Orijen dog food formulas since the animal proteins are all considered lean meats.
Pros
- New formula aimed at helping maintain healthy dog weight
- Grain-Free
- Has freeze-dried liver to enhance flavor for picky eaters
- Comes in 12OZ, 4.5lb, 13lb, and 25lb bags
Cons
- Contains chicken so not ideal for dogs with poultry allergies
To help keep your dog’s body lean and prevent excess weight from building up on them feed them Fit & Trim.
4. Senior
Senior
Features
- ORIJEN Senior dog food delivers a diet rich and varied in fresh, whole animal ingredients from free-run chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish, and cage-free eggs
- With 85% quality animal ingredients, ORIJEN nourishes dogs according to their natural, biological needs
- Using fresh and raw animal ingredients, including meat, organs, cartilage, and bone, ORIJEN is the Biologically Appropriate, grain-free diet that dogs have evolved to eat
- Our Fresh Regional Ingredients are supplied by people we know and trust, and are delivered to our kitchen fresh or raw, in their most natural and nourishing form
Senior dogs need a diet specific to their bodies and Orijen-Senior helps maintain their bodies and health for lasting years to come.
Key Features
- Protein Content—38%
- Fat Content—15%
- Carbohydrates—12%
- Antioxidants—15%
Compared to younger dogs, senior dogs might have a harder time eating and absorbing nutrients properly from food aimed at adult dogs. In fact, they could end up gaining unnecessary weight due to their bodies not burning calories as fast as it used to.
Orijen senior dog food caters specifically to senior dogs to promote lean muscle mass and keep their health up. The protein content in this formula is lower compared to other formulas but it still prioritizes giving your dog the full protein source spectrum that they need. The meats included in this formula are chicken, turkey, flounder, nest-laid eggs, mackerel, and herring.
These animal proteins are considered lean meats, which means that there is less fat content per serving to avoid adding extra weight to your senior dog. There is also a lower level of carbohydrates since dogs do not typically need carbohydrates in their bodies but can still benefit from the sugars produced.
The more you feed this formula to your senior dog the more you will know that you are aiding in their overall body health and potentially expanding their lifespan.
Pros
- Free of grains and other filler ingredients
- Ideal for senior dogs over seven years of age
- Has freeze-dried liver to entice even the pickiest of eaters
- Comes in 12OZ, 4.5lb, 13lb, and 25lb bags
Cons
- Some customers have reported that the formula has changed and their dogs do not like the taste
When you want your senior dog to have healthy remaining years feed them Orijen Senior. You will quickly see how much energy they will have that they will not even seem like a senior dog.
5. Freeze-Dried Tundra Formula
Freeze-Dried Tundra Formula
Features
- Grain free dog food
- Limited ingredient and single-source protein
- Acana food is a natural and delicious way to keep your dog healthy, happy and strong
When you are considering trying a fully raw food diet for your dog why not try one of the better dog food formulas, the Freeze-Dried Tundra.
Key Features
- Protein Content—37%
- Fat Content—34%
- Carbohydrates—13%
- Antioxidants—10%
Compared to the dry food formulas, Orijen freeze-dried dog food contains a higher ration of protein, as most as 90%. In the Tundra formula, your dog gets access to venison, bison, elk, duck, quail, and trout to provide with a high protein source that naturally provides your dog with all of the essential nutrients that their bodies need.
Low-glycemic fresh fruits and vegetables are also added to the mix to promote positive digestive health and add extra flavor to the freeze-dried food. Since dogs do not need carbohydrates, since they are mainly filler ingredients or act as preservatives, Orijen freeze-dried food uses a low amount of carbohydrates and instead uses botanicals as tonics to cleanse your dog’s body.
It is very easy to prepare Orijen freeze-dried food for your dog. All you have to do is add about a ¼ cup of warm water to each prepared portion and allow five minutes for it to rehydrate. The wait is well worth seeing a happy eating dog.
Pros
- Free of preservatives
- Good for all life stages
- Low glycemic
- Can be fed alone or added to dry food for highly palatable tase
- Comes in 4OZ and 16OZ bags
Cons
- Some customers have reported that the food did not rehydrate fully even when following the instructions correctly
Freeze-dried dog food can be quick and easy to feed your dog and they will sure to enjoy the taste of the Freeze-Dried Tundra.
6. Freeze-Dried Regional Red Formula
Freeze-Dried Regional Red Formula
Features
- Grain free dog food
- Limited ingredient and single-source protein
- Acana food is a natural and delicious way to keep your dog healthy, happy and strong
Provide your dog with food that mimics what the wild dogs eat in the wild with the Freeze-Dried Regional Red.
Key Features
- Protein Content—36%
- Fat Content—35%
- Carbohydrates—10%
- Antioxidants—10%
Dogs are omnivores, but they require animal proteins to provide them with all of the essential nutrients that their bodies need to develop and function properly. In this formula, your dog will get the taste of Angus beef, wild boar, lamb, herring, bison, and heritage pork for an appealing flavor and nutrient-packed meal.
All of the animal proteins are never cooked but instead, put through an 18-hour freeze-drying process that captures the nutritional benefits raw food provides for your dog. The fruits and vegetables added to this formula are also put through the freeze-drying process since they are essential for helping with your dog’s digestive health.
Since it is one of the higher protein dog foods that Orijen offers this line of dog food is best given to active or young dogs in order to avoid upset stomachs or excess body weight gain. But, the freeze-dried formula can be given to dogs of all life stages.
All you have to do is add a ¼ cup of warm water to each portioned medallion, let it rehydrate, and then your dog is good to chow down in what can quickly become their new favorite food.
Pros
- Made of high-quality meats
- Low-Glycemic
- Low in carbohydrates
- Can be fed alone or mixed with dry food
- Comes in 6OZ and 16OZ bags
Cons
- Some customer have reported that it is difficult to fully rehydrate the food even with the straightforward instructions
Your dog will love the taste of Freeze-Dried Regional Red and you will love that they are getting all the essentials their bodies need in one meal.
7. Orijen Freeze-Dried Adult
Freeze-Dried Adult
Features
- Cage-Free chicken, turkey
- Freeze dry infusions
- Made without cooking or preservatives, our orijen ranch-raised lamb treats are gently freeze-dried to lock in all of the natural goodness and amazing flavours
When you want your dog to have a food that will give them all the essentials they need with each potion consider giving them Freeze-Dried Adult.
Key Features
- Protein Content—36%
- Fat Content—35%
- Carbohydrates—10&
- Antioxidants—10%
Your dog’s anatomy, over time, has developed to reflect similar needs to that of the grey wolf. Because of this, your dog will need meals with high protein content that uses all of the parts of the animals to better give your dog the nutritional content that they need.
In this formula, your dog will gladly feast upon chicken, turkey, herring, flounder, and nest-laid eggs. They also get access to low-glycemic fresh fruits and vegetables, low carbohydrates, and botanicals that all aid in your dog’s overall health.
All of the ingredients are slowly freeze-dried in Orijen’s Canadian kitchens to trap the highest nutritional levels possible with a low water content to ensure freshness. No preservatives, artificial ingredients, added colors, or other filler ingredients are used in this formula, as is true in Orijen’s other freeze-dried formulas.
Pros
- Filler ingredient free
- Provides a balanced diet for your dog
- Comes in 6OZ and 16OZ bags
Cons
- Customers have reported the portioned medallions easily break and don’t rehydrate easily
Freeze-Dried Adult is a great formula to start your dog on if you’re considering a raw food diet.
Who Manufactures Orijen Dog Food?
Orijen dog food is manufactured in the company’s own DogStar kitchens located on 85 acres of farmland in Auburn, Kentucky in the United States of America. All of the ingredients are locally sourced within Kentucky as well to give Kentucky’s agricultural community a chance to make a large impact on bettering dog food quality.
Their ingredients are so carefully sourced, inspected, and maintained that their kitchens have won multiple awards on food safety, quality, and taste. Only the best quality ingredients are used in their formulas with superior quality control that even exceeds the accepted levels of human food factories.
Recall History of Orijen Dog Food
As of writing this article, Orijen has not had any recalls of their dog foods. The only case of recall that occurred with this brand was in November 2008. But this recall only affected cat food due to gamma irradiation that only occurred in Australia.
Different Formulas/Options
Orijen dog food offers two versions of their award-winning biologically appropriate formulas. These are the normal dry dog foods and freeze-dried dog food. We will go over the differences between the two to help make picking which option for your dog will work best easier.
Dry Dog Food
The dry dog food option uses real, fresh regional meats and other ingredients that best mirror your dog’s evolutionary diet. We will go over what makes each formula special.
Orijen Puppy
This formula is specially formulated to cater to a puppy’s nutrient needs. It is rich in animal meat, proteins, and fats. It is also low in processed carbohydrates and starches.
Orijen Puppy Large
Large breed puppies need a different formula compared to small and medium-sized dogs. Since their bodies grow faster and larger they need food that best supports their rapid changes. This formula is rich in proteins ideal for large breed puppies to support healthy weight and reduces stress on developing bones and joints.
Orijen Original
This is the main formula of the brand that works for dogs of all shapes and sizes. It provides a variety of animal proteins that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy eating. There are also no grains used which is great for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies.
Orijen Six Fish
If your dog simply loves fish or needs some extra Omegas to help maintain their fur and skin then this is the formula for your dog. All of the animal proteins used are fresh, whole, and wild-caught fish to give your dog the best quality ingredients possible.
Orijen Regional Red
This is another formula that works best for all breeds of dogs. It used a blend of beef, boar, goat lamb, pork, and mackerel to give your dog the protein-rich diet their wild ancestors would probably enjoy eating as well.
Orijen Tundra
Dogs enjoy eating whole game proteins and this formula satisfies that craving in your dog. It combines goat, boar, venison, char, duck, and mutton for a deliciously meaty mix of proteins.
Orijen Fit & Trim
Some dogs do not get the activity level or exercise that their bodies need. To your dog maintain a healthy weight this formula offers a mix of proteins that support lean muscle mass.
Orijen Senior
While most of the formulas are for young and adult dogs, senior dogs are not overlooked. They too get their own special formula blend that keeps their energy levels up and promotes lean muscle mass to help your senior dog stay up and active longer.
Freeze-Dried Dog Food
If you want to try your dog on a raw food diet then this is the place to start. All of the meats are fresh and freeze-dried to contain as much of the nutrients possible. Raw gives your dog everything they need as nature dictates.
Orijen Adult Dog
Chicken, turkey, herring, flounder, and eggs are freeze-dried and combined to provide a high protein source rich in all the nutrients that your dog needs for day-to-day life.
Orijen Regional Red
Beef, boar, lamb, herring, bison, and pork are freeze-dried to contain their life-giving nutrients every dog needs to develop stronger bodies and stronger minds.
Orijen Tundra
For the game option of freeze-dried, this formula uses venison, bison, elk, duck, quail, and trout to provide the best quality proteins for your dog.
Other Options
If your dog just adores this brand and cannot get enough of them you will be happy to hear that this brand also makes freeze-dried treats. They are a healthy snack that your dog will love and keep them content until their next feeding. The flavors of treats available are:
- Original
- Six Fish
- Regional Red
- Tundra
- Angus Beef
- Grass-Fed lamb
- Free-Run Duck
- Wild Boar
- Kentucky Bison
Key Ingredients
Protein
Orijen uses a large list of proteins in their formulas. These proteins include:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Duck
- Whole-Eggs
- Flounder
- Mackerel
- Herring
- Monkfish
- Redfish
- Silver Hake
- Char
- Trout
- Beef
- Boar
- Goat
- Lamb
- Pork
- Venison
While their list of proteins is large not all dogs need such a protein-heavy diet. If your dog is not a breed that burns calories fast or is constantly active all the excess protein will be removed from your dog’s body via their urine and you will end up wasting food. Make sure your dog actually needs the 38-42% protein-rich diet.
Fats
The formulas have fat levels that range around 15-20%. It is not a bad average and can benefit your dog’s active body.
Carbohydrates
Orijen has an average of 25% carbohydrates in their formulas, which is great since that means that your dog is getting all of the essential nutrients that their bodies actually need. This food offers an ideal balance of fruits and vegetables that offer complex-carbohydrates and fibers that should ideally be in every dog food to promote optimal health conditions in your dog.
Antioxidants
Since this brand of food uses an ideal mix of whole fruits and whole vegetables you can be sure that your dog will get all of the antioxidants that they will need. Their bodies will greatly benefit from this healthy mix.
Bottom Line
Orijen dog food is one of the highest quality dog food brands available for your dog. All of the ingredients are carefully inspected, cared for, and cooked to maintain as many nutrients as possible for your dog. It can run a bit on the expensive side due to the quality of ingredients and the care taken in the facility, but the price is worth it if you want to give your dog the best food possible.
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Andrea
Andrea is another superstar contributor to the Dog Struggles team. In addition to writing quality pieces, she also works at a Pet Adoption Agency – helping find forever homes for furry friends. Andrea spends a huge amount of time with a range of dog breeds on a daily basis. This shines through with her work - she provides very detailed and specific recommendations for pet parents. She is a highly valued team member who consistently delivers quality articles.
