Biologically appropriate dog food made with free-run chicken and turkey, wild-caught fish, and cage-free eggs. 85% quality animal ingredients.
85% animal ingredients
Grain-free recipe
No artificial preservatives
WholePrey ratios include organs and bone
Premium price point
May be too rich for sensitive stomachs
Strong smell
Nutrition: 10/10 · Ingredient Quality: 9/10 · Value for Money: 7/10 · Palatability: 9/10
These are our own scores for the things that can be judged from the specification, the materials and how the product is built. They are not Amazon's customer rating.
Orijen's whole proposition is ingredient density: a very high proportion of animal ingredients, including organ meat and bone rather than muscle meat alone, on the argument that this more closely resembles what a dog would eat as a whole prey animal.
The WholePrey concept is the interesting part and it is not marketing fluff. Organ meat and bone deliver nutrients — vitamin A and D from liver, calcium and phosphorus in a natural ratio from bone — that a muscle-meat-plus-synthetic-vitamin-pack recipe delivers differently. Whether a dog notices the difference is a separate question from whether the formulation logic is sound.
This is the practical thing to understand before you buy a bag. High animal content means high protein and, importantly, high fat. That has consequences:
Dogs with sensitive stomachs often cannot tolerate it, especially introduced quickly. Loose stools on a switch to Orijen are common and usually a transition problem rather than a food problem — but not always.
Dogs with a history of pancreatitis should not be put on a high-fat food without a vet's say-so. This is the one genuine medical caution and it matters.
Portion sizes are smaller than you expect. Calorie density is high, and feeding the volume you fed of a cheaper food will make your dog fat. Read the guideline, then feed to body condition.
The strong smell owners mention is a direct consequence of the fish and organ content. It is not a sign the bag has gone off.
Orijen Original is grain-free, so the same open question applies as to every grain-free diet.
In 2018 the FDA opened an investigation into reports of dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs eating diets high in peas, lentils, other legume seeds or potatoes, including in breeds without a genetic predisposition. Since then the FDA has published updates, has not established causation, and has said it has not found a definitive link. Research is ongoing and results have been mixed.
That is the accurate state of it: unresolved. If your dog has a heart murmur, a breed predisposition, or you are simply unsure, that is a conversation to have with your vet about your individual dog. It is not a reason to panic, and it is not something to wave away.
Price is not evidence. The diet-selection questions veterinary nutrition bodies suggest owners ask are the same for a boutique brand as for a supermarket one:
Does the company employ a qualified nutritionist — a board-certified veterinary nutritionist or a PhD in animal nutrition — to formulate the diets?
Does it own its manufacturing plants, or contract them out?
Does it run feeding trials, or formulate to meet a nutrient profile on paper only?
What quality control does it run on incoming ingredients and finished batches?
A brand that answers these clearly is telling you something. A brand that answers with sourcing photography is not.
The single most useful sentence on any bag is the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement: which life stage the food is complete and balanced for, and whether that was established by formulation or by feeding trials. Feeding trials are the stronger evidence.
Check it says the life stage you need. "All life stages" includes growth, which means it meets puppy requirements — and for large-breed puppies you additionally need a statement covering growth of large-size dogs, because calcium control matters for developing joints.
Go slower than the bag says. Ten to fourteen days rather than seven, starting at a small fraction of the bowl. If stools loosen, hold at the current ratio for a few days rather than pushing on.
If loose stools persist beyond the transition, this food may simply be too rich for that dog, and a moderate-fat food is not a lesser choice — it is the right one for that animal.
The ingredient deck is unusually animal-dense, including organ meat and bone rather than muscle meat alone, and fresh and raw animal ingredients cost more per unit of finished kibble than plant-based protein sources. Whether that is worth the difference for a healthy dog is a judgement call — a well-formulated mid-market food meets a healthy dog's needs.
Usually a transition that moved too fast for a rich food. Slow it down to ten to fourteen days and hold at the current ratio for a few days if stools loosen. If it persists past the transition, this food may simply be too rich for that dog, and a moderate-fat food is the right choice rather than a lesser one.
Less than you think. Calorie density is high, so feeding the same volume you fed of a cheaper food will make your dog gain weight. Start from the guideline, then feed to body condition — ribs easy to feel without pressing, a visible waist from above.
It is an unresolved question. The FDA opened an investigation in 2018 into DCM reports in dogs eating diets high in legumes and potatoes, and has since said it has not established a causal link. Research continues with mixed findings. If your dog has a heart murmur or a breed predisposition, discuss it with your vet.
Check the AAFCO statement on the bag for the life stage it covers. If it states all life stages, that includes growth. For a large-breed puppy you additionally need a statement covering growth of large-size dogs, because controlled calcium matters for developing joints.