orijen dog food
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Trusted by Pet Lovers Everywhere!
OUR MISSION IS CLEAR AND STRONG
Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning more than a quarter century.
We make Biologically Appropriate dog and cat foods from Fresh Regional Ingredients, and we make them from start to finish in our very own award-winning kitchen.
Our mission represents a new standard in pet food, designed to nourish dogs and cats in two ways.
First, according to their natural evolution for a meat-based diet. Second, using ingredients that are sustainable and harvested by regional suppliers, delivered to our kitchen FRESH or RAW.
We think youll love ORIJEN. More importantly, we think your dogs and cats will too
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Added to cartNOURISH AMAZING
Our Biologically Appropriate ORIJEN premium pet foods are made with high-quality fresh and raw ingredients. Our fresh ingredients use refrigeration as the sole method of preservation, and our raw ingredients are frozen at their peak freshness. Our dog and cat foods are inspired by your pets ancestral diet, including WholePrey animal ingredients like meat, poultry or fish, organs and bone. Premium ingredients like protein-rich meat, free-run poultry, and wild-caught and/or sustainably farmed fish mirror the quantity, freshness, and variety of animal ingredients that dogs and cats have evolved to eat. When it comes to free-run poultry, our free-run chickens and turkeys are not housed in cages and are able to move in a barn without outdoor access. ORIJEN premium dog food recipes are made with the most nutrient-dense, succulent parts of the prey and are ideal for dogs of all ages, including puppies, adult dogs, and seniors. ORIJEN premium cat foods are packed with animal protein and include diets specially formulated for kittens, adult cats, and senior cats. Packed with quality animal ingredients, ORIJEN pet foods are beyond comparison, and ORIJEN food for dogs was voted the best dog food by Business Insider Magazine in 2021.
OriginalDry Dog Food
Ingredients
Chicken, turkey, salmon, whole herring, chicken liver,dehydrated chicken, dehydrated turkey, dehydrated chickenliver, dehydrated egg, dehydrated sardine, chicken fat, wholered lentils, whole pinto beans, whole navy beans, whole greenlentils, whole chickpeas, whole peas, turkey giblets (liver, heart,gizzard), eggs, natural chicken flavor, dried apple pomace,pollock oil, chicken heart, vitamin E supplement, wholepumpkin, whole butternut squash, collard greens, wholeapples, whole pears, whole cranberries, dried kelp, salt, zincproteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), niacin, thiaminemononitrate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride,riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, copper proteinate,dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, dried chicoryroot, turmeric, sarsaparilla root, althea root, rosehips, juniperberries, citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract.
Metabolizable energy is 3940 kcal/kg (473 kcal per 8oz. cup) with 39% from protein, 20% from carbohydrates, and 41% from fat.
ORIJEN Original Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages, including growth of large size dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).
OriginalDry Dog Food
Ingredients
Fresh chicken (25%), raw turkey (8%), fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (7%), raw whole herring (6%), raw whole hake (5%),fresh eggs (5%), raw turkey liver (5%), dehydrated chicken (4%), dehydrated turkey (4%), dehydrated mackerel (4%),dehydrated sardine (4%), dehydrated herring (4%), whole red lentils, whole chickpeas, whole peas, chicken fat (3%), wholegreen lentils, whole pinto beans, whole navy beans, lentil fibre, pollock oil (1%), pea starch, dried kelp, fresh wholepumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole zucchini, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole apples, fresh wholepears, dried chicory root, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh beet greens, fresh turnip greens, whole cranberries, wholeblueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips.
ADDITIVES (per kg) Technological additives: Tocopherol extracts from vegetable oils: 121 mg, Citricacid: 40 mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 80mg. Nutritional additives: Zinc proteinate:105 mg, Copper proteinate: 11 mg, Vitamin B1: 10 mg, Vitamin A: 3750 IU, Vitamin D3: 500 IU,Vitamin E: 80 IU. Zootechnical additives: Enterococcus faecium DSM 10663/ NCIMB 10415 1x10 CFU.
Metabolizable Energy is 3860 kcal/kg (463 kcal per 250ml/120g cup). Calories distributed to support peak conditioning with 39% from protein, 19% from carbohydrates, and 42% from fat. | ORIJEN Original Dog is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by FEDIAF for All Life Stages, except for growth of Great Dane puppies prior to 14 weeks. Store in cool, dry place. Not Fit for Human Consumption.
Orijen Dog Food Review (Dry)
The Orijen product line includes the 9 grain free dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Orijen Original was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Ingredients Analysis
The first two items in this dog food are chicken and turkey. Although quality items, raw poultry contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, these items would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The next two ingredients are flounder and mackerel.
Fish is typically sourced from clean, undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings of commercial fish operations.1
Although these are quality items, raw fish contains up to 73% water and after processing, they would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The fifth ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
Next, we find turkey giblets, an edible by-product of poultry slaughter. They include the liver, heart and gizzard of a birds carcass.
Though the thought of eating an animals internal organs may not be appealing to most humans, these items can all be considered a natural part of an authentic ancestral diet.
Giblets are an acceptable and healthy meat ingredient.
The seventh ingredient is herring. Herring is a fatty marine fish naturally high in protein as well as omega 3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
The eighth ingredient includes whole eggs. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The ninth ingredient is dehydrated chicken. Dehydrated chicken is considered a meat concentrate and contains more than four times as much protein as fresh chicken.
Plus (unlike chicken meal) dehydrated chicken is not exposed to high temperatures during processing, so it preserves more of the meats natural nutrients.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Champion Petfoods product.
With 5 notable exceptions
First, its important to note that a number of ingredients included in this recipe are each a type of legume:
- Red lentils
- Pinto beans
- Green lentils
- Navy beans
- Chickpeas
- Peas
Although theyre a mixture of quality plant ingredients, theres an important issue to consider here. And thats the recipe design practice known as ingredient splitting.
If we were to combine all these individual items together and report them as one, that newer combination might occupy a significantly higher position on the list.
In addition, legumes contain about 25% protein, a factor that must also be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
Next, this recipe contains lentil fiber, a mixture of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber derived from lentils. Aside from the usual benefits of fiber, this agricultural by-product provides no other nutritional value to a dog.
In addition, we note the inclusion of chicory root. Chicory is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, its also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dogs digestive tract.
Next, pollock oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.
And lastly, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Orijen Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 43%, a fat level of 21% and estimated carbohydrates of about 28%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 44% and a mean fat level of 19%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 29% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 44%.
Which means this Orijen product line contains
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the various legumes, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing an abundance of meat.
Champion Petfoods Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Champion Petfoods through April 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Orijen Dry Dog Food
Orijen is a grain-free dry dog food using a liberal amount of named meats and organs as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
OriginalDry Dog Food
Composition
Fresh chicken (25%), raw turkey (8%), fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (7%), raw whole herring (6%), raw whole hake (5%),fresh eggs (5%), raw turkey liver (5%), dehydrated chicken (4%), dehydrated turkey (4%), dehydrated mackerel (4%),dehydrated sardine (4%), dehydrated herring (4%), whole red lentils, whole chickpeas, whole peas, chicken fat (3%), wholegreen lentils, whole pinto beans, whole navy beans, lentil fibre, pollock oil (1%), pea starch, dried kelp, fresh wholepumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole zucchini, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole apples, fresh wholepears, dried chicory root, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh beet greens, fresh turnip greens, whole cranberries, wholeblueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips.
ADDITIVES (per kg) Technological additives: Tocopherol extracts from vegetable oils: 121 mg, Citricacid: 40 mg. Sensory additives: Rosemary extract: 80mg. Nutritional additives: Zinc proteinate:105 mg, Copper proteinate: 11 mg, Vitamin B1: 10 mg, Vitamin A: 3750 IU, Vitamin D3: 500 IU,Vitamin E: 80 IU. Zootechnical additives: Enterococcus faecium DSM 10663/ NCIMB 10415 1x10 CFU.
Metabolizable Energy is 3860 kcal/kg (463 kcal per 250ml/120g cup). Calories distributed to support peak conditioning with 39% from protein, 19% from carbohydrates, and 42% from fat. | ORIJEN Original Dog is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by FEDIAF for All Life Stages, except for growth of Great Dane puppies prior to 14 weeks. Store in cool, dry place. Not Fit for Human Consumption.
AWARD-WINNING FOODS AND TREATS
AWARD-WINNING FOODS AND TREATS
Representing the fullest expression of our Biologically Appropriate philosophy, ORIJENs recipes reflect diets as close as possible to what our pets ancestors found and consumed in nature. Our foods feature unmatched amounts of fresh, raw meat to nourish as nature intended.
We use free-run poultry, wild-caught fish, ranch-raised meat, and cage-free eggs that are farmed or fished by people we know and trust, and delivered to our kitchen, fresh or raw, brimming with nutrients and flavor.
Trusted by Pet Lovers Everywhere, award-winning ORIJEN foods and treats keep your cherished dogs and cats happy, healthy, and thriving.
