Rating: 
Orijen Adult Dog Food earns the Advisor’s top rating of five stars.
The Orijen Adult product line includes three kibbles… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
The products are designed to be “biologically appropriate for adult dogs of all breeds”.1
- Orijen Adult Dog
- Orijen Six Fish Dog
- Orijen Regional Red
Orijen Six Fish dry dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Orijen Six Fish
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Fresh boneless salmon, salmon meal, herring meal, fresh boneless herring, fresh boneless walleye, russet potato, sweet potato, peas, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), fresh boneless lake whitefish, sun-cured alfalfa, fresh boneless flounder, fresh boneless northern pike, pea fiber, organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, blueberries, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium yeast, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is fresh salmon. Although it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, raw salmon contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably occupy a lower position on the list.
Which brings us to salmon meal… the second and (more likely) the dominant meat ingredient in this dog food.
Salmon meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh salmon.
The third ingredient includes herring meal… another high-protein meat concentrate.
We are pleased to report that, unlike other fish meals, the meals used in this product2 appear to be ethoxyquin-free.
The fourth ingredient is herring… another protein-rich fish also high omega-3 fatty acids.
The fifth ingredient is walleye… another freshwater fish native to the Northern United States and much of Canada.
The sixth ingredient is russet potato. Sometimes referred to as an Idaho potato, this is the most common type of potato grown in the United States. Assuming they are whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The seventh ingredient includes sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.
The eighth ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein… a factor that must be considered when evaluating the total protein reported in this food.
The ninth ingredient is salmon oil… another source of high quality omega-3 fatty acids.
The tenth ingredient is lake whitefish… a protein-rich freshwater species native to Canada and the Northern United States.
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 product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
And lastly, this food also 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.
Orijen Adult Dog Food… the Bottom Line
All things considered, the ingredients used to make Orijen Adult dog food appear to be first rate.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 42%, a fat level of 20% and estimated carbohydrates of about 30%.
As a group, the product line features an average protein content of 42% and a mean fat level of 19%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 31% for the overall product line.
High protein. Above-average fat. And low carbs… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a generous amount of meat.
What’s more, this dog food is totally grain-free. There’s no corn, wheat or soy. And no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
This is what a top quality kibble kibble should look like.
Bottom line?
Orijen Adult is a meat-based dry dog food using an abundance of meat and fish meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a quality puppy kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Orijen dry puppy food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in a specific health benefit for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Other spellings: Origen, Orijin
Notes and Updates
01/24/2010 Original review
08/27/2010 Review updated
11/17/2010 New recipe
- Orijen, 01/24/2010 ↩
- Orijen website FAQ, 8/27/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.