Rating: 
Orijen Dog Food Adult earns the Advisor’s top rating of five stars.
Currently, the Orijen Adult product line includes three kibbles… each 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 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 deboned salmon, salmon meal, herring meal, russet potato, fresh deboned lake whitefish, sweet potato, peas, salmon oil (preserved with vitamin E), fresh deboned walleye, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, fresh deboned flounder, fresh deboned lake trout, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), dried Lactobacillus acidophilus product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is fresh salmon. Raw salmon contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just 20% of its original weight.
That’s what makes uncooked salmon a much smaller contributor to the overall protein content of a dry dog food… than salmon meal.
Which (by the way) happens to be the next item on the list.
The second ingredient is salmon meal. Salmon meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains almost 300% more protein than even fresh salmon.
The third ingredient is herring meal… another quality fish “concentrate”.
The fourth 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 fifth item is lake whitefish… a protein-rich freshwater species native to Canada and the Northern United States.
The main source of fat in this dog food is salmon oil. Salmon oil is particularly rich in omega 3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
Scattered throughout the remainder of the list, we find numerous fruits, vegetables and grasses…
- Sweet potatoes
- Peas
- Alfalfa
- Kelp
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
- Spinach
- Turnip greens
- Apples
As a matter of fact, Orijen assures buyers all its products are made with “30 percent fruits and vegetables”.2
And 70 percent meat, to boot. In addition to the salmon, whitefish and herring already mentioned, Orijen rounds out its Six Fish Dog Food with three more fish entries…
- Walleye
- Flounder
- Lake trout
The company also promises buyers that all its fish ingredients are completely ethoxyquin-free… a rare (and welcome) standard.
Two more important features…
This dog food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to proteins. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.
Orijen also adds botanicals and friendly bacteria to enhance the nutritional value of the recipe.
Orijen Adult Dog Foods… the Bottom Line
All things considered, this Orijen product is a first-rate dog food… made by a company with an obvious penchant for quality.
And the numbers are just as impressive…
The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 44%, a fat level of 20% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 28%.
High protein. Moderate fat. And very (very) low carbohydrates… especially when you consider you’re looking at a dry kibble.
So, what’s not to like, here? This product is completely grain-free. There’s no corn, wheat, soy or dairy. And no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
This is what a great kibble should look like.
Orijen Dog Food Adult earns a well-deserved five stars.
OK… it’s not cheap. How could anything this well-made be cheap? And no… the product’s not that easy to find, either.
But when you do find it… run (don’t walk) to your nearest pet food retailer and pick some up for your favorite canine. If Orijen is within your budget, it’s definitely worth the price.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself?
Please feel free to share your comments below.
A virtual embarrassment of regional riches…
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Some of you may be interested in seeing the Orijen and Evo factories. I couldn’t figure out how to post a picture, so I posted links to some Google Earth, “Street Views” of the Champion(Orijen) and Natura (Evo) factories. The Natura plant in Nebraska is a manicured show-place while the Champion plant in Alberta, Canada looks, for lack of a better word, “functional”. If you (click on one of the links below)
copy the URL for each plant from below and paste it in the address area of your browseryou will be taken to a picture where you are basically standing in the street in front of the factory. I’m not knocking Orijen/Champion (I feed it to my dog), but the pics show that Natura is a much more mature business.Natura Pet Foods, Freemont, NE, USA
Champion Pet Foods, Alberta, Canada
The miracles of modern web technology!
Have Fun,
John
Perhaps Natura spends more of their obscene profits on “things” or pretty buildings on a street named after their founder (a little ego here?). Such is the American way; I don’t believe the Canadians yet are so narcissistic as we are. The comparison is silly & apples vs oranges. I, too, feed my pets Orijen. Natura used to make quality products but have gone the way of the other crooks & used more smoke & mirrors than quality products. And, of course the latest horrible news of Natura selling out to P&G sort of says it all. It’s just about the money……period.
Was thinking of buying this product for my dog. She is a mini schnauzer as I have mentioned in other comments. It looks really healthy for her. My question is before I buy this is the fat content. What is too much fat for these dogs? I have tried just about every website dedicated to them and can not find anything on how much fat they should have because of they are prone to kindey stones and pancreatitis. As I have also stated before.
Thanks,
Michelle
Hi Michelle… I wish I had the information you need for your Miniature Schnauzer. However, I’m not aware of any trustworthy source for breed-specific dietary guidelines. Since I’m not a veterinarian, it is the primary goal of my website to simply review and rate dog food… and not to serve as a substitute for sound professional advice.
In any case, I believe it would not be in the best interest of your otherwise healthy pet to severely restrict fat intake altogether. According to the Dog Food Advisor database, average (dry matter) fat content is around 15% for kibbles and 23% for canned dog foods.
Later on this year, I’m planning to post an article with specific guidelines and product suggestions for various canine health issues. So, be sure to bookmark our site and check back regularly. Hope this helps.
This may seem like a stupid question…but I suppose the worst question would be the one I didn’t ask. I know that humans are warned against excessive consumption of fish such as salmon due to concern about buildup of mercury. Is there any danger to having a dog regularly eating a diet composed of salmon in terms of mercury? Has anyone looked at this? I recently got my golden tested for allergies and he is positive for numerous allergens including grain mites but also a number of meats (liver, chicken, venison, beef, kangaroo) and things like flaxseed. He still has some allergy to fish but it’s a much lower reactivity than the other items.
Hi Betty… Actually, your question regarding mercury in fish is an excellent one… indeed.
Yes, larger predatory marine fish (like tuna) can contain mercury. And yes, fed to a pet regularly… day after day… year-after-year… can be like any other toxin.
With mercury (and other heavy industrial metals)… it’s not so much an allergy issue you need to worry about. It’s the long-term build-up of chemicals in a dog’s tissues… eventually leading to toxic levels.
But the good news is that most (but not all) of the species of fish used in making dog food are relatively low in mercury. According to the American Heart Association, salmon has about 0.01 parts per million and herring around 0.04 ppm. Both very low numbers (but not zero).
That’s one of the many arguments in favor of “rotation-type” canine feeding plans. Changing foods periodically can be a healthy idea… that is, if your dog can tolerate it. And not just for fish-type recipes. Changing any formula once in a while can help prevent build-up of any chemical toxin. Hope this helps.
Betty-you should be rotating your dogs diet between different meat based foods.I use Orijen 6 fish.When the bag is gone I buy Orijen with chicken and turkey.That’s the whole point of rotating-to add different meat proteins.Then when that bag is gone I will buy Fromm duck.My dog has no problem with these rotations.I think of it this way I like Pizza and Tacos-but not every day.
After months of studying ingredients and reading articles on what is in dog food, I question what is in Orijen. I don’t like to see selenium, sodium selenite, fish meal, citric acid or natural flavors in dog food. There is a safer more expensive alternative for sodium selenite called selenium yeast. Or better still leave that garbage out of dog food. Also instead of citric acid they can use a more safer natural preservative like rosemary, tocopherols (vit E) and ascorbic acid (vit C). Note: citric acid which if the food is mixed with water or dogs drink water after eating it it could increases the risk of bloat. They use fish meal which is preserved with ethoxyquin unless it is stated on the package that they use ethoxyquin free fish meal. Note: they do have no ethoxyquin on the front of their package but they don’t state if they personally don’t use it or if the fish meal they get from their supplier is ethoxyquin free. I was confused by this so I e-mailed the company a week ago and I am waiting for a response back from them. With the expensive price on this food and other organic and holistic foods I wish they would use more healthier alternatives. I am having a hard time trying to find a dog food that doesn’t uses sodium selenine, selenium, fish meal, citric acid and no natural flavors or chicken fat etc. I’m looking at Nature’s select Holistic formula and of course all the really healthy freeze dried like Only Natural, Honest Kitchen, Dr Harvey, Happy Dog and Sojos. But my dogs refuse to eat them. Also please note that even some expensive so called healthy can dog foods have sodium selenite. This shocked me when I looked at some of my can dog foods. BTW I threw them all out. I got Halo wholesome beef (only wholesome beef) because of the excellent reviews. I will not buy the dry because I don’t like the ingredients. BTW, my dogs don’t like Halo. I tried Party Animal can food only because it has selenium yeast but my dog refused to eat it. Note: I will not buy Party Animal dry because I don’t like the ingredients (citric acid and sodium selenite and not enough meat. I also e-mailed the company a few months ago and asked them what the natural flavors were in their dry and they never responded. Bottom line I refuse to feed my dogs anything with sodium selenite, citric acid, natural flavors and fish meal unless ethoxyquin free fish meal is used. Note: By just stating no ethoxyquin on bag doesn’t tell me if the fish meal they get uses ethoxyquin. Remember they only have to state if they use it not if their supplier uses it. That is why I am going crazy trying to find the perfect dog food. If anyone knows of a can and dry grain free dog food on the market that doesn’t have these and other nasty ingredients please let me know. Nan
Hi Nan… I wouldn’t be too concerned here. Orijen uses “elemental” selenium (not the controversial form known as sodium selenite). Selenium is a beneficial mineral as it’s used in Orijen products.
Regarding your concerns about ethoxyquin… Orijen has assured consumers all its fish meals are ethoxyquin-free.
I understand your frustration, Nan. We’re all trying to find the best for our beloved pets. But there are no “perfect” dog foods out there. So, don’t give up. Keep looking until you find something that satisfies most of what you’re looking for.
In any case, we still like Orijen and consider it a top-tier (5-star) brand.
Hi Mike-I was wondering if you have any info on Saponins and the increased risk of bloat? Or is this just a myth? I have read that Beet Pulp,Soybeans,Tomato Pomace,Alfalfa,Sorgum,Potatoes,Oats,Peas,Beans,Garlic,and Yucca are all Saponins and they increase the bloat risk and are supposed to be toxic to pets.
Hi Michelle… to the best of my knowledge I’m not aware of any scientific proof the saponins that you mention have anything to do with bloat in dogs… especially in the quantities fed in most dog foods. As a matter of fact, many of them are considered quite nutritious.
Hi Mike thanks for the info-I wasn’t sure about the info on Saponins because I got that info on the Abady dog food website which also states that Abady dog food will cure hip displasia.(which I do not believe)
Thank you Mike: The company got back to me and answered all my questions. You are right about the selenium and ethoxyquin. After reading your response I went out and got Orijen. My dogs love it and I feel good feeding it to them. I was going nuts trying to find the perfect dog food because 2 of my dogs passed away from the recall and I wanted to get it right this time. Thanks again for helping me. Sincerely, Nan
Hi Mike,
I’ve been using Acana & Orijen with no problems, except for the dent in my wallet. Have recently tried 4health, at about half the price, with decent results (a little more waste generated). My question is; does it make sense to blend these two 4 & 5 stars foods together in order provide a good level of nutrition while stretching my dollars? Thanks. Michael
Hi Michael… Actually, that is a very interesting (and novel) way to economize on the cost of dog food. I don’t see any problem with your “solution”… except for the taste of the mixture. And that is a question your dog will best answer. Thanks for sharing your idea.
Abady is a very fine food for people that understand what dogs need. If you think that dogs need to eat like people stay with Orijen. As for by-products, the by-products in Abady are the internal organs of human-grade chickens, not feathers or beaks.
Also, when you see ‘select’ with any Menhaden Fish meal product it is naturally preserved. So Abady is for knowledgable dog people not label readers.
Hi Mike, I feed Orijen adult and I noticed that they started preserving with citric acid instead of preserved with vitamin E or mixed tocopherols, why the change and is it bad?
Hi Melissa… Like vitamin E, citric acid is another natural antioxidant used as a preservative. So, no problem. Orijen is still a fine product.
Mike, Vitamin C is Ascorbic Acid not Citric Acid.
Hi Sal… Oops, you’re right. I should not have called citric acid vitamin C. I’ve corrected my mistake. Thanks for your help
The red meat kibbles — my very picky dog (chi-pom) who wouldn’t eat over 8 types that I tried — will eat it moistened!! I’m thrilled to be able to add in some healthy protein into even the one other food (Merrick) that she will eat. Whew!
I notice there is no mention of the elevated protein levels in these foods. If a dog is not “active” should we not worry about the excess strain on the kidneys?
Hi Shannon… High protein is a concern for many and is subject to controversy. Since I’m not an animal nutritionist, it would be misleading for me to assure you that a high protein diet is ideal for all dogs.
However, my personal favorite explanation and justification for a high protein canine diet can be found in a white paper entitled “The Biologically Appropriate Food Concept and the Dietary Needs of Dogs and Cats“. This article is published by Champion Petfoods… the makers of Orijen and Acana dog foods. I believe you’ll find this white paper very reassuring about these types of foods.
Natura sold to China. Orijen is the best.
Hi Jennifer… Yes, Natura was sold. But not to China. Natura is now owned by Proctor and Gamble (an American company).
I don’t agree at all with rotating meats in the dogs diet. Those of us that have dogs with food allergies, the offending source is often the meat(protein) source they have been eating. So we change to a different protein source and are able to feed the dog. We must have foods available with single source proteins in them so the protein allergic dog can still eat a meat protein. Those that have changed protein sources over and over again, will never know which protein source is the allergen when their dog starts having chronic ear infections (a major sign of food allergy).
For Michelle, the gal with the Mini Schnauzer, what you need to do is contact a reputable and knowledgeable Mini Schnauzer breeder. Someone that is breeding to improve the breed and not just make puppies. This will be a member of a Mini Schnauzer club and someone that shows their Schnauzers. Their knowledge will be able to help you feed the right foods and supplements to manage the issues within your breed.
How can Orijen claim to use fresh fish all year when the fishing season is just a few months. For example, Salmon season is May-Sept? Also, I heard that the meal products actually come from the US and not Canada. The marketing angle on this food is all the local sourcing.
Hi Jim… You may have a valid point. Why not call the company’s customer service number at 780-939-6888 to get a more reliable “inside” answer to your question.
I have no inside info, but I would think that all the fish used in their food is fresh. I’m not sure what the shelf life is for their food but I would imagine it’s a year or so. Therefore, they make the food while they can get the fish and produce the other lines when they can’t. Just a thought.
would this food be good for Mini Schnauzers?
dont waste your money
Confirmation on where the chicken meal is sourced per Orijen:
“Chicken meal is a good example. Although there are producers of chicken meal in Canada, none are capable of producing from chickens passed fit for human consumption and as such no Canadian chicken meal meets the European Union Pet Food Regulation 1774. At present, Canadian chicken meal is made with spent hens (from egg laying operations) as well as chickens that have died, but are not processed in a federally inspected facility, or were not passed as ‘fit for human consumption’ by the Government of Canada.
So, while our focus is “fresh and regional” our primary objective is always to achieve the highest standard in nutrition, palatability and food safety. Until chicken meal from human grade chickens is available in Canada, Champion will source its chicken meal from one of 2 USA chicken processors, whose chickens and facility are USDA certified, and who have the appropriate European Union qualifications (EU 1774)”
jim,
You have a link for that? Thanks.
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/diet-nutrition/138871-changing-kibble-suggestions-anyone-3.html#post1860996
It is confirm in a document dealing with the recall in Australia that the meal comes from Kentucky. Above is a letter from Orijen to a person that enquired.