Rating: 
Orijen Senior dog food receives the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
Orijen Senior dog food is designed to be “biologically appropriate for senior dogs of all breeds”.1
Although the food has been optimized for older dogs, Orijen Senior meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
Orijen Senior
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Fresh boneless chicken, chicken meal, fresh boneless salmon, turkey meal, russet potato, herring meal, sweet potato, peas, pea fiber, fresh boneless turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh chicken liver, fresh boneless lake whitefish, fresh boneless walleye, sun-cured alfalfa, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried organic kelp, pumpkin, chicory root, 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) = 5.6%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is fresh chicken. Raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the relative meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
That’s what makes uncooked chicken a much smaller contributor to the overall protein content of this food than chicken meal… the second and (more likely) the main meat ingredient on the list.
Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third item is salmon. Salmon is a fatty marine and freshwater fish not only high in protein but also omega 3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
The fourth ingredient mentions turkey meal. Nutritionally similar to chicken meal, this is another high-protein meat concentrate.
The fifth ingredient is russet potato. Commonly referred to as an “Idaho”, this is the most popular potato grown in the United States. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The sixth ingredient is herring meal… another protein-rich meat concentrate.
The seventh ingredient is 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.
The ninth ingredient lists pea fiber… a mix of soluble and insoluble plant fiber derived from pea hulls. Except for the usual benefits of fiber, pea fiber does add some additional protein to this food.
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, we note 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.
And lastly, the company 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.
Orijen Senior Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Now if you’ve ever taken a serious look at a typical senior dog food, then you already know how nutritionally ugly one of these products can be.
Most dog foods made for older pets are notably short on protein and high in carbohydrates… a troubling combination for seniors already prone to obesity and diabetes.
But Orijen Senior doesn’t follow this conventional low-meat design. For proof, just look at these numbers.
The dashboard reports a dry matter protein reading of 42%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 33%.
High protein. Average fat. And unusually low carbs when compared to the average 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, it’s important to acknowledge the absence here of any critical Red Flag items.
Bottom line?
Orijen Senior Dog Food is a grain-free kibble using an abundance of fish and poultry meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a quality adult kibble from the same company may wish to visit our review of Orijen Adult dog 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
01/25/2010 Original review
08/28/2010 Review updated
11/17/2010 New formula
- Orijen White Paper, 1/25/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.