In my opinion, Orijen makes one of the best quality dog foods available today. I recently rescued a 2 year old Siberian Husky and spent a lot of time researching what would be the best diet for her. In the end, I decided on Orijen. Just go to Orijen's website and read the ingredient list! I would gladly eat everything on there myself!
Orijen is a high protein, high fat and low carb kibble when compared to other dog foods. Which is exactly what most dogs need. If you look historically at wolves and wild dog's diets, there are very few carbs. In nature they eat meat which contains mostly proteins & fat. The carb content in other low quality dog foods is way too high. The AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control) which regulates nutritional requirements for dog foods, has minimum level recommendations for protein & fat in dog food, but guess what? They have no minimum requirement for carbs because their is no scientific proof that dogs have any need for carbs! Dogs are classified as carnivores. Carnivores, like dogs, have short digestive tracts particularly geared towards digesting meat. Herbivores, like cows, have very long digestive tracts with multiple stomachs designed for the intensive process it takes to digest plants. Omnivores, like us Humans, have intermediate length digestive tracts that can more easily digest meat but that can also adequately digest plants. Keeping this in mind, it makes no sense to feed a carnivore a ton of stuff it wasn't designed to digest!
Orijen 6-Fish contains high quality fish in its ingredients. "Fresh boneless salmon, salmon meal, herring meal, fresh boneless herring, fresh boneless walleye" are the first five ingredients. Orijen states that their kibble is made of 80% meat/fish! This figure is very high! And very good! (Of course, meat/fish is 70% water before cooking but there is still a lot of meat in the kibble, even when you take this into consideration) All their meat & produce is obtained locally from farmers they know. Their meat comes in fresh everyday, it's never frozen. Their chicken are free-ranged. They work directly with fish suppliers and don't use middle men, that way their fish is fresh and ethoxyquin free. Each one of their products contains multiple sources of protein, not just one.
The other 20% is made up of fruits, vegetables and botanicals. Orijen is also GRAIN FREE and CORN FREE. Why is this important? In nature, dogs were never meant to eat grains. Grains are rich in carbs....and not much else. Grains are not very beneficial for dogs. Neither is corn. Grains & corn are cheap fillers used by pet food companies that care about making profits, not what's best for your dog. In low quality dog food, you'll find grains & corn in the top 5 ingredients. They have no place there. Many dogs are innately allergic to grains. Grains are fine once in a while, but daily consumption by dogs frequently causes the development of allergies to said grain. Limited amounts of fruits & vegetables provide an important source of natural vitamins to dogs.
Orijen's kibble is coated with Probiotics. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that live in the digestive tract aiding digestion and contribute to immunity. Orijen's kibble also contains chicory root which contains inulin, a potent prebiotic. Prebiotics are food for the probiotics and the healthy bacteria. The kibble also contains chelated forms of minerals this means they are attached to proteins allowing them to be more easily absorbed. It contains Selenium yeast instead of selenium to reduce toxicity/cancer. Along with all the fish, it contains Salmon oil which is a great source of omega 3 & 6 fatty acids essential to a dog's health and a shiny coat!
Orijen also provides detailed analysis of their products on their website. Few pet food companies do that. They tell you exactly what's in their dog food. How much macronutrients, micronutrients (minerals, vitamins) etc. They guarantee their kibble has less than 25% carbs. Most other dog foods on the market contain 40-55% carbs and they don't even list how much. They care about giving you as much information as possible without being misleading. The minimum value for protein is 38% and the minimum percent for fats is 18%. Why is there a minimum, not a definite percentage? Because they use quality, fresh ingredients from natural sources that naturally vary in the amount of protein and carbs they contain. Not every fish in the sea is going to be the same size, age, etc. It's safe to assume that on average the 6-fish kibble contains closer to 40% protein and 20% fat.
And once you do the math, Orijen is not as expensive as it appears! Orijen is so nutrient dense that you only need to feed half (or even a third!) of what you normally would with grocery store brand dog food (Purina, Iams, Pedigree, Beneful, etc.)
Orijen also has great customer service. When I got my Husky, I was mislead into thinking that she was 8 months old... I sent Orijen an email asking them which was better for her, the Puppy formula or the Large Puppy formula. I got a response in under 19 hours! In this day and age, a quick response like that, simply amazing.
What more could you want or expect?
Well, in all honesty, if I had the time to cook for my dog everyday, I probably would. Or if I had the time to do a raw diet and wasn't afraid of the parasites/deadly bacteria, I'd probably do that. But I'm pressed for time, good wet dog food isn't available where I am currently, it's more expensive and involves more mess. When it comes to dry dog food, Orijen is hands down one of the best dog foods out there. It's a good alternative to raw diets: Orijen uses a special lower-heat process to make their dog food that destroys as little of the nutritional stuff inside as possible while still killing all the dangerous bacteria.
A few things to consider before giving Orijen (or any new food) to your dog:
1) If you can, give your vet a call when changing your dog's diet and ask them what they think. If you can't consult your vet, use common sense.
2) Never feed your dog before a walk or intense exercise. Many recommend waiting at least 3-4 hours after eating before walking your dog. My vets recommended waiting 5-6 hours after feeding. This is especially important if you run or bike with your dog. Feeding before or immediately after exercise can cause bloat. (Bloat is when your dog's intestines get twisted. Food can't move along properly, blood supply is cut off to the affected area and your dogs intestines start dying! This is a life-threatening condition!) You should also wait at least 30 mins after your walk/run for your dog to calm down before feeding them. Wait 45-60 mins if you have the time.
2) Dogs usually require time to adjust to a new diet. Start by mixing in 20% Orijen with your regular dog food and slowly increase the percentage till you get to 100% Orijen. You should allow at least 7-10 days for the transition but some vets recommend 2-3 weeks. Generally, the longer the better for your dog to adjust but the longer you mix food, the greater the chance of bloat. This is why if you can, it's important to consult your vet!
3) Soft or even runny stools are the norm for the transition period. Some dogs adjust in a couple of days but for some it takes a couple weeks. But once your dog has adjusted, I guarantee their poops will be smaller and firmer than any you've seen before! (A firm, small poop is good. It means your dog is digesting food properly & efficiently. It's also easier to clean up after. If their stool is soft or runny it means that they aren't digesting their food properly, they aren't absorbing all the nutrients and bacteria are having fun overpopulating with all those nutrients. If your dog's stool is large and soft it means that what you're feeding them is low in nutritional value and they can't process it optimally).
4) If you want to ease the transition process, consider giving probiotic and/or enzyme supplements. Probiotics are natural, healthy bacteria that line your digestive tract and aid in proper digestion & health. Enzymes help break down food in your dogs digestive tract. Supplementing could entirely prevent the transition runs. If you have to start your dog on Orijen cold-turkey, I highly recommend supplements. Consult your vet for the best info.
5) Most dogs will gobble up Orijen and love the taste. Unfortunately, some dogs are picky-eaters (like my husky). Lower quality dog foods include unnecessary sugars and additives that make the dog food taste more appealing but that are unhealthy for the dog. If you have children, you know they'd probably love to eat only candy and fast-food all-day every-day but is it healthier for them than vegetables, fruits or a home-cooked meal?? Of course not. It's the same with dog food. On their website Orijen states that they do not add any unnecessary, unhealthy additives to make their food more appetizing. It may take a while for your dog to get use to the taste and be enthusiastic about eating. If you're persistent though, when your dog gets hungry, s/he will eat! If you have a picky dog like mine, there's a few things I did to speed up the taste transition process: Make eating interesting by either a) Adding toppings such as canned tuna in brine (oil-free), yogurt, lightly-fried eggs, boiled meat, canned dog food etc. OR b) Get rid of meals entirely. Get your dog to perform commands (sit, down, stay, come) and reward them with the kibble. OR c) Make eating a game by putting kibble in an interactive food toy such as the Kong or just play toss with the kibble. OR d) Let your dog know that s/he only gets the kibble, if she doesn't eat it s/he has to go hungry, it may take 2-5 days, just be persistent, cut out the treats and be patient
6) Orijen is very nutrient & calorie rich, so your dogs will probably need less food than you're use to (we're talking a half or even a third the amount when compared to the grocery store brand dog foods). Consult the recommendations on their website, ask your vet or just figure out how much calories you are currently feeding your dog.
7) If you can, practice dog food rotation. Buy a big bag or two of Orijen and once they're done switch to a different formula/flavor of Orijen or try out Acana's Regional line of dog food. Then change it up again once you're done with that bag. You can also google "dog food advisor" and check out the five-star dog foods they recommend. Dog food rotation isn't that important with Orijen since they include so many different protein sources in their formulas but it's still a good idea. A varied diet goes the extra mile to prevent nutrient deficiencies. Also, feeding the same food day-in and day-out is associated with the development of food allergies in some dogs. Varying things helps prevent these allergies. I'm not talking about changing your dogs food every other day or mixing dog foods on a daily basis. That would be pretty inconvenient and could cause some upset stomachs, maybe even bloat. I mean, every 1-4 months, after you've given 1-3 large bags of the same stuff, switch it up.
8) Beyond the transition process, don't mix dog foods! Dogs have very simple digestive tracks. Different foods digest at different speeds. If you feed two different dog foods at the same time, they may move through your dogs digestive system at the speed of the faster digested food. This leaves the slower digesting food partially undigested. When food is undigested, bacteria feed on it and release gases. A build up of these gases can cause bloat! If you use toppings, do so sparingly or phase them out once your dog adjusts to the kibble.
9) Orijen 6-fish is a great dog food but it's not for all dogs. This is a RARE problem but if you have a small, toy dog breed, the high protein content of Orijen may overtax your dog's kidneys/liver. I know many find small, toy dog breeds cute but they're not like other dogs. They've been bread to be smaller than nature intended and as such they come with their own specific health needs and issues. Keep that in mind. The Acana line of dog food contains lower amounts of protein, so maybe try that out, they even have a formula specific to small breeds (Orijen & Acana are two brands owned by the same company, Champion Pet Foods.) If you have a toy dog breed and give Orijen to them, I highly recommend checking their kidney/liver function after a few months.
11) Opt for feeding twice a day over once a day. Feeding twice a day allows the dog to digest it's food more properly and will control hunger better.
10) If you have a puppy, try out their special Orijen Puppy & Large Puppy formulas (the large is for dogs that are expected to be over 55 pounds). If you have a senior, try the senior formula.
11) Wash your hands after handling any dog food. Certain bacterial strains may be present (don't worry, they're harmless for your dog but may cause mild diarrhea for you)
You may ask yourself, "why is this guy writing so much? What's wrong with him?" "Or this guy must be a representative from Orijen!" I'm not a representative and last time (my close family member who's) a psychiatrist checked, I'm not crazy. It's just that I rarely find a great product like Orijen's dog food that I'm enthusiastic about. I want to get the word out. A month ago I knew nothing about feeding dogs & dog nutrition. I'm a medical student and a scientist at heart whenever I'm faced with something I don't know, I research the hell out of it. And that's what I've done. I'll post a picture of Esme & her 6-fish dog food, if not in this review, then under the user images up top! If you have any questions, I'd be glad to help, just post a comment!
I've only been feeding Orijen for about a month, so I will periodically post updates.
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