How does Orijen dog food fare in testing, and what alternatives can we recommend? Find out here 🐶!

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Our experiences with Orijen Original

How we tested

In this test, we reflect our experience from the product test. Since this varies from dog to dog, we only give stars for demonstrable criteria. Therefore, we have made our test criteria reproducible – with demonstrable criteria. So you can be sure to choose the right food.

This includes the ingredients, composition, and declaration. Of course, all products that receive our test verdict are fed in practice. We share our personal experiences in this article with you.

The company behind Orijen

Orijen Original Adult dog food comes from Canada and is produced in Alberta. For over 25 years, an independent family business has been making dog food with fresh, Canadian ingredients. The company relies only on nature and the dog’s body structure.

► The concept is simple: naturally made dry dog food for every dog.

The family business Orijen now even has its own research laboratories where new food creations are put together. All products come from regional farmers, who are even depicted on the food packaging.

3 Main Features

1. Lots of proteins:

Dogs are naturally carnivores. Their digestive system is designed for a protein-rich, low-carbohydrate, and meat-based diet. Only with sufficient proteins does the dog have a good source of energy.

In addition to chicken meat, the food consists of turkey meat, lake whitefish, king salmon, and eggs.

2. Low carbohydrate content:

Basically, grains are just a simple energy and protein substitute. However, dogs are not accustomed to these ingredients from nature. Typically, dogs have no use for carbohydrates. That’s why the manufacturer avoids carbohydrates and grains.

3. Healthy vegetables and fresh fruits:

The Original Orijen dog food contains numerous varieties of vegetables and fruits, from apples, which are ideal for digestion, to vitamin-rich vine tomatoes. It also includes seaweed with 12 vitamins, 60 minerals, and 21 amino acids, as well as carrots for beta-carotene. Here are three more special features:

Ingredients ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Orijen Original dog food contains no questionable ingredients. The dog food is made from fresh ingredients, from vegetables to proteins. In addition to a significant meat content, the food has a large amount of fish.

Furthermore, wheat, meat meal, meat broth, or sugar additives are completely avoided. For these reasons, we are very satisfied with the contents.

Composition ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The quality of the dog food is evident in the ingredients. A whole 38% crude protein is almost twice as high as the average competition.

The fat content scores with 18%, which is also much higher than most others. The ingredients are complemented by 1.4% calcium, which is also in the solid range.

Declaration ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A total of 84% of the composition is listed in percentages. This is an excellent result and would actually be worth five stars. The rest is also listed, but without percentages. The important ingredients such as meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits are accompanied by percentage values. However, it is difficult for the consumer to judge exactly how much dry meat is included, as only fresh information is provided. In our opinion, dry meat information should be provided for dry food. For this reason, one point is deducted.

Feeding Recommendation

Dog’s Weight	Active	Less Active
11 lbs	3.2 oz	2.1 oz
22 lbs	5.3 oz	4.2 oz
44 lbs	8.5 oz	5.6 oz
66 lbs	11.6 oz	8.5 oz
88 lbs	14.8 oz	9.9 oz
110 lbs	16.9 oz	11.6 oz
132 lbs	20.1 oz	13.8 oz

The feeding recommendation is provided by the manufacturer and serves as a guideline for less active and active dogs. (When switching food, gradually replace the old food with the new food.)

For the first three days, a ratio of 1 to 3 is used. On the fourth to sixth days, a mixture of 3 to 1 is used. After the seventh day, the new food can be used 100%.

Test verdict: 4.6 stars

The Orijen Original is a complete dog food for all dogs. Whether small breeds or large dogs. Even older dogs are well taken care of here.

The dog food is entirely made in Canada. Only natural ingredients are used here. It contains no grains, hardly any carbohydrates, but many proteins, meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables.

Regarding the ingredients and composition, we could not identify any deficiencies. The ingredients are structured and clearly present. The percentage values are provided, showing excellent transparency. Therefore, we gladly award a full five stars for the Orijen Original dog food.

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3 Alternatives for Comparison

In addition to the dry food presented, Orijen also offers other varieties. Also, extra variants for puppies and seniors.

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