Marco Williams
Orijen comes up constantly in comparisons of premium dog foods. It’s also one of the most expensive brands on the shelf. Before you spend over $100 on a bag of kibble, you should know exactly what that money buys.
This review covers all seven current Orijen dog food formulas: what’s in them, what they actually cost per day to feed, and which dog each one fits.
- All-Around Pick → Orijen Original — ~$2.60/day
- Best for Aging Dogs → Orijen Senior — ~$2.70/day
- Best for Small Dogs → Orijen Small Breed — ~$3.62/day
- Best for Large-Breed Puppies → Orijen Amazing Grains Puppy Large Breed — ~$2.72/day
What Is Orijen Dog Food?
Champion Petfoods makes Orijen. The company was founded in 1985 in Edmonton, Alberta, and also owns the Acana brand. Mars Petcare announced its agreement to acquire Champion on November 1, 2022; the deal closed on February 28, 2023.
Orijen food is made in Champion’s own facilities — NorthStar in Alberta and DogStar in Kentucky — rather than through third-party co-packing. The brand calls its approach “Biologically Appropriate”: diets built around a high proportion of fresh or raw animal ingredients, including meat, organs, and cartilage rather than mostly muscle meat. This is sometimes referred to as a WholePrey model.
Orijen sits at the top of the price range, above most other grain-free brands. Keep that in mind before you look at individual formulas below.
Some longtime customers have flagged concerns online about consistency since Mars took over. That’s sentiment, not a confirmed fact — there’s no documented change in formulation or quality control to point to, so treat it as something to watch rather than a settled issue.
Orijen Dog Food Formulas Compared
Orijen’s current U.S. lineup includes seven core products. Here’s how each one holds up.
Best For: All-Around Pick.
Cost Per Day: $2.60 (based on supplying 1,000 kcal at current pricing).
Why It Made the List?
- 85% animal ingredients, with chicken, turkey, salmon, and whole herring as the top four ingredients
- Grain-free, all-life-stages formula, including large-breed growth
- 4.6-star rating across more than 4,300 Amazon reviews, with an Amazon’s Choice badge
Key Specs
- Protein 38% min, fat 18% min, fiber 4% max; ME 3,860 kcal/kg
- AAFCO: formulated for all life stages, except for growth of Great Dane puppies prior to 14 weeks
- First 5 ingredients: chicken, turkey, salmon, whole herring, chicken liver
Honest Take
- Cheapest formula in the lineup on a per-calorie basis at $2.60/day, but still pricier per pound than most grain-free competitors
- The broadest fit of any Orijen formula — a reasonable starting point if you’re unsure which recipe suits your dog
- Most common owner report: dogs generally enjoy the taste, while owners frequently praise the ingredient quality, coat condition, and overall palatability.
- Most common complaint: price is the clearest recurring drawback, with some owners also reporting digestive upset or loose stools after switching.
Best For: Poultry-Sensitive Dogs.
Cost Per Day: $3.19 (based on supplying 1,000 kcal at current pricing).
Why It Made the List?
- 90% animal ingredients from six named fish sources: salmon, whole herring, whole whiting, rockfish, flounder, and cod
- Contains grains (oat groats, millet, whole oats) — not grain-free, unlike Original
- Chicken- and turkey-free, making it a genuine option for poultry-sensitive dogs
Key Specs
- Protein 38% min, fat 16% min, fiber 4% max; ME 3,900 kcal/kg
- AAFCO: formulated for all life stages, except growth of large-size dogs (70 lb+ as an adult)
- First 5 ingredients: salmon, whole herring, whole whiting, rockfish, flounder
Honest Take
- At $5.64/lb, this is the most expensive formula per pound in the entire Orijen lineup
- Not appropriate as a sole diet for large-breed puppies, per its own AAFCO statement
- Most common owner report: owners commonly praise the fish-based ingredient profile, palatability, coat condition, and suitability for dogs that need a chicken-free option.
- Most common complaint: the strong fishy smell is frequently mentioned, and some dogs experience digestive issues such as loose stools, gas, or constipation.
Best For: High-Protein Red Meat Option.
Cost Per Day: $3.38 (based on supplying 1,000 kcal at current pricing).
Why It Made the List?
- 90% animal ingredients built on beef, wild boar, lamb, and pork — a genuine novel-protein lineup
- Part of the Amazing Grains line, so it contains grains rather than being grain-free
- 4.6-star rating across 368 reviews, with an Amazon’s Choice badge
Key Specs
- Protein 38% min, fat 18% min, fiber 4% max; ME 3,860 kcal/kg
- AAFCO: formulated for all life stages, excluding growth of large-size dogs (70 lb+ as an adult)
- First 5 ingredients: beef, wild boar, lamb, beef liver, pork
Honest Take
- Explicitly excludes large-breed puppy growth on its own AAFCO statement — pair with Puppy Large Breed instead if that applies to your dog
- Priced at $5.91/lb, the second-most-expensive formula in the lineup
- Most common owner report: owners frequently praise the ingredient quality, meat content, palatability, and the fact that many dogs readily eat the formula.
- Most common complaint: some dogs experience digestive upset, particularly loose stools or stomach upset, and the food’s strong smell and premium price are also mentioned.
Best For: Aging Dogs.
Cost Per Day: $2.70 (based on supplying 1,000 kcal at current pricing).
Why It Made the List?
- 85% animal ingredients while keeping the same core proteins as Original: chicken, turkey, salmon, whole herring
- Positioned around weight management and hip/joint support rather than a straight protein cut
- 4.6-star rating across 1,838 reviews, with an Amazon’s Choice badge
Key Specs
- Protein 38% min, fat 15% min, fiber 8% max; ME 3,710 kcal/kg
- AAFCO: formulated for maintenance (there is no distinct AAFCO “senior” nutrient category)
- First 5 ingredients: chicken, turkey, salmon, whole herring, chicken liver
Honest Take
- Keeps protein high while most competing “senior” formulas cut it significantly
- Not a substitute for a vet-prescribed low-protein renal diet
- Most common owner report: owners commonly report that senior dogs enjoy the food and praise its ingredient quality, nutritional profile, and acceptance by older dogs.
- Most common complaint: some dogs don’t tolerate the formula well, with diarrhea or other digestive upset reported; price and occasional refusal to eat are additional complaints.
Best For: Large-Breed Puppies.
Cost Per Day: $2.72 (based on supplying 1,000 kcal at current pricing).
Why It Made the List?
- 90% animal ingredients from chicken, whole herring, whole whiting, chicken giblets, and salmon
- AAFCO-substantiated specifically for large-breed growth, unlike Regional Red
- 4.7-star rating across 207 reviews — the strongest rating-to-review ratio in the lineup, with an Amazon’s Choice badge
Key Specs
- Protein 38% min, fat 16% min, fiber 4% max; ME 3,860 kcal/kg
- AAFCO: formulated for all life stages, including growth of large-size dogs (70 lb+ as an adult)
- First 5 ingredients: chicken, whole herring, whole whiting, chicken giblets (liver, heart, gizzard), salmon
Honest Take
- The correct pairing for owners drawn to Regional Red’s protein profile who have a large-breed puppy
- Calcium/phosphorus ratio (1.3% min / 1.0% min) is a detail worth confirming with your vet before switching
- Most common owner report: many owners report that puppies readily eat the food and praise its ingredient quality, protein content, coat condition, and suitability for large-breed growth.
- Most common complaint: digestive upset is the clearest recurring complaint, particularly diarrhea or very loose stools; some owners also find the food expensive or too rich for their puppy.
Large-breed puppies are sensitive to calcium/phosphorus balance during rapid growth — consult your vet before switching, especially if moving from a different large-breed puppy food.
Best For: Small Dogs.
Cost Per Day: $3.62 (based on supplying 1,000 kcal at current pricing).
Why It Made the List?
- 85% animal ingredients from turkey, chicken, turkey giblets, whole herring, and salmon
- Smaller kibble shape designed specifically for smaller mouths
- 4.7-star rating across 2,110 reviews — the highest review count of any Orijen formula, with an Amazon’s Choice badge
Key Specs
- Protein 38% min, fat 18% min, fiber 4% max; ME 3,940 kcal/kg
- AAFCO: formulated for all life stages, including growth of large-size dogs (70 lb+ as an adult) — standard boilerplate, not a sign this recipe targets large dogs
- First 5 ingredients: turkey, chicken, turkey giblets (liver, heart, gizzard), whole herring, salmon
Honest Take
- The best-reviewed product in the entire Orijen lineup by review volume and rating
- At $6.40/lb, the second-most-expensive dry formula in the lineup on a daily-cost basis
- Most common owner report: owners commonly praise the small kibble size, palatability, ingredient quality, and coat/overall condition of their small dogs.
- Most common complaint: some picky dogs refuse the food, while others find the aroma too strong; a smaller number of reviews mention difficulty chewing despite the smaller kibble size.
Best For: Wet Food / Topper.
Cost Per Day: $16.73 (based on supplying 1,000 kcal at current pricing).
Why It Made the List?
- 95% animal ingredients from beef, beef bone broth, fish bone broth, duck, and eggs
- High-moisture wet format (82% max moisture) suited to hydration and appetite support
- Adult-only formulation — the only product in the lineup not rated for all life stages
Key Specs
- Protein 11% min, fat 5.5% min, fiber 1.5% max; ME 1,020 kcal/kg (370 kcal/can)
- AAFCO: formulated for maintenance
- First 5 ingredients: beef, beef bone broth, fish bone broth, duck, eggs
Honest Take
- Costs $16.73/day at 1,000 kcal — roughly 5–6x the cost per calorie of any dry formula in the lineup
- Best used as a kibble topper in small amounts, not a full-time standalone diet for most dogs
- Most common owner report: dogs generally enjoy the taste and meat-forward texture, and owners often use the stew successfully as a topper because of its high moisture and palatability.
Most common complaint: some picky dogs refuse it or don’t tolerate it well, while owners also mention the premium price; a few reviews report vomiting or other digestive problems after feeding it.
What’s Actually in Orijen Dog Food?
Animal-ingredient content across the lineup runs from 85% (Original, Senior, Small Breed) to 95% (Beef Stew) — higher than most dog foods, premium or otherwise. That’s the practical result of Orijen’s WholePrey approach: fresh or raw meat, organs, and cartilage instead of mostly rendered meat meal.
One distinction matters before you buy: three formulas — Six Fish, Regional Red, and Puppy Large Breed — belong to the “Amazing Grains” line and contain grains like oats and millet. The other four — Original, Senior, Small Breed, and Beef Stew — are grain-free. If avoiding grain is a priority for your dog, check the specific formula, not just the flavor name.
Orijen Recall History
There’s no FDA-listed recall on record for Orijen dog food as of this writing.
One relevant piece of history, though it isn’t a recall: in 2019, the FDA opened an investigation into a possible link between grain-free diets and canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), naming 16 brands — including Orijen — that appeared in adverse event reports. No causal link to Orijen specifically was established, and the FDA never issued a finding against the brand or its products.
If your dog has any history of cardiac issues, consult your vet before switching to a grain-free, high-protein diet like several formulas above. This isn’t because there’s proven cause for concern with Orijen — it’s because diet changes for dogs with existing heart conditions call for professional input, not a review article.
Orijen Pros and Cons
Pros:
- High animal-ingredient content (85–95%) across the lineup
- Transparent, traceable sourcing and in-house manufacturing, with no third-party co-packing
- Formula options for most life stages and common dietary needs: poultry-sensitive, red-meat, senior, large-breed puppy, small breed
- Strong ratings and review volume across nearly every formula
Cons:
- Among the priciest options in its category, even against other premium grain-free brands
- Some formulas (Six Fish, in particular) cost noticeably more per pound than others in the same lineup
- The wet stew costs far more per calorie than the dry formulas
- Some anecdotal customer concern about consistency since the 2023 Mars acquisition, unverified but worth watching
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Choose Orijen?
Good fit: a healthy adult or senior dog with no specific medical dietary restriction, an owner who values high animal-ingredient content and traceable sourcing, and a budget that can absorb premium pricing over time.
Reconsider if: your dog needs a genuinely low-protein diet for a kidney or liver condition (Senior is still high-protein and isn’t a substitute for a vet-prescribed renal diet), your food budget is tight, or your dog has a protein sensitivity that Six Fish and Regional Red don’t cover.
Two decisions above deserve a quick call to your vet rather than a choice made from a review alone: picking between Regional Red and Puppy Large Breed for a large-breed puppy, and switching a dog with any cardiac history onto a high-protein, grain-free diet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Orijen good for dogs with sensitive stomachs?
It can be, but proceed carefully. The high protein and fat content that defines Orijen can be a lot for some dogs to adjust to. A slow transition — mixing in increasing amounts over 7–10 days — matters more with Orijen than with lower-protein foods. If your dog has a diagnosed digestive condition, consult your vet before switching.
What’s the difference between Orijen and Orijen Amazing Grains?
Original, Senior, Small Breed, and Beef Stew are grain-free. Six Fish, Regional Red, and Puppy Large Breed belong to the Amazing Grains line and contain oats and millet. They’re not nutritionally interchangeable, so check the specific formula rather than assuming.
Is Orijen worth the price compared to other premium brands?
It depends on your priorities. Orijen’s animal-ingredient percentages and sourcing are genuinely higher than most competitors, but you pay for it — often $1–2 more per pound than comparable grain-free foods from other premium brands.
Can I switch my dog directly to Orijen, or do I need to transition slowly?
A gradual transition is strongly recommended. These formulas are richer and more protein-dense than most dog foods, and sudden switches are a common cause of digestive upset when moving to Orijen. If your dog has any existing health condition, consult your vet before changing diets.
Does Orijen make a formula for large-breed puppies?
Yes — Orijen Amazing Grains Puppy Large Breed. It’s formulated and AAFCO-substantiated for large-breed growth. Regional Red explicitly excludes it, so don’t confuse the two.
Final Recommendation
For a healthy adult dog, Orijen Original is the place to start — it has the deepest review history in the lineup and fits the widest range of dogs.
For a small dog, look at Orijen Small Breed instead — it’s the highest-rated product Orijen makes. For a large-breed puppy, use Orijen Amazing Grains Puppy Large Breed, not Regional Red, and bring your vet into that decision.
Orijen isn’t the cheapest way to feed a high-protein diet. It offers high animal-ingredient content and sourcing transparency that’s hard to match at this price point. Whether that trade makes sense depends on your budget and what your dog actually needs.
