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Summary

Nutrition

Recipe

Protein

Verdict

Orijen

Original

Dog

Dry

Rating

★★★★★

5.0 / 5

Protein Clarity

High

Animal Protein

High

Allergy Highlights

Contains:

Egg

Legumes

Poultry

Red meat

Fish

Free From:

Gluten grains

Grains (gluten-free)

Dairy

Nuts

Shellfish

Unknown Meal

Pros

Uses clearly named animal protein sources for better transparency.

Contains organ meats that provide natural vitamins and minerals.

Includes plant ingredients that can provide fiber and natural antioxidants.

Uses mainly organic mineral sources, which are typically better absorbed.

Is Orijen Original dry dog food good?

Orijen Original is a dry dog food rated 5 stars, with high ingredient transparency and strong animal protein content. The recipe lists most animal ingredients by name and features real muscle meat as a primary protein source. This recipe is free from Gluten grains, Grains (gluten-free), Dairy, Nuts, Shellfish, Unknown Meal but contains Egg, Legumes, Poultry, Red meat, Fish.

Nutrition Breakdown

Dry Matter

As Fed

Protein

43%

Fat

21%

Est. Carbs

19%

Fiber

6.8%

Ash

10.2%

Moisture (12%) removed so you can compare foods fairly.

Dry matter basis = label value ÷ (100% − moisture%). Carbs estimated from remaining.

Tips

Protein is Super High (43% dry matter) on our label-based comparison range. This can fit very active, working, or growing dogs, but dogs with kidney disease or other medical conditions need vet-guided diet targets.

References

Fat is High (21% dry matter) on our label-based comparison range. It can support calorie needs for active or growing dogs, but portion control and pancreatitis history deserve extra attention.

References

Ingredients Analysis

51 of 51 matched

Prefer

Concerned

Notice

Fresh Chicken Meat

Frozen Turkey Meat

Fresh Chicken Liver

Whole Herring

Whole Hake

Eggs

Frozen Turkey Livers

Chicken Meat Meal

Turkey Meat Meal

Mackerel Fish Meal

Sardine Fish Meal

Herring Fish Meal

Red Lentils

Green Peas

Chicken Fat

Pea Fiber

Chickpeas

Yellow Peas

Pinto Common Beans

Green Lentils

Navy Common Beans

Fish Oil

Alfalfa Pellets

Fresh Chicken Heart

Dried Sea Kelp

Pumpkin

Butternut Squash

Zucchini

Dried Chopped Carrots

Apples

Pears

Kale

Spinach

Beet Greens

Turnip Greens

Cranberries

Blueberries

Saskatoon Berries

Freeze-Dried Beef Meat

Freeze-Dried Goat Meat

Freeze-Dried Lamb Meat

Zinc Proteinate

Natural Vitamin E

Dl-alpha Tocopherol Acetate

Vitamin A Acetate

Vitamin D3

Thiamine Mononitrate

Copper Proteinate

Rosemary Extract

Citric Acid

Enterococcus Faecium

Tips

Named animal proteins near the top: Fresh Chicken Meat, Frozen Turkey Meat are listed early in the ingredient panel.

Ingredients worth checking: Pea Fiber, Pinto Common Beans, Navy Common Beans.

Higher-caution ingredients: Kale have caution notes in the ingredient database.

Possible digestion triggers: Red Lentils, Green Peas, Pea Fiber, and 5 more have digestion notes; watch tolerance if your pet has a sensitive stomach.

Protein Analysis

How this recipe earned its protein scores.

Protein Clarity

High

Named

100%

Strong clarity: 100% of Orijen Original's animal-protein ingredients are clearly named (like chicken or salmon). Only 0% use vague terms such as "meat meal" and 0% are by-products. Named protein ingredients let you verify the source and check for allergens.

Contributing ingredients

Named

Fresh Chicken Meat

Frozen Turkey Meat

Fresh Chicken Liver

Whole Herring

Whole Hake

Eggs

Frozen Turkey Livers

Chicken Meat Meal

Turkey Meat Meal

Mackerel Fish Meal

Sardine Fish Meal

Herring Fish Meal

Fresh Chicken Heart

Freeze-Dried Beef Meat

Freeze-Dried Goat Meat

Freeze-Dried Lamb Meat

Animal Protein

High

Animal

93%

Plant

Meat-forward: 93% of the weighted protein in Orijen Original comes from animal sources. Plant signals are modest (7% whole plants, 0% plant concentrates), so the protein profile leans on real meat.

Contributing ingredients

Animal

Fresh Chicken Meat

Frozen Turkey Meat

Fresh Chicken Liver

Whole Herring

Whole Hake

Eggs

Frozen Turkey Livers

Chicken Meat Meal

Turkey Meat Meal

Mackerel Fish Meal

Sardine Fish Meal

Herring Fish Meal

Fresh Chicken Heart

Freeze-Dried Beef Meat

Freeze-Dried Goat Meat

Freeze-Dried Lamb Meat

Plant

Red Lentils

Green Peas

Chickpeas

Yellow Peas

Pinto Common Beans

Green Lentils

Navy Common Beans

Alfalfa Pellets

Orijen Original dry dog food Review

Orijen Original is a strong choice — rated 5 stars with high ingredient transparency and strong animal protein content. A confident pick when the ingredient panel matches your pet's needs.

Best for

Owners who want clearly named protein sources

Pets avoiding gluten grains

Pets that thrive on muscle-meat protein

Avoid if

Your pet is allergic to eggs

You're avoiding legumes

Key takeaways

Named animal proteins make up 100% of the recipe's protein panel — a clear sourcing win.

Contains common allergens: Egg, Legumes, Poultry, Red meat, Fish.

On a dry-matter basis: 43% protein, 21% fat, 19% estimated carbohydrates.

93% of the weighted protein comes from animal sources.

Free from Gluten grains, Grains (gluten-free), Dairy, Nuts, Shellfish, Unknown Meal.

Frequently asked questions

Is Orijen Original good for dogs?

Yes — rated 5 stars, with high ingredient transparency and strong animal protein content.

Does Orijen Original contain Dairy?

Does Orijen Original contain Egg?

Does Orijen Original contain Legumes?

Does Orijen Original contain Nuts?

Is Orijen Original grain-free?

What are the main protein sources in Orijen Original?