What's actually in Orijen?
We analyzed Orijen Original, their flagship adult formula. The first fourteen ingredients are all animal-sourced: fresh chicken, fresh turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh chicken liver, fresh whole herring, fresh whole flounder, fresh turkey liver, fresh chicken necks, fresh chicken heart, dehydrated chicken, dehydrated turkey, dehydrated mackerel, dehydrated sardine, and dehydrated herring. Legumes (lentils, peas, chickpeas) don't appear until ingredient fifteen.
That opening is unlike anything else on the market. Orijen's "biologically appropriate" philosophy — building kibble around the prey model diet dogs evolved eating — isn't just marketing. The ingredient list backs it up. Multiple fresh meats, multiple organ meats, multiple fish species, all before a single grain or legume. No other mainstream brand comes close. Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
The protein diversity alone sets Orijen apart. Chicken, turkey, herring, flounder, mackerel, sardine — six distinct animal protein sources in the top fifteen ingredients. The "fresh" designation matters: these are refrigerated whole-food ingredients, not rendered meals. They're included at a higher moisture content and cold-processed to preserve nutrient integrity that high-heat rendering destroys.
Organ meats — chicken liver, turkey liver, chicken heart — provide taurine, CoQ10, B vitamins, and iron at naturally occurring concentrations. These are the nutrients that are often added back artificially in lesser foods because the base ingredients were stripped of them during processing.
Herring oil provides omega-3 fatty acids. Enterococcus faecium is a live probiotic culture for digestive health. The botanical blend — turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, rose hips, lavender, marshmallow root, brown kelp — reads like a functional supplement list, not a standard kibble. Chicory root provides prebiotic fiber. Whole cranberries and blueberries for antioxidants. No corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
The not-so-good stuff
The legume load is the only meaningful concern. After the fourteen animal ingredients come whole red lentils, whole green lentils, whole green peas, lentil fiber, whole chickpeas, whole yellow peas, whole pinto beans, and whole navy beans — eight legume ingredients. This is the grain-free/DCM question in its sharpest form. The FDA's ongoing investigation into a potential link between grain-free, legume-heavy diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs applies directly to Orijen. No causal link has been established, but the concern is real and ongoing. If your dog has a cardiac history or is a breed predisposed to DCM (Dobermans, Boxers, Great Danes), discuss grain-free feeding with your vet.
The price is significant — a 25-pound bag typically runs $90–110, roughly three to four times the cost of mid-tier brands. For what's in the bag, it's justified. But it's a real budget consideration for large dogs.
How it compares
Orijen's A/90 ties with Nulo, Stella & Chewy's, and Wellness CORE at the top of our dog food database. The nearest competitor on the biologically appropriate spectrum is Acana (B/88), which is made by the same company (Champion Petfoods) and shares the philosophy — but with a less intensive animal-ingredient ratio and no probiotics.
Compared to the vet-recommended brands: Purina Pro Plan scores C/62, Hill's Science Diet scores C/61, and Royal Canin scores C/58. Orijen scores 28–32 points higher than all three while delivering an ingredient list that's categorically different. The trade-off is entirely price.
Read the full breakdowns in our head-to-head comparisons: Orijen vs Acana, Taste of the Wild vs Orijen, Petcurean Go! vs Orijen, and Royal Canin Golden Retriever vs Orijen.
Life-stage variants: Orijen Puppy (A/90) tunes calcium and fat for growing puppies; Orijen Senior (A/90) elevates marine omega-3s and adds pumpkin fiber for senior dogs 7+.
The bottom line
Orijen earns an A grade (90/100) from KibbleIQ — tied for the top of our dog food database. The biologically appropriate formula, extraordinary protein diversity, fresh organ meats, probiotics, and botanical blend are unmatched at any price point. The only substantive concerns are the legume load (DCM consideration) and the cost. If your budget allows it and your dog doesn't have cardiac risk factors, Orijen is the answer to "what's the best dog food you can buy." Shop on Amazon →