The scores
Taste of the Wild High Prairie: B (78/100) - Above average. Multiple novel proteins (buffalo, bison, venison), added probiotics, and antioxidant fruits at a price that undercuts most competitors.
Orijen Original: A (90/100) - The highest-scoring dog food in our database. Fourteen animal ingredients before the first carb, fresh organs, six protein species, and a functional botanical blend.
How the ingredients compare
The top five ingredients tell very different stories:
Taste of the Wild: Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas
Orijen: Fresh Chicken, Fresh Turkey, Fresh Whole Eggs, Fresh Chicken Liver, Fresh Whole Herring
Taste of the Wild opens with three animal proteins before hitting a carbohydrate at position four - that's strong for its price range. But Orijen doesn't reach a non-animal ingredient until position fifteen. That's not a typo. Fresh chicken, turkey, eggs, chicken liver, herring, flounder, turkey liver, chicken necks, chicken heart, plus dehydrated versions of chicken, turkey, mackerel, sardine, and herring - all before a single lentil appears.
The gap in animal-ingredient density is the widest we've seen in any comparison. It's the difference between a good formula and the best formula in our database.
Where Orijen pulls ahead
Protein depth: Six distinct animal species (chicken, turkey, herring, flounder, mackerel, sardine) versus Taste of the Wild's three (buffalo, lamb, chicken). More species means a broader amino acid profile and reduced risk of developing a sensitivity to any single protein.
Organ meats: Chicken liver, turkey liver, and chicken heart provide naturally occurring taurine, CoQ10, B vitamins, and iron. These are the nutrients lesser foods add back synthetically. Taste of the Wild doesn't include organ meats.
Botanical blend: Turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, rose hips, lavender, marshmallow root, and brown kelp read like a functional supplement stack. Taste of the Wild has blueberries and raspberries, which is good - but Orijen's superfood list is in a different category entirely. Shop on Amazon →
Where Taste of the Wild holds its own
The value equation is where Taste of the Wild wins convincingly. A 25-pound bag typically runs $45-55, compared to Orijen's $90-110. For a large dog eating 3-4 cups per day, that's the difference between $80 and $250 per month. The formula still delivers three named animal proteins, proprietary probiotics with guaranteed live cultures, prebiotic chicory root, and antioxidant-rich fruits - all without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Both brands are grain-free with significant legume loads, so the DCM concern applies equally to both. Neither has an advantage there. And Taste of the Wild's probiotics are actually a point in its favor against Orijen's ingredient list - both include them, but Taste of the Wild delivers live cultures at less than half the price.
Availability also matters. Taste of the Wild is widely stocked at pet stores, farm supply stores, and online retailers. Orijen's distribution is more limited and frequently out of stock at popular retailers. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
Orijen is objectively the better food - the 16-point gap reflects real, measurable differences in protein diversity, organ meat inclusion, and botanical complexity. If your budget allows $90-110 per bag and you want the absolute best kibble available, Orijen earns its price. But Taste of the Wild at B/78 is no slouch. It outscores most mainstream brands by a full grade while costing a fraction of what Orijen charges. For the majority of dog owners, Taste of the Wild hits the sweet spot between quality and affordability. The best dog food is one you can feed consistently - and at this price, Taste of the Wild makes that easy.