Orijen dog food operates on the principle that dogs should eat a diet that contains food similar to what they would eat on a natural diet in the wild. It contains lots of meal protein. Basically, it consists of 75 to 80 percent meat and 38 to 42 percent protein.
Orijen dog food is more than most dog foods. It only has 18 to 22 percent carbohydrates which is very low. It is made with up to 40 percent fresh meat which is virtually unique. It uses a minimum of five fresh meats in each formula. There are no other dog foods like Orijen dog food. Here is the complete list of Orijen dog food ingredients:
- Boneless chicken
- Chicken meal
- Chicken liver
- Whole herring
- Boneless turkey
- Turkey meal
- Turkey liver
- Whole eggs
- Boneless walleye
- Whole salmon
- Chicken heart
- Chicken cartilage
- Herring meal
- Salmon meal
- Chicken liver oil
- Red lentils
- Green peas
- Green lentils
- Suncured alfalfa
- Pea fiber
- Chickpeas
- Pumpkin
- Butternut squash
- Spinach greens
- Carrots
- Red Delicious apples
- Bartlett pears
- Cranberries
- Blueberries
- Kelp
- Licorice root
- Angelica root
- Fenugreek
- Marigold
- Sweet fennel
- Peppermint leaf
- Chamomile
- Dandelion
- Summer savory
- Rosemary
- Enterococcus faecium
The top 5 ingredients of Orijen dog food are boneless chicken, chicken meal, chicken liver, whole herring, and boneless turkey. Below is a brief explanations of each of those:
- Boneless chicken
Fresh chicken is a really good source of animal protein for your dog. Orijen uses free-run cobb chicken in the recipes so you are able to rest assured that it is hormone and antibiotic free. It is also a good source of protein of your big-breed puppy.
- Chicken meal
Chicken meal is the meal made from the same meat as boneless chicken. The only difference is it has already been cooked to remove moisture, meaning that it is a much more highly concentrated source of protein than boneless chicken which makes it a valuable addition to the formula.
- Chicken liver
Aside from providing your dog with protein, Orijen Dog Food is also packed with essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin D, various B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, and folic acid.
- Whole herring
Whole herring is an amazing source of protein, like the three ingredients mentioned above. Because it comes from fish and not meat, it also contains omega 3 fatty acids which is good for the skin of the dog, coat, nervous system, heart, and other systems.
- Boneless turkey
Boneless turkey is a great source of animal protein. This one is important to remember, however, that fresh meats like turkey have up to 80% water so they will contribute less to the finished product in terms of protein volume. There are so many protein sources included in this recipe but it is not a problem.