# Orijen dog food



## Chili-mom (Sep 7, 2008)

Does any one know about Orijen? I was thinking of using it for my pup (when I get him) but the puppy food review says that the protien content is high and it may not be suitable for puppies.  That's a bit confusing. Does anyone use this brand for pups and or for adults? I welcome your opinions.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=913&cat=8

Also I found this site http://home.att.net/~wdcusick/protein.html
while trying to find out protien percentage is best for different ages.
The site had some info I didn't know and I though it was interesting.


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## Krista (Dec 29, 2005)

I feed Orijen to Yoshi, and since I've switched her to it, her fur is much softer, her skin is healthier, and her allergies seem better. I always heard higher protein is really good for smaller dogs, but I've also on occasion heard the opposite.


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## <maxiwoowoo> (Oct 22, 2008)

I'm also looking for a good food to feed to Max. I looked on dog food analysis and Innova is located in the 6 star area and I can find it locally. Does anyone use this brand or have any comments on it? All info is appreciated!


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## rubia (Jul 3, 2008)

Rico had to eat Orijin this past weekend..and he liked it very much. He had done the RC puppy then the RC Chihuahua 28. The Orijin has bigger kibbles, the pieces are bigger. It comes in several formulas, he has the one with chicken and some sort of fish. I think that the RC results in much less smell in the poop and the kibble seems hardder on the teeth, maybe reducing tartar build up.

He had no problem with the Orijin really so I think he will have both the Royal Canin and the Orijin.


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## Jules (May 11, 2008)

My Jack Russell was started on Burns, however I was very unhappy with the grain content in this and other pet foods on the market let alone the other stuff in them! It really is quite revolting and shocking if you look into what's in many dog foods that are marketed as 'fantastic quality', as for the average or cheaper brands, yikes! So I moved her onto Orijen puppy after getting her, therefore she's grown up on Orijen. I had to take on a bitch due to whelp when the litter wasn't going to be looked after a few months back, the pups went around a month ago. I fed them all on Orijen and recommended it as their lifelong food. As an interesting point, after their vet checks at their new owners homes I had comments from their new vets such as "Give my compliments to the breeder it's very rare to see puppies in such beautiful condition straight from the litter these days" I think that says a lot for the food they were raised on. Now my Chi baby Meoqui (11 weeks) is following in their footsteps and being raised on Orijen. The first week I must admit I looked at the kibble and looked at her (she was a very teeny girl) and broke it into halves for her because she was so small. I soon stopped though when I kept catching her at Millys bowl eating her full size kibble by herself! To start I fed Orijen puppy soaked 5 times a day with dry Orijen puppy always ad lib on offer. Now she has just her dry Orijen kibble ad lib. At the moment I am happier her having ad lib food, if you feed puppies 'meals' they must have at least 4 meals a day to start, but we won't go into that or we'll have an even longer post lol. If Meoqui gets at all chubby she will move to meals oppose to ad lib. My Jack Russell is always ad lib fed without putting on any excess weight, she's in perfect condition. However Meoqui may be different and may require actual meals in future. All dogs are different and not every one suits ad lib feeding. As icky as it sounds, if you want to know about what what's going into your dog is doing, then look at what's coming out lol. Orijen will produce a dark firm stool because it isn't full of codswallop you're dog shouldn't be eating. It actually amazes some people how their dogs stools change after a life of feeding lesser quality food to their dogs. Lets just say (as crude as it is!) that if we ate junk ourselves for a few nights we'd have a jippy tummy and a rather dodgy bathroom episode ourselves and then a "oops I shouldn't have eaten that!" thought. Yet many feed their dogs junk and take it for normal what is coming out the dogs rear.

Please do pardon the not so British crudity, snigger 

I am not digging at anyone for what they feed believe me! I fully admit to having fed junk to my dogs in years gone by before I researched what's actually in these foods we happily offer to our 'best friends' Since I changed my ways, I, like others on here, like to pass on what we've learnt.

PS When changing a dogs diet always do it over a 5-7 day period gradually decreasing the old food % and increasing the new food %

Oh and I live in the UK and Orijen is only available here over the net so it has a long trip but to me my dogs are well worth the extra hassle.


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## SCY0226 (Sep 11, 2008)

I feed Riley Orijen, they do make a puppy formula 
I was told that some small breeds may not do well on it because of there being so much protein, but Riley is doing great on it. I found that it was one of the best foods when I was doing my research about what to feed him. I love it!
You can always try it out, and if your dog doesn't do well with it you can change his food to something else.


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

We feed Orijen to our breeding stock as well as our rescues. Many of our rescues come in under or over weight. Most have health issues or dental issues.

Some people think that the Orijen kibble is too big for Chihuahuas - well we have had 4 week old Chihuahua puppies that have eaten it. So if a baby can eat a kibble they found on the floor - then there is no reason an older puppy/adult Chihuahua couldn't!!

We have never broken up the kibble or soaked it. We feed it as is.

The funny thing is everyone who meets our dogs - ends up switching to Orijen because our dogs are so shiny, have very soft fur, their breath/poos don't stink and it is all because of their high quality diet.

We also add in some raw and fresh fruit and veggies but we know the staple is the Orijen.

rubia - More than likely you are experiencing some "off" stools because Orijen will act like a detoxifier when first introduced to a dog. Since there are no grains, fillers etc - it actually helps flush out some of the bad stuff that has been accumulating in your dog's system and add in the digestive upset of changing foods - that is probably where your little one is at.

We have had rescues come in, not knowing what they have been fed - cold turkey switched them to Orijen with no issues except the bad smelling stool. After a couple of weeks on Orijen solely - back to non-smelling poos.


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## Chili-mom (Sep 7, 2008)

It sound like a great product! I was just worried about the affects of the high protein on the kidneys or liver in puppies and older dogs, the food is recommend only for adult dogs. 
Even the puppy formula say not recommended for puppies.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=913&cat=8

How can I tell that I'm not doing some damage to the organs?
I want to feed the best food and this seems like the best. Just it is pretty confusing the more I learn the more questions I have.


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

Actually the high protein factor is a myth. I am honestly starting to think it was put out there years ago from dog food companies that were selling "filler full/low protein" dog foods.

There are no scientific studies that show a link to high protein diets in dogs leading to kidney/liver damage. I mean think about it - wolves would be dead! Also think of all the dogs on complete raw diets - they wouldn't flourish - they would perish.

I also believe (I will have to double check) that there have been some recent reports that dogs with kidney issues have actually shown improvement on high protein diets. 

For many years large breeds like Great Danes were told "No high protein etc etc etc" - well many breeders are now switching to high protein diets because new research in Danes showed it wasn't the protein levels that were the issue - it was the calcium percentage and caloric values. 

I know many Dane breeders that use Orijen now.

I know that DFA (dog food analysis) states that the puppy formula is not recommended for puppies but they are going by traditional standards of what many vets, breeders etc think but as we all know there is a huge movement now to no grain, no filler etc food and even more so to complete raw diets.

DFA also doesn't get into the ethics of companies etc - so it is good to question of course but I can honestly tell you that I wouldn't hesitate feeding any of the Orijen products.

We feed it to our puppies - we haven't had one issue. We feed it to seniors, adults - again no issues.

I don't back up a product lightly but I have 100% confidence in Orijen. We have seen the results and are long term users (almost 3 years now!).


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## Chili-mom (Sep 7, 2008)

Thank you orchard lane. I will look at it with an open mind. I really does sound like a great food. Hope I can find around here.


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

No problem  I used to be in the high protein is bad column too about 4 years ago then I started looking into dog foods and even was 100% raw for awhile (but with puppies going to new owners, rescues coming/going it wasn't feasible for the dogs).

Arkansas doesn't have any stores listed on the Orijen site but you can buy it online OR what I recommend is asking your favorite pet food store (not a big chain store) to bring it in for you as it is gaining a lot of followers as the word gets out about it.


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