# Orijen Dog Food



## Yvonne (Oct 29, 2008)

Just a note for owners feed Orijen (great dog food), be aware close to the bottom of the label is ZEA MAZE (SWEET CORN)


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## Rae (Nov 14, 2008)

Just a quick comment on "Zea Mays" in Orijen Foods. This is not sweet corn. On the label Zea Mays is listed under Tonic Herbs and Botanicals" The part of plant used is the silk not the seed. Which by the way has many wonderful medicinal properties. 

So Orijen does not contain "corn" it does contain "corn silk" as a botanical - which is a good thing. 

Corn is tremendously valuable food and medicinal crop - which is why we should stop producing GMO corn!


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## Connor_Mac (Nov 25, 2008)

As a matter of fact, it is sweet corn. There is nothing in the word 'zea mays' to indicate otherwise. Zea Mays is the taxonomical classification for corn, just like '**** sapiens' is the classification for humans. Check any CREDIBLE source for biological classification and you will find the same thing. If it was corn silk, then it should be listed as such. Moreover, corn silk would still contain the same proteins as the corn kernels do, so still potential for allergy here. If your pet has a corn allergy (histamine reaction), you should avoid this food. 

And, if you're saying that corn is a valuable food and medicinal crop, then why shouldn't it be included in pet food? Is potato really better for dogs? Did we find potato as part of dogs' or cats' ancenstral diets? No. 

I'm sorry but, no dry pet food is in any way close to raw food (not that I'm in favour of raw food, I just think that statement above is without merit). If something sounds too good to be true, it usual is. Orijen is just the latest fad in the new chic and trendy pet culture. I'm not saying it isn't something you should feed your pet, just don't give it more credit than it deserves.


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## Sally1 (Dec 1, 2008)

This is direct from the Orijen food site

Q: WHAT IS ZEA MAYS and WHY IS IT IN ORIJEN?

A: The Zea Mays in ORIJEN is CORN SILK which is actually classified as an herb or botanical – not a grain. Corn Silk is NOT made from grain but rather from filaments from the flowers of female corn plant. This costly botanical features Maizenic Acid as an active ingredient and is formulated in ORIJEN diets at 300mg/kg. As corn silk does not contain corn starch or corn protein it poses absolutely no risk to dogs that may have corn allergies. 

Corn silk is used to treat urinary tract infections and kidney stones and is regarded as a soothing diuretic useful for any irritation of the urinary system (a common health problem in today’s companion dogs and cats). As corn silk is used as a kidney remedy and in the regulation of fluids, this herb is believed to be helpful in treating high blood pressure and water retention. 

As a well known herbal remedy, corn silk is used to treat urinary conditions in countries including the United Sates, China, Haiti, Turkey, and Trinidad. Furthermore, in China, corn silk as a component in an herbal formula is used to treat diabetes.


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## Amanda1 (Dec 3, 2008)

You are both right actully. Zea mays's common name is sweet corn, it is still corn silk also though. It isnt just the "bad parts" of it they use, they use the whole thing which includes the sweet corn part but also the corn silk part. I googled zea mays and found a really helpfull site which explains in detail all about zea mays.


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## Von (Jan 27, 2009)

I have been breeding dogs since 1989. I have used many kibble brand dogfood in the early years searching for the brand that would give me the most out of my working dogs. Orijen is it! I have been feeding it for about three years now after I was introduced to it at a show in Canada. Next to "RAW" because there is no comparison to raw feed, it's #1 hands down. For a kibble, Orijen is number one in my opinion and overall the most healthiest for a dog being fed kibble. It's pricey, but if you are feeding five dogs or less it's well worth the amount to have healthy dogs and increase life span. Great product and when I feed kibble, it's Orijen!


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## sal (Feb 6, 2009)

I am not a big fan of dry foods but this one really is quite good. My dog was spoiled on raw food until he was full grown and getting him to eat dry was an uphill battle. He was gassy on dry foods with grain and I went through nearly all of them. Orijen was sold in my area in NJ only by special order until my local shop had so many orders he started stocking it. I went cold turkey with it with no gas, loose stools, bad breath or anything. For such a rich food I was surprised. So yes it it expensive, but he his down to 4 cups from 6 cups, which equalizes the price.


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## Teresa1 (Mar 10, 2009)

I manage a holistic pet food store and we carry Orijen. We've carried for about 2 years now and it has been an amazing addition to holistic foods we already carry. Up until a little bit ago (thanks to a customer) the "zea mays" was brought to my attention. I feed this to my 3 year old dog and so I was shocked at this, but at the same time sought out a reasonable explanation. I emailed Champion Pet Foods with no luck so I improvised. I talked to the majority of the customers (who better to talk to than the consumers themselves) that feed Orijen due to grain allegies specifically corn. All the people I talked to said the health of the dog had improved drastically since being on Orijen. Itching stopped and hot spots were gone within feeding one 29# bag and these dogs are still on Orijen whether it be the Chicken and Turkey formula or the 6 Fish. So I firmly believe that it is a phenomenal food and that the "corn" or "corn silk" found in the food is not detrimental to the overall performance of the food. Thanks for reading! Say Hi to your dogs from me and my best friend Gunner. Keep those tails waggin' !


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## John1 (Mar 12, 2009)

WOW, you people are really into this. I just started research today after my idiot brother-in-law tried telling me what to feed my new lab puppy. He claims that blue buffalo dry food was the best he found. Orijen is the one I find popping up on non-company (biased) web-site. Although I did find several reviews regarding Blue Wilderness food from the blue buffalo company I could find nothing of their other foods. One rating company stated that blue buffalo refused to state where the food was made. I definitely do not want any food made or consisting of chinese products. Where is Orijen made and where is best place to buy it?


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## Teresa1 (Mar 10, 2009)

To John:
Orijen is made in Canada and I believe it is only sold at independent retail stores. No Petco or Petsmart.


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## John_Buck (Mar 13, 2009)

Is there a list of retailers in the U.S., (New Jersey) that sells your product?


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## Teresa1 (Mar 10, 2009)

TO John Buck:

Here's the store locator from their website. Hope that helps! 

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/storeLocator/NewJerseyStoreListing.aspx


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## sal (Feb 6, 2009)

Update on orijen, continued good results, low poop, great muscle tone, clean teeth, great coat and completely dry clean ears. I have a Spinone Italiano (and they have long ears) that had never had an infection but i found myself cleaning some crud every week...now totally clean and dry..he has been eating free-choice for a while now. If you have a dog with cruddy ears mix up a wash with Gentian Violet and throw away the other crap. I keep it handy.

I dont understand the the whole ZEA MAYS concern. The info is on the website and ZEA MAYS is an herb from the corn ear, the silk, not the grain.


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## THOMAS (Mar 26, 2009)

I have been feeding Orijen to my Doberman puppy sense I bought her at 12 weeks of age. She is now 7 months old and is beautiful in all ways. A lot of research was done before deciding on Orijen and it has been great for her. I considered Abady as I have used and sold it before but do not like the corn content.


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## Carmen (Apr 12, 2009)

I have a six month old Maltese. I have been feeding her Great Life Wholistic Dog Food (not to be confused with Good Life). It has sprayed on Raw Food. I heard a lot of great things about it. 

Great Life Dog Food (doctorsfinest.com)

Anyway, after a visit with our Holistic Vet for blood work and bile acid tests, our Vet said dry food should only be kept for one month then thrown out. I had a 8lb. Great Life bag that I was sure would last me nearly a year because I add a lot of fresh foods to her kibble and I don't want to eliminate kibble all together as there many be times when fresh isn't convenient all day long.

I found out about Orijen two months ago. Then, someone convinced me that Great Life is Best. Meanwhile, my Maltese' breeder switched to Orijen and our Pet Spa owner told us about the many awards Orijen has won and gave us a brochure. The brochure was amazing and I bought a $2.00 trial bag that will surely last my puppy one month. $2.00 a month. You can't beat that!!

ORIJEN's AWARDS

* GLYCEMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE -PET FOOD OF THE YEAR AWARD, 2009 – 2010
* ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD, 2008, Ernst & Young, Category winner, Manufacturing.
* GALA AWARD, GOLD, 2007,For developing and commercializing innovative pet foods from fresh regional ingredients.
* ALBERTA’S PREMIER’S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, 2007, Pet Food Team, 2007 (Canadian)
* THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL – APPROVED FOOD

P.S. I'm no longer concerned about the zea mays. Thanks everyone for your comments. Very Helpful!


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## Camille (Apr 14, 2009)

The only concerns I've read regarding Orijen was regarding its high protein content and large breed puppies (like a big Lab). Any thoughts on this?


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## Lynn2 (Apr 15, 2009)

To Camille,

I was concerned with the high protein content as well so I e-mailed Champion Pet Foods (maker of Orijen). This is the response I received two days ago: 

Hello Lynn,

Thank you for your email and please accept my apologies for the late reply.

High protein diets such as ORIJEN are ideal for dogs and all ages and sizes. In fact, all published research we've managed to find shows that higher protein diets support the health of dogs of all sizes; including large and giant breeds (we cannot find a single published study to the contrary!). Typically, the issue of higher protein is a concern mainly owners of large or giant breed dogs who are concerned about higher amounts of dietary protein.

But what most people don’t understand is the relationship between protein and carbohydrate and between protein and calcium and phosphorus in dog food. 

Consider that as protein increases carbohydrate decreases, and the reverse is also true; as protein decreases, carbohydrate increases. In other words, higher protein diets have less carbohydrate – this is an important fact as it is carbohydrate, not protein that is the leading dietary cause of health problems (obesity, insulin resistance, type II diabetes). And while carbohydrate in clearly linked to health concerns, it is difficult to give too much protein in a dog's diet and in this regard quality of protein is the most important consideration (not quantity).

Most high protein diets also have excess calcium and phosphorus. These diets approach the upper AAFCO limit and are at 2.5% calcium and 1.8% phosphorus. ORIJEN is formulated with low-ash ingredients and a very high inclusion of fresh meats, which moderates the ORIJEN calcium and phosphate levels to levels that support the balanced development of the large breed skeleton.

Lynn, If you have any further questions or concerns please contact us again.

Kind regards,

Diana
Customer Service

... her e-addy is: [email protected]



￼


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## Mederic (Apr 16, 2009)

I must join the ranks of those singing the praises of Orijen. My 8 year old Golden Retriever was having a very difficult time with allergic reactions causing hot spots and ear infections. I did some extensive research and came to the conclusion that the grain free kibble might be the way to go. I slowly switched her over to the Orijen six fish kibble and with each day I could see an improvement in her appearance and her energy. Also, the allergy problems disappeared completely in about 3 weeks. She loves the product and so do I. 
Mederic


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## Camille (Apr 14, 2009)

Thank you, Lynn. I really appreciate your response. Orijen really didn't convince me here though. Maybe it's more convincing (and makes more sense) to an individual that understands canine nutrition more deeply than I.

Probably a busy day for Diana. 
"Typically, the issue of higher protein is a concern mainly owners of large or giant breed dogs who are concerned about higher amounts of dietary protein."  

My understanding of the concern with the larger breeds is the growth rate/weight placed on the young puppy's not fully developed skeletal/soft tissue system. I never really worried about it before having my first black lab. I've been amazed at how heavy (dense, not fat) the breed can be at a young age. It occurred to me that this might be a valid concern. 

Having said that, I am an Orijen fan. I chose to check the protein in my puppy's diet just a little bit until he's a little older, but I'll definately use Orijen once he's older or I'm convinced it's not a concern.


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## Lynn2 (Apr 15, 2009)

To Camille,

I replied to your post, referring you to another site discussing concerns over higher protein in Orijen, but it wasn't posted. I hope the moderator posts this one... Maybe it will help you over your decision to buy Orijen for your puppy. I would imagine the Glycemic Research Institute takes into account all life stages.

Orijen has won "Pet Food of the Year Award, 2009-2010"
The Pet Food of the Year is a global award presented by the Glycemic Research
Institute®, for the Best Overall Healthiest Pet Food. This year, ORIJEN was selected
against all other pet foods on the market. ORIJEN pet food is manufactured and
owned by Champion Petfoods Ltd in Alberta, Canada (ChampionPetFoods.com).
The strict Award criteria involves in-depth analysis of the product and its suitability,
based on ingredients, glycemic-response, diabetic-response, anti-aging factors, and
biochemical requirements of the species.


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## Kimmy1 (Apr 22, 2009)

Hi All...
Just switched my one year old Maltese mix to Orijen. He LOVES it. He followed the grazing method of eating and finally was so famished at the end of the day, would eat his Hills z/d allergy formula food. Our vet suggested he change foods. I spent hours at "Especially Pets" chatting with one of the women working. Her dog was there and raved about Orijen. This lab had the most gorgeous coat I ever saw! I explained I was very concerned about my pups allergies; yucky ears, scratching, biting his paws...NONE...he loves eating, even in the morning. He now wakes me up to be fed breakfast (something he hasn't done for 8 months being on the z/d allergy formula). I also use some during the day for training treats. He sits perfectly for his food and is a changed dog... I'm thrilled. A+++


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## Camille (Apr 14, 2009)

Thank you Lynn. I didn't get the site that discussed the high protein concerns. 
My "puppy" just passed the 1 year (100 pound) mark and is trim and fit so I'm less concerned about the protein content. I have fewer concerns with Orijen at his current life stage and he's going back.


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## Vicki1 (Apr 23, 2009)

I am so glad to see so many having good luck with Orijen. I will be picking some up tonight. My lab has been eating Nutro natural Choice for most of his 7 years. While Nutro was part of the 2007 recall....the dry food was not, but I have been uptight about it ever since. Now, for the last month he has been not wanting to eat and if he does he would usually throw it up or throw up foamy yellow stuff. One day he even had yellow mucus with bloody streaks in his poop. O.K. I got scared, my vet was not available and a snow storm was on the way, rushed him to the emergency vet.....lots of tests..showed nothing. Gave him some antibiotics and a rice/chicken home cooked diet. He got better right away. Well, every time I try to reintroduce his food by mixing with the chicken/rice....he throws up. Now I find out at Consumer Affairs web site there are more issues this week with Nutro....I am through with them. I will be picking up the Orijen tonight.....I so hope he does better on this.
Thank you to all.
Vicki


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## Lynn2 (Apr 15, 2009)

You're welcome, Camille. The site you didn't get was a link to another forum discussing high protein. I thought the information being exchanged there might help you but, for some reason, wasn't posted here. Wow, you do have a big puppy! My two dogs are each under 40 lbs.

My pets (2 dogs, 2 cats) are loving the Orijen but it's my cats who really proves this to me. I am still transitioning all of them. My dogs inhale their food but my cats (being more finicky) are picking out the Orijen to eat and leaving the other dry food in their bowls. It's pretty funny, making the transitioning process useless for them. So far I'm not seeing any signs (in the litter box) of stomach upset that usually comes with going "cold turkey" to a new food.

To Vicki,
My heart sank when I started to read your post but was glad to know you read that article on the Consumer Affairs website. It's front page news! (at least it was when I read it two days ago). I hope everyone using Nutro is aware of this latest news. I wish your Lab all the best with Orijen... poor thing, I hope he's feeling better. It will be a huge change for him (for the better) from the Nutro crap. These factories producing poisonous pet foods need to be shut down, it's so baffling that they continue to have their products on store shelves.

I wish everyone's pets a long, healthy life )


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## Yanan (May 16, 2009)

To everyone out there who is using this Orijen.

Is this food really worth it? will it help my new puppy?

Im feeding him pedigree growth and support,is Orijen any better then what im feeding him?

I was reading that Orijen has alot of fat in it,is that good for a puppy or dog?

Which puppy food choice is the best option?

I own a 9week old boxer.

Please advise.

From Yanan


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## Lynn2 (Apr 15, 2009)

Yanan,
Pedigree uses the worst ingredients in their products. Please stay away from this company for the sake of your precious puppy. Here is a site that will tell you the ingredients to avoid in dog foods: 

dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients

If the link doesn't work, just go to: dogfoodproject.com and on the left side of the homepage, under "Commericial Dry Foods", click onto "Ingredients to avoid". I hope this helps! Other good dog food rating sites are:

dogfoodanalysis.com and consumersearch.com

With the second website, on the homepage, just type in the search, "pet food ratings".

I am feeding my two cats and my two dogs Orijen because it is grain-free and has the protein our pets are sooo lacking from other products. The fat in this product is a healthy fat and very much needed for growing puppies... in my opinion.

Also, don't be fooled by the higher price of a better quality pet food... your dog will need to consume way less of the higher quality food because he/she will be digesting most of it, therefore pooping less, too! But with a cheap dog food that is made with fillers, your dog will have to eat more of it just to get the nutrients needed... imagine putting the bad dog food in a sifter to extract whatever good, if any, ingredients are in there and what you truly have left. This is why a dog has to eat more of the bad products to get the required nutrients they need, causing a very poopy yard, compared to eating smaller amounts of a good product. So, the price per serving, if you look at it that way, may actually cost you less.


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## Ethan (May 27, 2009)

The food is great. However, the parent company, Champion Pet Foods, engages in minimum retail pricing. My local supplier was unaware of the company’s policy until they received notice to increase your prices or we will stop selling to you. This practice, more generally called retail price maintenance, is against Canadian law and in a gray area of US law. The price increase imposed was $6 dollars/bag. This was in addition the standard retail markup my local retailer was already charging. My local retailer is a small locally owned business which makes available the best quality pet foods at prices they feel are reasonable--reasonable profit for themselves and reasonable value for their customers. Champion Pet Foods is clearly most interested in the image of their food, trying to capitalize on the "it costs the most, it must be the best available" thought process. There are equal quality alternatives on the market from companies, which do not practice in the gray areas of the law. I, myself, will be supporting those companies with my pet food purchases.

Ask your retailer about Orijen's pricing policies!


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## Katie4 (May 28, 2009)

Camille, in no way, shape or form does the protein content in Orijen pose a risk to your lab puppy (who isn't really a puppy anymore). The important thing to remember is not protein content, but protein SOURCE. In lower-quality kibble, the protein comes mainly from the grains, which are hazardous to your dog and are the culprit for most dietary issues, growth problems or allergies. However, in Orijen (grain-free) all of the protein comes from MEAT which all dogs are genetically programmed to digest. If you think of a raw diet, those dogs eat pounds of whole chickens and ground beef and venison, etc. all in one day - don't you think that adds up to way more than 24% protein? When you take away the water weight of protein, you're actually looking at more like 17-18%. Same goes for the Orijen, since it is so close to feeding raw.

That said, I'm feeding Orijen 6 Fresh Fish to my six-month-old Great Dane puppy (who weighs more than your lab already with still a TON of growing to do) and wish that I started her on this food when I brought her home at twelve weeks. The key, as with all kibble, is not to overfeed - overfeeding is a big culprit when it comes to raising a puppy who ends up with growth problems. On my dog's old kibble, I was feeding 10 cups. With Orijen, I am feeding only 5.5-6 cups and she is steadily gaining weight in proportion to her height.

I also know of several Great Dane breeders who have raised litters on this kibble and see excellent results. We're taking weeks-old puppies on an extremely high protein kibble and they are all prospering.

Honestly, you are gaining nothing by deciding to wait. It's obviously your choice to do what you want with your dog, but just letting you know that you and your dog have everything to gain by starting NOW instead of waiting until later in life.

I LOVE THIS FOOD and as long as I have dogs, I will be feeding it, regardless of age, size or breed. And you know this is true because right now I'm feeding it to my young and growing Great Dane puppy!


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## William_Kennedy (May 30, 2009)

Champion Pet Foods supports the independent pet food retailer, where you will usually find knowledgeable adults to assist you with your pet's nutritional needs. There is a cost to this kind of service. The big box store business model leads to the lowest common denominator. Poorly trained teenagers selling poor quality pet foods at low prices. 
It is not a coincidence that 90% of quality pet foods are found only at independent retailers.
At least the independent retailers are not trading on a false reputation as nutritional experts, while selling poor quality foods at high markups. Such is the case with vets.


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## Pat1 (Jun 6, 2009)

My wife and I have a 5 month old Newf puppy who we have been feeding Solid Gold WolfCub. He has had very loose stools over the past week or so since we have increased his food intake. Our vet seems to think it may be the food, so we are looking at other foods. It seems that Orijen is a good option, but the very high protein content worries me because if a Newf outgrows its frame there are many health problems that can occur.


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## Denise1 (Jun 6, 2009)

We have two beautiful Italian Greyhounds, one 3 year old and one 7 month old puppy. After doing extensive research, we switched to Origen when we got the puppy. Italian Greyhounds are subject to severe tooth decay and infections because the salivate very little. We were facing an expensive cleaning of our adult male at the time we switched to Origen. Within a month, his teeth were looking cleaner and by two months, our visit to the vet showed perfect teeth. Our vet thought that we had gone elsewhere and had his teeth profesionally cleaned! She had never heard of Origen and is now a huge advocate of this brand even though her office sells the Science Diet Brand (which is unfortunately full of garbage) The coats of both of our dogs is shiny to the point that peope atop us all the time and commnet on how beauticul they are! Another benefit is that there is almost no shedding. They are crazy with energy and absolutely love the food so we even use it a treats when we are training them. They are no longer gassy (which used to be a huge problem!) We now order our Origen on line and have found sites with free shipping and discounts. Our dogs are our family and we adore them. The higher price is definately worth it as our vet bills are minimal since both dogs are in fantastic health. I can't say enough about Origen. If you have never tried it, give it a try and see the amazing difference in your dog. That should be enough to convince you!


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## Joseph1 (Jun 15, 2009)

I just wanted to post an interesting economic position. I have been feeding my dog Wellness Core and am switching to Orijen. The reason is the food is slightly better, but mostly it is the same price and 3 lbs more in the bag. Plus by the recomended amount on the bag I will be feeding my pet slightly less. This will save me about $300 per year. I have a brother in law who feeds his dog Pedigree. He feeds the same size dog almost 3 times as much. My 30 Lbs dog gets 1.75 cups a day as he is an active, active dog. The recomended amount by pedigree and MANY similar dog foods are 4 cups a day. I did the math and $30 dollars a bag of 40 lbs will last 1 dog 35 days. OR ($312 a year) Orijen 30 lb bag will last the same dog 71 days. OR ($298) Now can anyone tell me why I would want to spend $14 more a year to feed my dog chicken and corn??? Plus Vet bills going down, I cannot understand why anyone would want to spend more....


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## katie5 (Jun 27, 2009)

hi i'm going to be bringing home a eight week old female rottweiler in five weeks and have been doing some research on no grain foods and i really like this one orijen). I'm to concerned about the protein levelsthough for this breed. i did read the posting of the lady feeding to a great dane it sounds like it's not that bad for the larger breed dogs. if anything it seems really good. is this all true. i feel like im going nuts looking for the best food out there besides raw diets this seems to be at the top for commercial foods. any info will help easy this decision.thanks kate w


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## huskyfan (Jun 30, 2009)

Hey Everybody,
We have a beautiful husky puppy that is almost 5 months old. We were feeding her blue buffalo since 8 weeks old because it was recommended by our trainer. Well after a couple months of on and off diarrhea, being completely frustrated about why it was happening, we have decided to switch to orijen. I just picked up a bag of the puppy formula and will be giving it to her tonight. I don't even want to mix the two together as I suspect the blue buff is garbage! She never really liked it but you think your doing the best for your pup. I hope that the orejin does what all you guys rave about as you can really go crazy trying to figure out what's best. I will keep you posted on how she does in the next while.


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## Rosemary1 (Jul 12, 2009)

AVODERM WARNING:

Oh how I wish I had researched better for my 2 mini schnauzers. I thought I was giving them the best & healthiest dog food when I chose AVODERM, which they have been eating for 10 years.

I never saw that avocado's are toxic to dogs and can cause heart problems.
Well my 2 "girls" are now 10 years old and both have serious heart problems.
I discovered Orijen only about a month ago and they love it and no more "itching".

Too late for their hearts but please just be aware of AVODERM and read and reasearch all before giving to your babies.


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## Nancy1 (Jul 13, 2009)

I have been going crazy trying to find a good quality dog food for our dogs that won't break the bank. We spend $75.00 or more for 2 weeks. YIKES!! My small dog has been so picky and he is 9 yrs old and gone through too many brands to mention. One was Gold Seal or Gold something. He hated it and I forced him to eat it for a long time because I was told that it was the best. Now I just change everytime he goes off a food. It's so frustrating. Now we have 2 large breeds. I started the first one on Wellness and then changed to Royal Canin because that's what the breeder suggested. Then we tried Blue Buffalo because the people in Pet Smart said it was the best food but, you can only get it there. We went to a small pet store in our neighborhood and they said Wellness was the best so we went back to wellness. With all of these foods they had a lot of loose stools and emptied the room. One really didn't like any of them all that well, not eating until the afternoon . While in the search for a new food for my small dog I got a sample of Taste of the wild, Wetlands formula. He eat it the best of any food he's had. The 2 large ones LOVE, LOVE it and have less and firmer stools. There is less tooting if any but, the little one is starting to fade, so the search is on again for him. The thing is I can't find any feedback on Taste of the wild at all. It isn't on any food lists. It's made in the U.S. and I would really like to have a food made in Canada that is corn free because I believe it's only used as a filler. Orijen is made by Champion Petfoods and they also make Acana. Has anyone heard of Acana?


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## Nancy1 (Jul 13, 2009)

In the above comment, sorry, it was solid Gold not Gold seal. Thanks


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## Stacie1 (Jul 13, 2009)

We will be picking up our puppy tonight - he is an 8 week old cockapoo. The food Acana was recommended to us and when we checked out the website we discovered the Orijen food made by the same company. We live in Alberta and love that this food is locally made and contains all Canadian ingredients. The two foods are similar in price with the Orijen costing a bit more per bag, but the protien content is different. Can anyone tell me which product will be better for our puppy? Is it possible to give a puppy too much protien? Are there side affects? (ie: gas, hard poop etc.) Thanks!


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## shawn1 (Jul 15, 2009)

I absolutely love Orijen for my 2 year old lab/viszla mix. She wouldn't touch the taste of the wild . She would only walk by and smell it. Now with this being the 3rd month on Orijen she actually walks me up at 6:00 am to eat. I am totally impressed by it!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Jay (Jul 16, 2009)

I was feeding Orijen to my puppy. I had gone through a couple of bags when out of a bag came a big chunk of rubber. My puppy could have choked on it! It looked like part of a convayer belt.
I sat down and wrote to the company and taped the rubber to the letter. Sent it off to Canada. I never got a reply. I just figured that quality control was not an important factor. I switched to EVO. No big rubber pieces there.


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## Jose (Jul 18, 2009)

We have 2 dogs, A Bernese Mountain dog and Great Dane. We have just switched to Orijen for the 2 of them. They are crazy for it, which is good as they snuff almost everything (They prefer their home cooked meals obviously). So far day 2, all is well. We had stopped trying Hollistic brands a few years ago because one or both of them were sick with each brand. Eagle Pack, Nature's Variety etc. They were fine on Royal Canin Giant breed for a year but we had a hard time buying it as all the stores special ordered it for us and would not stock it. We then switched to Science Diet. Their coats were fine up unitl a few months ago. The Dane has caught some kind of Bacteria. The Vet confirmed it but before we went to see her, we decided to try Hollistic again. We will keep you all up to date on our results. These are 2 very different breeds so I think we can give it a fair shot. Right now they are on the 6 fish diet. PS. if you have a cat, beware, the food smells so fishy the cat went nuts, ate a ton and threw up....pooor thing maybe he will get Orijen as well. Never saw him eat so much. About the price.... we have always fed Giant breed food at 50-60$ a bag. If they really eat less, we will save alot of money. The Dane eats 9-10 cups a day and the Berner 5-6. They are both very slim and muscular. If they drop to 5-6 and 3-4.......our cost will drop from 60$ every 10 days to about 50$. we shall see.


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## huskyfan (Jun 30, 2009)

Just wanted to let everyone know the status on our husky. She was eating blue buff for a while with big problems with runny stools and not too crazy about the food. I did some research and thought I would try orijen, well it was like night and day!
Not only does our pup love this food but from the first day we gave it to her her stools are normal! I never even changed her food gradually as I would normally do since she would not eat the blue buff anyway. It really is nice to see your dog enjoying their food, she even howls after we give it her demanding more!
So far so good, we will keep using orijen, maybe trying the fish formula next time.


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## icecannons (Sep 4, 2009)

I currently have a medium-large breed puppy and I've read some concerns over the protein percentage. As others have stated above, it can be detrimental to feed a dog lower quality protein. Orijen is a high-quality protein food and they have specially formulated their puppy food with the right amount of phospohorous and calcium percentages. At first, my puppy had loose stools because I switched the food too quickly, but as I SLOWLY transitioned, it became better. The only concern that I have is that no specific pet food is meant for every dog. Some dogs do well on it and others do not. There are other exceptional dog foods like Innova Evo, Instinct, Wellness, Artemis, Horizon, etc.

My puppy was on Canidae as it was given to me by her breeder. However, it made her stomach upset, caused loose stools, made her vomit, and in the end, she refused to eat it. For us, Orijen is our choice of food, but there are other solid and grain-free brands aforementioned.


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## Jose (Jul 18, 2009)

So here is the update: 2 weeks on Orijen:
Great Daned has not lost weight...good thing. His blue coat is super shiny. His stools are fine.
Bernese Mountain dog. Maintained his weight too. His coat is super glossy. His stools have never been so good. 
Thewy love the food so much. They are on the 6 fish diet. We will continue this one. We thjought to try the chicken fish combo but for now, I don't want to change a thing. 
They are eating less already but they seem satisfied. My dogs are freefed and nothing has changed in their eating habits except the quantity.
So far....we love this product for them.


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## Patti1 (Aug 3, 2009)

Just checking up on the Orijen's food. Have always feed my dog Nutro Ultra. For the last month she keep getting sick and throwing up. On day she throw up so much she had blood in her vomit. Took her to the vet $60 later said bland diet, she must have gotten into something. Back on Nutro Ultra and she was sick again, this time vomiting and bloody stools. Off the Nutro and on to chicken and rice. Was fine again. Called and complained and they sent me a coupon for free food. Pet store said to try the Orijen and see if she would eat it. She is so fussy can't hardly get her to eat the chicken and rice. Tried it and she inhaled it. Was just checking Orijen's out and found this site. Saw someone else has had the problem with Nutro. I will be changing and not using the coupon Nutro sent me.


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## Maya (Aug 4, 2009)

Anyone feeds their chihuahua Orijen (6 fish)? Tks


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## Annie1 (Aug 9, 2009)

Can't wait to try this food for my pups (2 yr old Mini Poodle and 6 month old Mini Yorkie). Did not realize how bad most foods were until researching for new food (even the so-called premium brands!). I have no real issues with my pups or with their eating preferences, I really just want the best nutrition for them. They are small, so cost is not an issue. I happen to have a retailer less than a mile away (shocking since there are only 2 retailers in my state!). Will update with the results, but I think my experience will follow the positive posts on this and every other blog/site I've seen on Orijen.


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## cynthia (Aug 10, 2009)

Wow! This Orijen stuff sounds like it'll do the trick for my dog. I got a mini schnauzer about 2 weeks ago. He has dermitis and an ear infection. The girl who gave me the dog said the vet said to give him some Iams "healthy" stuff. I talked to a friend who's did research for her Westie and told me Science Diet was the best thing I could find at a large chain pet store. I'm so glad I didn't buy that today. The vet I saw said that it's probably a food allergy from grains that has him with his ear infection and skin. However, she told me to keep him on the Iams. I think I'll for sure be getting Orijen for him tomorrow. Good thing I did some of my own searching for food and comments.


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## Amy2 (Aug 16, 2009)

hi everyone!
we acquired a 1 year old black 5 days ago who was eating some purina dry food. we immediately switched him over to orijen because there was no purina left to mix it in to gradually switch him. he ate well the first night, day and next night but after that, nothing. 
i believe he was used to eating off a plate (i know...) so to see if our new dog bowls were affecting his eating, we tried it on a plate and still nothing. i went to the local food store (ren's pet depot) too see if i could get some help and the girl suggested acana because it's got a lot of the same ingredients but it was less hardcore. we tried 'light and fit' and he ate it for a night, a day and a night but now he hasn't been eating again!
we have a vet appointment tomorrow night but it's just upsetting seeing the dog sniff the food and walk away!!!! he's drinking okay and getting exercise but maybe he's too hot?? any suggestions??


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## Mara1 (Aug 22, 2009)

We are getting a Boxer puppy. She is only 4 weeks old, so she won't come "home" for 4 more weeks...so she is still with the breeder... after reading and researching dog food, I am mortified! The breeder is feeding her Pedigree! EEEEEKKKKK! My poor sweet puppy. I can't wait to get some Orijen in her!! Do I have any 'say-so' as to what the breeder feeds the puppies?


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## Scott3 (Aug 31, 2009)

Zea mays is indeed the scientific name for corn, and when someone says "we should stop producing GMO corn" without facts to back it up, that pretty much sums it up....


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## Kathleen1 (Sep 13, 2009)

I have a golden retriever rescue. Bad coat. Bad ears. Have put him on the Orijen Adult. Is the fish better for allergies?


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## Annie1 (Aug 9, 2009)

Updating an earlier post... My dogs LOVE this stuff!!!! Their coats look better, stools are better, I know their health is better because of the pure ingredients... Very happy with this food.


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## Rick1 (Oct 22, 2009)

Zea mays is indeed the scientific name for corn SILK!!!


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

What does "Zea mays" have to do with Orijen Dog Food??? IT IS NOT IN ANY OF THEIR PRODUCTS. Do you clowns work for another dog food manufacters?


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## Louise_Miller (Nov 14, 2009)

I tried Orijen and really liked it but I have reservations. My dog is a GSD and very active in training and such. I feed him about 8:00 in a.m. and 5:00 p.m. I gave him morning feeding and about 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. went out to do some training. This is about 6 hours after he had eaten, he drank water and then threw up. Normally I wouldn't be too concerned about the throwing up because he tanked up on the water but he threw up the Orijen, which wwas now swollen but not at all digested. To me this is not a good sign for breeds of dogs that are prone to torsion. Could somebody explain why this food takes so long to show any signs of digesting and is this a legitamate concern on my part.
Would appreciate any information anybody has on this.


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## Rose3 (Nov 15, 2009)

Zea mays is the Latin name for corn silk, which is a safe, mild, soothing, natural diuretic. The manufacturers of Orijen took it out of their formulas because of the controversy around fools challenging the food as not being grain-free! What a shame..... It is beneficial to the urinary system. My 7 yr.old Boxer Girl has been eating Orijen for nearly 3 yrs. She loves it and I love her on it.


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## Laura2 (Nov 16, 2009)

I tried my GSD on Orijen and she just did not do well. Her energy was lacking, she looked and acted dull and lethargic on it. I have had her on EVO red meat for about 3 wks now, and in the first 2 wks she was so energetic and happy, and now she has some issues with softer, mucousy stools and has seemed just not as peppy as she did the first couple wks. She loves the EVO red, but I'm thinking between the Innova EVO and the Orijen, they may both be just a tad TOO high in protein for my dog. She doesn't do well on low protein, and too high protein is not ideal, so now I have to find something inbetween. Also, high protein premium grain free brands are a little tricky when dealing with cats or dogs that tend to gain weight and shouldn't. So I'm thinking of trying out Van Patten Ultra dog food or maybe Acana for a few wks and see how it goes.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Louise Miller, I also have a German Sheperd. I mix the Orijen with California Natural puppy and Innova large breed puppy, I wet them. The Orjien is very high in protien and could cause some problems if you have a young dog. My dog is the best looking dog at any park I go to and he gets at least 5 comments every time. Try this out slowly and I know you'll like the results. If your dog keeps throwing you should see a vet. The California Natural has very few ingredients and works well with the other two.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I highly recommend the caifornia natural as your GSD #1 food, it is really great stuff. I feed my GSD mostly the natural.


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## mary4 (Nov 17, 2009)

I used this food for quite a while and my dogs loved it initially and then refused it. Its very high in sodium, especially the 6fish and they couldn't get enough water. Have switched to raw and they're doing much better.


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## steve6 (Nov 4, 2009)

Mary,

Yes Origen is a good food but it does not have very much salt in it all. The high protein content in Origen cause Dogs and Cats to drink more than normal amounts of water. Raw is truly the most superior way to feed your pets but some people are not prone to doing it or have been ridiculed by their vet for making the switch.

Good luck

S


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## alvin (Nov 18, 2009)

My 3 month old english bulldog was on innova for seven days after being on rolay canin. My dog had bad loose stools for the whole time with innova. immediately after switching to orijen problem with stool resolve.


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## Katie4 (May 28, 2009)

Just want to diffuse a few myths or misconceptions...:

Orijen is not harmful to a growing puppy as long as it is not overfed. The protein count on the bag is INCLUSIVE of its water weight, and so the actual amount of protein per cup once water weight is removed is likely lower than 23%. 23% kibbles are considered low-protein. Also consider that with such a high quality food, you are feeding so much less than you would of a lesser quality grain-inclusive kibble. So all that said, do you really think they are getting more protein? Many people do not reconcile this fact. I would not mix Orijen with multiple other foods - it is so nutrient-dense and complete that there is absolutely no reason for doing this unless you are doing it for variety. I will add eggs, yogurt, coconut oil, olive oil, tripe, peanut butter, etc. to my dog's kibble but only for variety although each of these things does have dietary benefits.

6Fish is an excellent option for dogs with allergies or sensitive tummies. That is what I started my girl on for her sensitive stomach and now we have moved onto Orijen Regional Red, which is way better than the 6Fish. I never would have thought that possible!

As for throwing up after eating and drinking, that sounds to me like an isolated incident or perhaps the food just does not work for your specific dog. I raised my great dane puppy on Orijen and continue to feed it. Danes are the #1 breed prone to bloat. My dane has thrown up undigested kibble (several hours after eating) only once and it was due to summer heat, exercise, a large intake of water, and part of a toy that she had swallowed.

Orijen is so close to RAW that many raw feeders will feed Orijen when traveling, etc. I agree that it is not exactly the same thing, though.

I do agree that Orijen tends to cause dogs to drink a lot, but danes drink so much as it is that I can't tell the difference.

More people need to read the Orijen White Paper! http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/ORIJEN_White_Paper.pdf


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## shawn1 (Jul 15, 2009)

I absolutely love Orijen red meat for my 2 year old lab mix. She is about 30 pounds. I tried fish fish and she really liked and I found red meat and have stuck with that and she is so excited to eat. Wakes me up at 5:30 to eat at 6:00 and waits by her food cupboard at 4:30 to eat at 5:00. Best stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Debbie2 (Dec 8, 2009)

Question: I have 3 chihuahuas. One is 11 mnths old and weighs 7.5lbs, one is 7mnths old and weighs 11.5lbs and one is 1.3yrs and weighs 2.6lbs. All of them have been eating Royal Canin mixed with Go Natural wet. All of them poop a lot, have bad breath, itchy flaky skin, goopy eyes and stinky gas. A month or so ago, I decided to give them better food and tried to switch to Orijen. They gained a lot of weight, were always hungry and none of the above symptoms improved much. So my question is: Should I have tried the Orijen longer or is it too high a protein for chihuahuas, even my bigger guys?? I would really like to switch to grain free food. HELP!!


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## Andre (Dec 12, 2009)

i have a dachshund/shitzu and he's been on orijen for 6 months now and he absolutely adores it! either as just dry food, but usually i mix it with wet food or more meat like boiled chicken or beef. adding vegetables like carrots helps too!
i ran out of orijen so i've had to give him his old puppy food and he hasn't touched it at all! so i'm running to get more orijen now... GOOD ORIJEN!


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## Jeff2 (Dec 17, 2009)

Hi All,

Please help. My great dane puppy is coming to 3 months old. His breeder fed him Eukanabar which gave him very soft stools. Wanting the best for my boy, i got Orijen 6 Fresh Fish Dog Food and feed him two cups a day since he was 1 1/2 months old. Over the past week his been having very soft stools, at times liquidish and very smelly.

Im from Malaysia and we cant get EaglePack here. Ive taken him to the vet who prescribed some antibiotics which doesnt seem to help. 

I was thinking of changing him to EVO Yellow Pack or Innova Adult ? 

any advice/help is much appreciated. 

Regards

Jeff


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## cp (Dec 18, 2009)

Hi Jeff,

Evo isn't recommended for large breed puppies, it says it right on the bag. You need to find a food with low/calcium phosphorous level (less than 1.5%/1%), excess calcium can cause skeletal abnormalities in giant breeds. 

Some brands that are have acceptable levels of fat, protein, calcium/phosphorous are:

Artemis med/large breed puppy
Fromm large breed puppy
Fromm - all adult formulas
Eagle Pack (not all formulas though)
Halo
Natural Balance (not all formulas)
Wellness
Solid Gold (large breed puppy only)

The grain free kibbles are very high in calories, so you must be very careful not to overfeed. Excess weight is also very detrimental to large breed pups. (Innova adult is VERY high in calories).

Good luck!

cp


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## Jeff2 (Dec 17, 2009)

Dear CP

Thanks for your feedback. Ive put him on ANF and i see some changes in poo structure. Will monitor for a few more days.

thanks anyways

Regards

Jeff


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## Mary_Lane (Jan 2, 2010)

My 10 yr old Airedale/wolfhound mix has cushings. He is refusing all kibble. He even refused home cooked chicken thighs tonight. but ate organ meats from our turkey (cooked giblets) Anyone have a food that they particularly recommend for Cushings


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## Janet4 (Jan 20, 2010)

I raise English Bulldogs and also have a Bernese Mountain Dog. My dogs all LOVE Orijen. Their coats are soft and shiny and shedding is minimal. Frequently female bulldogs 'blow their coats' after having a litter, I've never experienced that extensive coat loss since switching to Orijen. One of the issues I have had with this food was weight gain, because bulldogs are rather lazy, so I mix the Red or 6 Fish with Senior and watch portions carefully. The other was loose stools in puppies between 6 weeks and 12 weeks, but when I mix a lower calorie food with the Orijen it seems to control the problem. If anyone else has an idea why or an alternative solution I'd be appreciative.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I just posted on another thread about having to reajust the amount you feed your dog when changing to a fantastic food like Orijen. With a food like Orijen you'll find you will feed less. This is just a great food.


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## Karen_Harvey (Feb 18, 2010)

I am on the search for a new dog food for my Berner who has a sensitive stomach. As a puppy, I started him on Innova Puppy formula, but it gave him diarhea. I slowly tried to switch him over to several other brands. He finally stopped the diarhea after being on Science Diet Natures Best Lamb Formula. Because of their bad reputation, I didn't want to keep him on it for very long. After he was on it for a while I noticed that was chewing his feet and was having constant ear problems. I decided to try Innova again and slowly switched him to Innova California Naturals Lamb & Rice formula. After the 2nd bag, his stools became loose again. The vet told me to try a totally grain-free formula, so I slowly tried him on Innova Evo, but it just seemed to get worse. It got to a point where he could not hold it and had a couple of accidents in the house. I immediately took him off all dog food and put him on boiled chicken and rice for about a week now. His stomach has finally straightened out. Now I am looking for something new....any suggestion for a 2 year old Bernese Mountain Dog with a sensitive stomach?


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Karen Harvey I have had success with Merrick's Before Grain.You stated that your vet suggested that you should try going grain free.Its totally grain free,made in Texas and is family owned.They have their own facility,they make the food.They do not distribute to the big chain stores ie petco,petsmart.You can get it at your local independently owned pet store.It is more expensive to order directly from them,so I get it at the pet store.A 25 pound bag is a little under 40 dollars,but my 70 pound Labrador Retriever only eats 3 cups a day.You also stated that you were using Innova Evo they have a class action lawsuit against them. http://hubpages.com/hub/Innova-Large-Breed-Puppy-Dry-Healthy-Dog-Foods-Pet-Food-Danger-Gauge


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Michelle, I know you are trying to help out the normal Joe with dog food education, but if I were you I'd quit going to hubpages. They never quote who and what is really going on, I think they are bushleague. Anyone can file a lawsuit and the makers of EVO is just behind Orijen in quality. I suggest when quoting you first find it on snopes. Now here is the real deal information.

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/beneful.asp


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I just searched naturapet (makers of Evo) and found nothing. I really give no credit to hubpages they seem pretty sneaky and I wouldn't be surprised if they were owned by one of the bushleague food manufactors, just trying to make good dog food makers look bad. 

USE SNOOPES THEY ARE VERY CREDABLE


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Jess,you might be right about Susan peters,I don't know where she gets her info,but I do disagree with her on some points!!She thinks that if potatoes are used in a dog food that its the end of the world.I can't see how a potato could harm your dog!!Does Innova have a class action suit or not??I don't want to pass around incorrect info!!Come to think of it I didn't see a date on that page!!


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Jess,something else I just noticed,she talks about how bad the food is,but if you scroll down the page there it is for sale with prices!! WTF?? After reading such a bad review why would anyone want to buy it!!You are right something is definatley wrong with her site!!


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## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

Karen,

A slow transition onto Orijen or Evo is key....BUT....if your dog has a weak or damaged digestive system, he may not be able to handle it. Eating it is one thing, digesting it is the other. I can't believe he had loose stools on Cali Natural....there's nothing in it! The eating of the paws and ear problems can easily be caused by grains...namely low quality grains, but none-the-less, taking him off of the grain should clear that up....but the loose stools on such an easy food is interesting.

The makers of Orijen also have another line called Acana. Acana comes grain free or regular kibble with grain. The grain free in my opinion is every bit as good as Orijen. The differences are Acana uses less meat than Orijen, so the protein is naturally lower, and it has a few more carbs to it. As far as Metabolized Energy goes, you really won't notice a difference in your dogs energy level between the two. Because Acana uses less protein sources, your dog may be able to digest this much easier than Orijen.

Two more things to look at.....there is a product called Fresh Factors by the makers of Springtime (www.springtimeinc.com). This product is a natural supplement that aids in a variety of things but one of the things it helps with is digestion. Take a look at that.

One other product to look at is The Honest Kitchen. These products are very easy on your pets digestive system.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Check this out!!!!!

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/pictures-pictures-pictures/130670-cutest-puppies-planet-4-wks.html


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I haven't been able to find anything about Innova, but I did find a post that said they had a recall. They gave no links or info other than they had a recall. I have no clue because I can't find anything.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

I found some more info about Innova,if you scroll down you can read actual customers remarks about the problems they had with the food. http://www.itchmo.com/innova-testing-results-posted-by-ceo-of-naturapet-1845


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

I also found this site http://www.petfoodrecallfacts.com/chuckles.html


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Michelle, do you have something against Innova ?? You seem to be on a witch hunt. I have found nothing to confirm a recall of any of their products and those links prove nothing. But I did find this, lol

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03069.html

I don't feed Innova but I would in a heartbeat. You should go to their site and ask them. If the lie, they know they can be sued. They are a quality company and I trust them more than I do our president.

http://www.naturapet.com/


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Here is a newer review of this company than of those two links. They are holding my last post for moderation, the last time that happened it never got posted. I don't think those links prove anything. If you can't finD it on snopes then it didn't happen. Now this is scoop not snopes

http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/evo-dog-food.html


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

I would really rather use a dog food company that manufactures their own food and doesn't use another manufacturer like menu foods that makes so many brands,from grocery store grade products to premium all at the same plant,theres bound to be cross-contamination,ie machinery not being cleaned properly from one brand to another.I mean how much do you think some minimum wage factory worker really cares about quality control?? I realize that we are on the orijen page and they manufacture their own products.But alot of these premium and super premium foods do not manufacture their own products!! I just have more faith in products that are made by their own companys.Does this make them 100% safe?? No but I do think that they are safer.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Jess I just posted info that I found, I don't personally have a problem with Innova But some lady found black and white bits in the food and had it tested,it came back as acetaminaphin and something else I don't remember what.I think that happened a few years back,and since then they have purchased their own facility.I read Karen Harvey's post,she said her dog couldn't tolerate the Innova and had issues with it,she asked for suggestions,so I gave her my opinion,for whatever its worth.I saw your post about the exploding frying pans made by the Innova company,no relation to the pet food company. LOL!!!


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I believe that incident was in 2005 and the testing was done by Nutrapet, the makers of Innova. I don't think that it was a recall and sounded to me that they wanted the issue resolved and they came clean. I take my hat off to them for finding a problem within their own company. Now if all the other manufactures would come clean and do the same, uhhhh never gonna happen. I am not sure but I think that they do manufacture their own dog food.

Yeah, Menu really sucksjust an unbelievable amount of recalls.

Enough of this and by the way ORIJEN RED IS THE BEST. Just to darn spendy.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Hey everybody look at what this lady is saying about Orijen then scroll down and watch everyone rip her a new one freakin hilarious.How could anyone be so dumb? http://hubpages.com/hub/Orijen-Adult-Formula-Dry-Dog-Food-Healthy-Dog-Foods-Pet-Food-Danger-Gauge


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Hey everybody,check this out,this lady is saying that orijen is dangerous and toxic to pets!!I think the only thing thats dangerous and toxic is her BRAIN!! I mean Orijen is as close as you can get to RAW food,I have read some raw feeders posts about using Orijen when they travel.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Anyway,If you read her "Analysis" and then scroll down you can watch everyone tear her a new one. I don't know where she is getting her info but it's a shame that she is trying to scare people away from such a good food!! I was curious to see what food she gave a good rating to so I clicked on it,it was some crap that is manufactured by menu foods!!LOL She is always telling people that disagree with her that they must work for the brand she is ripping on. I think maybe she works for menu foods!I would like to know where she got her expert opinion at.Maybe out of the trash!! If you want to have a laugh check this out! http://hubpages.com/hub/Orijen-Adult-Formula-Dry-Dog-Food-Healthy-Dog-Foods-Pet-Food-Danger-Gauge Someone should sue this lady for false advertising!!


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

LOL, I knew from the beginning she was nuts. She is totally off her rocker. Why do you even go there??? Any crazy idoit can have a website. She most likely works Abady dog food and she most likely is a man. Their was a crazy guy on the forums awhile back who used to say the same kinda stupid stuff there.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Could be a raw-feeder also, those people are like religious fanatics. I can't stand going to the forums here anymore because every thread here turns into a "you gotta feed raw or your a moron thread"). What kills me is they have no facts to verify if a dog is healthier or lives longer. Nuts every where, but don't feed them to your dog.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Yeah I agree although I do add some raw eggs,cottage cheese,plain yogurt,raw meat, just a little I'm not rich!!My dog loves this stuff on top of her kibble.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Be careful with the eggs, to much is not good. I give my dog an egg a week and thats it. I know you now how to find out why, LOL.

I do not feel cottage cheese is needed but don't worry thats just me. I spend a fortune on Orijen and I also give him Vet Line Vitamins, great stuff that Vet line. Made in Oregon by a bunch of old hippies, geez hope their isn't any pot in it, LOL. Can't be, my dog is in high gear after eating and I get worried about bloat.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Yeah I know (about the egg)LOL, I should clarify I only add one of those on my list at each meal.Just a little something extra!She really likes all of them though.I was also thinking about a vitamin-mineral supplement too.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

See if you can get a hold of Vet line, great stuff. Keep in mind powder is better than pills but more of a hassle.Because you have to mix it with something. Hummm never tried giving it him dry, wonder what he'd do, lol.

Peters is a nut case I just went over signed up and hassled her.IKNOWPETFOOD or something like that.


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## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

I supplement both of my dogs with Springtime Longevity and Sprintime Bug Off Garlic. This is added to the Orijen they get.

www.springtimeinc.com


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Interesting product, not to big on the salt and I have no idea about some of the ingredients, but then again I have no idea what some of the vitys and minerals do anyway, LOL. I just know there are a ton of different ones in Vet line.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

I just read an interesting article by a Holistic veterinarian on the subject of supplements http://www.beaveranimalclinic.com/Dr_Doug_Beaver_Animal_Clinic/Supplements_html


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## Hameed (Apr 18, 2010)

Hi guys,
I want to feed my two Puppies grain free. My only choice is Evo from naturapet, the company that makes Innova, I have a 3 month old Great dane puppy and 6 month old labrador. But the high protien 42% content and calcium is 2.21, which concerns me. Right now they are in Canidae Als and doing good, but I want to give them the best grain free. Even Orijen has high levels of both. I need a proper advice from you guys.
Thanks a million


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## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

Look at Orijen Large Breed Puppy and Orijen 6 Fish. These two are perfectly fine for your puppy and my puppy loves them both.

Both have less calcium, fat and calories than Evo, making much safer for your puppy. Save the Evo for when they are about a year and half old.

Also look at The Honest Kitchen Embark. This may be a bit high in the calorie department for your puppies, but using it every once in awhile is just fine.


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## buddy97 (Mar 29, 2010)

Eric is absolutely right. Natura even states somewhere that EVO is designed for adult maintenance only. the calcium levels are WAY too high for a large breed pup. if you cant feed orijen, then just forget about feeding a grain free kibble for now and feed a quality adult or large breed pup food with grains that has lower levels of Ca (around 1.7% maximum or lower). as far as the Honest Kitchen, at just over 1.8% Ca (dry matter basis) it would probably be ok in a supplemental fashion, but i personally would not use it regularly w/ a large breed pup.


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## Grace1 (May 4, 2010)

Hello, 

I have two Cocker Spaniels and I've had them on Orijen for over a month now. At first stool was a little soft and stinky gas, but it went away in 3 days. I noticed their energy level went through the roof which I like and don't like, because I'm going to have to start taking some of their puppy food to catch up with them. I like Orijen, my boys run like the wind.


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## Michelle11 (May 7, 2010)

Hey guys-I bought my first bag of Orijen yesterday.I mixed it 50-50 with Before Grain-She really liked it-she eats at a nice pace(not too fast or slow)I chose 6 fish because it is not preserved with citric acid.It was a toss up between Regional Red and 6 fish,the Regional Red is not preserved with c acid either.The only reason I didn't choose the Red was the inclusion of pork,although I don't know how much is really in there since it is not in meal form,I just think it's a weird ingredient.I don't know of any other food that uses it.I will try original Orijen when they remove the Citric Acid-it is a lot cheaper.I don't think she will have any problems because when I switched her from Nature's Recipe YUK!! to Before Grain I did it with NO mixing-I was so upset when I realized what was in NR that I DID NOT want her to have another bite of that crap.Anyway-she had no problems whatsoever with that.(Nice firm poo)So I don't think she will have a problem with Orijen.I guess I will find out this evening.If not I will def. continue to use it in her rotation.I think I will do one food at a time though instead of feeding different brands on the same day.I feel that they get all the benefits of the food by feeding just one at a time.Just my opinion.I guess the Red and 6 fish don't have Citric Acid because they are newer products,and the company is going to phase that ingredient out. BTW Orijen is the only manufacturer that I trust with fish ingredients.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

If you ever get the red their are 2 things to keep in mind. It is very rich and even my dog got diareha and we had to slow way down with it. LOL, and their poo smells like whats in the bag after you open it, very strong. I sure wish you would quit worring so much about citric acid and bloat. Now I wish I would never put that link up, LOL..I just feel keeping the exercise down for hour after eating is the important issue


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I really trust Horizen Legacy when it comes to fish or fish meal. Not sure if they have it in their food or not but I wish I would have kept the email they sent me reguarding ethoyquin. They were very agressive in their email about not using it and producing a quality product. Their product is in my long term rotation.


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## Michelle11 (May 7, 2010)

When I was at the pet store I picked up a couple of samples of Horizon Legacy Puppy,he really liked that too,I fed it to him with no mixing and he really liked it.Also he had good poo.I haven't taken a good look at HLP yet though.


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## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

Michelle,

I think you should call Champion Pet Foods and talk to them about citric acid. 

It is no longer used, but they are not going to throw away their current supply of feed bags.

You said yourself that Orijen is the only company you trust.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Hi Eric actually what I said was Champion is the only manufacturer that I trust with FISH ingredients.I think that their are other trustworthy manufacturers out there also like Merrick,Fromm,Horizon,The honest Kitchen.Wow this list keeps getting shorter.How sad.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Ya gotta give Natrapet at least a month or 2. Geez and I thought I was hard on these companies, but you guys are brutal/ruthless.LOL.


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## el (May 26, 2010)

I think they changed their fish formula because they say FRESH FISH. There is less fish in it now. I guess it is hard to get fresh fish from the lakes in Canada in winter lol. But you cannot be to sure. I think this is the 2nd or 3rd formula change. Orijen has changed their formula, but still uses their old packaging with old ingredients? I don't like that. Gave my dogs a lot of gas and liquid stools. Changed to Horizon Legacy after meeting the people at at some dog convention. Works great with my dogs, great ingredients and are more trustworthy. Also Canadian.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I have no idea what planet your from but the only thing Orijen has done is removed an ingredient. And my dog has NO GAS NONE ZERO on Orijen. Quit lying, no one is going to believe anyone who comes here and bashes the best kibble made today.


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## el (May 26, 2010)

Explain how Orijen is the best kibble on the market? A food is as good as its ingredients, there is no MAGICAL best food. oh sorry Orijen does not always state their ingredients on the bags because they keep on changing their formula and use old packaging with old ingredients, so we do not actually know what we are getting in the bag this time around. You are right great company. Why don't you ask them why they do that, I did, they said in other words to cut cost, because the have to dish some extra money for new bags. So when they run out of the old bags they will use new bags. They also did change their fish formula, remember the shortage of fish bags in 2007. Well they couldn't live up to the standards of what they were telling the people. Champion pet foods was not doing so well until Orijen came along and they changed their ACANA line. Why don't you ask yourself why. They also have web blogger, maybe you are one of them. Anyways you can read the rest of my comments on Horizon. Jess read comments on other websites, there is a lot of people having diffulty will gas and weight issues, who is lying. I know all these companies very well. I ask these companies the more difficult question and I don't have time to play.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Orijen has MORE meat and it has the highest % of - Glucosamine (min.) 1400 mg/kg,on the market, which is very important to large breed owners, like myself.

Qrijen LBP 

INGREDIENTS
Fresh deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh deboned salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh deboned lake whitefish, fresh deboned walleye, chicken fat (naturally preserved with vitamin E and citric acid), chicken liver, salmon meal, fresh deboned turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil, chicory root, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), dried Lactobacillus acidophilus product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product. 

That would be 11 kinds of meat.... Horizon has 4!!! Orijen has 7 types of whole FRESH meats, Horizon 1....

Horizon, And this is not the updated ingredients because their SITE IN NOT WORKING. I know salmon meal moved down the list and it has 2 types of peas in the first 6 ingredients and peas are not in my "most needed list" for dogs and if anything causes gas it would be peas and garlic.

Fresh chicken meat, chicken meal, salmon meal, turkey meal, pea starch concentrate, green split peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, rosemary, citric acid), whole eggs, flaxseed, salmon oil, dried alfalfa, carrots, apples, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, cranberries, Saskatoon berries, dried kelp, dried pumpkin meal, colostrum, sea buckthorn, fenugreek protein meal, dried pomegranate, dried astragalus root, dried milk thistle, glucosamine HCl, chondroitin sulphate, garlic, enzymes (dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried aspergillus niger extract, pineapple, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation product, rhizopus oryzae), probiotics (dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product, and dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product), yucca schidigera extract, mannan oligosaccharide (MOS), burdock root extract (FOS), vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, vitamin B12, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, biotin, vitamin C (ascorbyl phosphate), ferrous sulphate, iron proteinate*, zinc sulphate, zinc proteinate*, manganous oxide, manganese proteinate*, copper sulphate, copper proteinate*, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, seleno methionine, magnesium oxide.

Don't get me wrong I like Horizon and it is in my rotation.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

EL MAKING THESE TYPES OF STATEMENTS ARE JUST DOWN STUPID...

Orijen does not always state their ingredients on the bags...LOL LAUGHABLE

they keep on changing their formula and use old packaging with old ingredients.....PROVE THIS!!! I FIND THIS TO BE A VERY FALSE AND UNTRUE STATEMENT...

They also have web blogger, maybe you are one of them...HOW DUMB CAN YOU BE??

I know all these companies very well... OH YA PROVE IT???

BY THE LAWS OF CANADA AND THE USA THEY MUST HAVE THE CORRECT INGREDIENTS ON THERE WEBSITES!!


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## Melissa5 (May 27, 2010)

I have a 1 1/2 year old GSD girl. She is the pickiest eater, turns her nose up at everything. I decided to buy a small bag of Orijen to see if she liked it. She ate the whole bowl DRY! She has never eaten her dog food unless it has some canned mixed in. Even then she would pick around the dry kibbles. I'm so happy that I found a food that is good for her and that she actually likes. No problem with the runs at all. Highly recommended!


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

First let me start by saying that I am not a web blogger either.LOL.I put my Lab and my Springer puppy on Orijen 6 fish and they are both doing very well on it.Excellent poops from the start,minimal gas-lets face it EVERYONE farts.lol.Both my dogs absolutely LOVE this food-and that is all the proof I need.Enthuastically recommended by Trinity and Cooper!!


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## el (May 26, 2010)

Ya but as you listed the ingredients horizon starts with more meat that Orijen and peas are actually better that patatos. anyways i am not getting into the rest of the ingredients because there is not logic with you. I have seen you on the other forums. 

I specialize in this field. I talk to these companies on a regualr bases. I am not some Joe like you. Orijen itself said that they use old packaging and many people have said it to me before that is why I looked into it. They never ever stated on their website on the ingredient change. WHY? Most good companies do. Like Horizon. Orijen itself said they have web bloggers, but they are not the only company. I just find it weird that when I click on the other dog food reviews on this site you are everywhere saying how Orijen is great. Kind on weird most regular people do not do that. And you state things without backing them up and you pick and choose what to argue. And when you have nothing to say, you just start insulting. Thats weird.

JESS YOUR ARE TO BE LAUGHED AT. TOO LONG YOU MADE YOURSELF LOOK LIKE AN EXPERT WHEN YOU ARE NOT. You know nothing about these companies, I know because I saw your reviews on the other forums. You are either a web blogger for Orijen or NAIVE. You are a regular Joe with a pet and you think you are an expert HAHAHAHA. I have seen this many times before. 

US have stict law on the dog food NOT Canada. That is why Canadian companies always have diffulty going into the states and have to change their ingredients. You guys have AAFCO, not saying they are good, but it keeps companies on their toes. Also there are more food companies in the states, which keeps competition up and one company keeps on looking how to get the other company. I think you should do a little more research because you are the dumb one giving false information. I ask the companies the more difficult question, not "why is your food so great". Horizon is also Canadian hopefully they are better, but I have spoke to them and they seem more trustworthy. I could be wrong. There is also good Canadian companies, such as Go and Now. Nutram, Oven baked are good too, their facilities are amazing. I trust them because of the facilities. Anyways they catch companies lying about their ingrdients all the time, do you know how many lawsuits there has been, you be surprised on some of them. So why so many lawsuits on these companies, if everyone is telling the truth about the ingredients? If you want more meat content and reliability go RAW.

Like I said I'm from Canada so we had it longer than the US maybe you guys did have it changed on you so many times. Why dont you do a history check on Orijen ingredients. oh right you can't because they kept everything hush hush. But if you need the ingredient change its out there you just have to look. They recently had an ingredient change (i mean within this past year), one in around 2007 and one before that i just have to look up the date. Isn't Orijen like a 5-6 year old brand, not Champion, but Orijen, that is a lot of changes in a short amount of time. I understand an ingredient change, but come on. 

Any anyways we pay here about 80$ for a bag of PORK, really for pork, that much. Orijen is quite expensive here. In the staes it runs for cheaper. Canadian company cheaper in the states, WOW. Yes Orijen is a MAGICAL compnay with MAGICAL ingrdients. LOL. This site makes me laugh.


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## jenn2120 (Apr 20, 2010)

Orijen is not a bad food. Since the ingredient list is by weight, and not on a dry matter basis, all of the "fresh" ingredients move well down on the list of ingredients. In addition the russet potato, sweet potato and peas are added as dry ingredients so they move well up on the ingredient panel. On a dry matter basis the order of ingredients would be closer to:
chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, herring meal, sweet potato, peas, Fresh deboned chicken, fresh deboned salmon, fresh deboned lake whitefish, fresh deboned walleye, chicken fat, etc....

There is no way of knowing the exact proportions of the main ingredients, but statically after the 10th ingredient the amounts added are usually minor


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## jenn2120 (Apr 20, 2010)

No food manufacturer is perfect (pet or human). You always need to gather information from varied sources and not go in with blinders on. 
For example:
"On November 20th, 2008 Champion Petfoods announced a VOLUNTARY RECALL of ORIJEN brand cat food sold in Australia.
The recall is restricted to AUSTRALIA ONLY and was issued in response to reports from the Australian veterinary community of 27 cats showing neurological symptoms after consuming ORIJEN. While there is no definitive link between ORIJEN CAT food and illness in the Australian cats, we have recalled our product from Australia as a precautionary measure."
Here is the link: http://petsitusa.com/blog/?p=1459


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

EL, LOLOLOLOL. YOUR "THE MAN" THATS FOR SURE. YA, YOU DON'T EVEN REALIZE LEGACY IS GONE. SINCE YOU TALK TO THEN EYE TO EYE ALL THE TIME. HOW COME YOU DON'T KNOW THIS????

Please leave links because I am sick of your lying....And please leave links to all these

I know because I saw your reviews on the other forums. You are either a web blogger for Orijen or NAIVE. You are a regular Joe with a pet and you think

Please leave links to ""all"" my reviews and just what makes you so special?

Anyways they catch companies lying about their ingrdients all the time, do you know how many lawsuits there has been, you be surprised on some of them. So why so many lawsuits on these companies, if ""LINKS PLEASE"" 

I am not some Joe like you. LOLOLOLOL PLEASE LEAVE ALL YOUR REFERENCES AND LINKS TO BACK IT UP!!!! 

horizon starts with more meat that Orijen...Oh ya, "they don't even make this anymore...."

I could be wrong. "YES YOU ARE"

US have stict law on the dog food NOT Canada. Then how can Super Canada be trusted???

So why so many lawsuits on these companies, if everyone is telling the truth about the ingredients? WHO SAYS HORIZON IS TELLING THE TRUTH??

If you want more meat content and reliability go RAW. IF YOU HAVE SEEN ALL MY POSTS, JUST WHAT DO I ADD

YOU ARE REALLY ARE SOMETHING...LIKE I'VE SAID LEGACY IS GONE BUT YOU KNOW THAT ALREADY BECAUSE YOU TALK TO THEM EVERY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Their site IS DOWN AGAIN,,but I did find their ""NEW"" ingredient list(but they never change, right???). Just how come you don't know this, I mean you being so close to them and all???

Horizon Complete Adult Ingredients (new):
Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Barley, Whole Grain Rye, Chicken, Whole Grain Oats, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, source of Vitamin E), Pea Fibre, Flaxseed, Egg Product, Salmon Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, source of Vitamin E), Alfalfa Meal, Carrots, Apples, Broccoli, Bok Choy, Cabbage, Blueberries, L-Lysine, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Salt, DL-Methionine, Fructooligosaccharides, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Pineapple, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Rhizopus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Bifidum Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Monoitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulphate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Suplhate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Sulphate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Magnesium Oxide. 

Horizon Complete Adult Guaranteed Analysis (new):
Crude Protein (min) 26.0 %
Crude Fat (min) 14.0 %
Crude Fibre (max) 3.0 %
Moisture (max) 10.0 %
Ash (max) 7.4%
Calcium (min) 1.1%
Phosphorus (min) 0.9%
Omega 3 (min)** 0.47 %
Omega 6 (min)** 3.73 %

AND SINCE YOU HAVE SEEN "ALL" MY REVIEWS (LOL), WHAT IS MY TOP 5 DOG FOODS??? Your grammer, spelling and sentence structure proves to me that you are LESS THAT A REGULAR JOE..


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Just so you know, this is my list of dog foods! 

The A list
1. Orijen, Grain free. 
2. Evo, Grain free. 
3. Horizon Legacy, Grain free. 
4. Acana, some grain free. 
5. Innova
6. Wellness Core, Grain free. 
7. Blue Wilderness, Grain free. 
8. Taste of the Wild, wetlands & prairie only, Grain free. 
9. Fromm, surf & turf is grain free
10. Merrick, Some grain free. 

Good quality for a low price
1. TOTW
2. California Natural
3. Health Wise
4. Kirkland, Costco

The B list

1. California Natural
2. Instinct, Grain free. 
3. Now, Grain free. 
4. GO, free indurance,chicken,salmon only
5. Artemis
6. Evangers
7. Timberwolf
8. Wellness
9. Solid Gold
10. Canidae
11.Health Wise
12.Karma


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## Jo1 (Jun 3, 2010)

I am a Veterinary Technician who works in a companion animal clinic. The following comments are based on my own observations of patients we have seen in our clinic that are being fed Orijen.

We have found that many of our patients gain a significant amount of weight when they are on Orijen. It seems that this is mostly caused by owners who do not realise how calorically dense Orijen is, and tend to overfeed their pets. Because of the high protein and fat content of the food, pets do not need to eat the same quantity of food that they would require on other diets. A high calorie diet may be great for working dogs (ie, sled dogs, or dogs working on a farm), however in an urban setting a companion animal is not expending the same amount of energy in exercise. Unfortunately obesity in pets is far too common these days, so be sure to keep a close eye on your pets weight if you are feeding a rich food like Orijen. The feeding guides on most bags of pet food are for animals that have not been spayed or neutered, and have higher metabolic requirements.

The protein levels in Orijen are quite high, usually 40% as listed on their labels. Once your pets body has extracted the necessary amount of protein from their diet needed for metabolic and systemic functioning, the remaining excess protein does not get used. It is important to remember that dogs are not obligate carnivores that cats are (meaning dogs can convert fats and carbohydrates as well as protein into energy, whereas cats only derive their energy requirements from protein).

Finally, we have noticed some changes in the blood work performed on dogs that are being fed Orijen. These are changes that we have noticed in otherwise healthy animals that are having routine blood screening performed (such as a blood screen prior to surgery, or routine annual blood screens). We have found several patients have extremely high cholesterol and triglyceride results, as well as increases in their liver and kidney enzymes. Granted, this is not a scientific study by any means, but merely an interesting trend that we have noted.

I'm not saying that Orijen is a bad food, just that you need to watch your pet closely, as with any diet, to make sure it is the right one for them. Each pet responds differently to different foods, some do really well on Orijen, some do not. As the veterinarian I work for often tells our clients, in an ideal world the best diet to feed a pet would be homecooked with high quality cuts of meat (cooked, so to avoid contamination of bacterias such as Salmonella and E. coli) and fresh vegetables. But in this day and age, few people are willing to put in the money, time and effort to make such diets on a daily basis. As a result we turn to commercially produced pet food, and trust that the companies producing them are doing what is best for our animals.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

You are correct, to some degree. But go to a dog park on the weekend, 50-70% are over weight, why, because most dog owners are just to lazy to play with them. But, I bet I can tell ya with about a 70% rate which ones eat a good dog food and which ones don't. And you are correct, all dogs are not going to do good on Orijen. But if they are feeding the correct one for their dog, I can't see anything being better. Don't get me wrong, because I would feed any of the brands I have listed above. 

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products/

Dogs are carnavores and do not need vegtables, even though I feed Orijen at night which contain vegys I also feed California Natural in the AM, which doesn't contain any un-needed crap like vegys.But then again I also supplement my dogs diet with meat almost every day and a cooked egg every 3rd day....Check him out...


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

OPP's I forgot something,,,a link to my dog

http://3toestony.shutterfly.com/


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Jo-I think that you make some very good points,it would be easy for a dog to gain weight on Orijen-since it is so nutritionally dense,you do have to watch the amount that you feed.I have a four month old springer spaniel puppy.He only needs a cup and a half a day right now to stay at a good weight.My adult Labrador is on 2 and a half cups and she is 77 pounds of pure muscle.They are both active dogs.I did notice she looks and feels a lot more muscular since she has been on grain free and so is my puppy.I don't necessarily think that grains are a bad thing..it's more what can be in the grain that is bad like grain mites,mold,vomit toxin,and other toxins from improper storage of grains.I'm not saying that all grains contain this-but the potential is there.Also people should rotate foods with different meat sources like a fish formula,a chicken turkey duck formula,a red meat formula and so on.It adds variety for the dog and helps make sure that they get a complete amino acid profile.BTW my dogs are on the Orijen 6 fish right now,they like the taste and are doing well on it.Also I think it is a good idea to add a digestive enzyme and Salmon oil to your dogs food too.


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## Tracey1 (Jun 6, 2010)

I just got Orijen for my puppy and it gave him explosive diarrhea and very loud gas (I'm sure my neighbours could hear him fart) I researched online and saw reviews stating it can cause liver damage...having a really hard time finding suitable food for my siberian husky


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## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

Orijen needs to be introduced SLOWLY. I recommend a 21 day transistion.


To answer the liver damage claim.....Orijen is a high protein MEAT based food....not a high protein GRAIN based food. Makes a difference. High protein GRAIN based kibbles are much harder for dogs to process....thus the liver damage claim.

Give it time on the switch to Orijen.


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## el (May 26, 2010)

Orijen Concern 

Not a recall,just a heads up!.

Cross-posting from another forum!.
Please read and check yr bags before feeding:
This comes from GRF and quoted from Cash!.

Hi Guys,

To all you Orijen feeders. Today a customer came in the shop to bring back a bag of Orijen this formula was the Senior. She has claimed there were large shards of bone chips in the food. So I said well bring the bag in so I could have a look, thinking like really lady? Sure enough there were litterally hundreds of loose bone shards and slivers they are very very sharp. They almost look like maggots. So I went and opened almost every bag of Orijen we have in the shop right now sure enough in the Puppy, LB Puppy, Adult and Senior there were many bone shards and slivers stuck in the kibble and loose in the bag. Some bags from diffrent lot numbers as well. Ironically, there were none in OUR batches of 6 fish but that does not mean they are not there. So if you are feeding Orijen please carefully inspect the pieces of kibble looking for whitish bones pieces. Agian, they are very sharp. I will try to attatch a photo later. We are in Alberta and the plant is about half hour from my place. I have been trying to speak with them all day - they will not return any messages. I am very disappointed to say the least we have completely removed it from a our shelves. I will try and get a few photos later on.

Another cross-post with answer from company!:
[Here is my original correspondence to Orijen from yesterday...
quote from Monomer/] 

It has recently been reported that your Orijen dog food contains many sharp bone shard fragments that might be harmful if swallowed by a dog. Could you please comment on this? Currently there is a thread on the Golden Retriver Forum (here) where the problem has been brought up by one of your distributors. I feel it would be appropriate for a company representative to respond rationally to the questions being raised. An immediate response would help to relieve people's fears, as postings from this thread are now being cross-posted onto other forums and boards by concerned consumers and dog owners.



Thank You for your time and I do hope someone responds soon.




And this is the response I got today from them...

You are exactly correct that this issue needs addressing. It is true that there was a limited amount of ORIJEN made with some fresh salmon that accidentally had some fragments of salmon bone in it. The supplier of the fresh salmon experienced some mechanical difficulties with their process, which lead to some large salmon bones being passed into the fish mince. I stopped an entire shipment of this product (several thousand kilograms) and put aside what I thought was all of the product that been infiltrated with the bones. It seems some got through, albeit not a large amount. The problem was immediately pointed out to the supplier and the problem was fixed right after. I can personally assure you that we have not received any salmon with bones like this since then, as I inspect every shipment of incoming salmon. In addition to this, the supplier has refined their process, going as far as using smears of the fish mince on glass to try and detect any bone fragments.

However, I'd like to comment on the fear that these pieces could harm a dog. In looking back at samples I have seen, it is my educated opinion that these pieces, the vast majority of which are less than 0.25", would not cause any harm to a canine. How do I qualify such a resonse, you may ask? I qualify this statement based on what I know to be correct about canine feeding habits. Pet foods are a very refined foodstuff for a dog - the dog (and other carnivores) is designed to consume and digest materials that most other animals could not. I say this both from the standpoint of a nutritionist and as a farmboy who has seen the unsavory side of what dogs actually enjoy eating. This ranges from dead chickens to mice in the field, all the while with a full bowl of good food at the ready. Let us consider what a coyote or wolf eats in the wild. With their massive jaws, a wolf is fully capable of shattering a moose's leg bones, the fragments of which would be well in excess of the fish bone dimensions we are concerned with here. Once the bones are in the stomach, where the pH is extremely acidic, between 1 and 2, the lifespan of the bones is about 1 hour before they are completely dissolved.

Please understand my intention is not to take blame away from me or anyone else here. I made the decision and it was the wrong one, based on what the consumer expects of a world class pet food. And a world class pet food must not contain these sorts of adulterations, harmless or not. Let me reassure you that this temporary breach of quality will not be seen again, as this has been an excellent, if not painful, learning experience. Please accept our apologies for any concern this has caused you.


Regards,


Charlie Kaufmann
Champion Petfoods Ltd.

http://www.dogforums.com/5-dog-food-forum/27683-orijen-concern-please-read.html
http://www.championpetfoods.com/charlie_letter.pdf


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## el (May 26, 2010)

Orijen Recall Update- BUT should you still feed it?
By Dr Andrew | December 3, 2008


Hello again fellow readers.

First a short update on the Orijen Recall.

The Orijen Cat Food has so far ONLY
affected cats in Australia.

www.theinternetpetvet.com/orijen-recall-update-but-should-you-still-feed-it - 

NO North American Cat have been affected.

BUT it is expected that HUNDREDS of cats in
Australia are affected.

I talked to a company representative yesterday, and
they still don’t know what is causing this.

They have tested for the toxin that I wondered
about, – yet the definitive toxin has yet to
be discovered.

The irradiation appears to be affecting some
component of the food.

Here is a more current story on
the Orijen Cat Paralysis in Australia:

————————————————

Cat food firm blames deaths on quarantine controls

Kelly Burke Consumer Affairs Reporter

THE Canadian manufacturer at the centre of a local
pet food scare caused by paralysis in more than 40
cats has placed the blame squarely on the shoulders
of the Australian Government.

In a statement released yesterday, Champion Petfoods,
of Alberta, said it was pulling out of the Australian
market after independent tests from a US laboratory
on its Orijen brand of cat food showed that dangerous
levels of irradiation mandated by the Australian
Government appeared to be to blame for the outbreak
of serious illness among Australian cats.

Five animals have so far had to be put down, although
it is believed a number of cats in other states were
also destroyed before the link to the Orijen brand of
food had been made.

The company, which exports to 50 countries, said only
Australia demanded its pet food be irradiated because
Orijen was not highly processed or cooked at the same
high temperatures as most other imported pet foods.

Citing a US study last year which found that levels
between 36 and 47 kiloGrays of Cobalt 60 gamma rays
were linked to neurological symptoms similar to those
found in the affected Australian cats, the pet food
company said the minimum level of 50 kGYs demanded by
the Australian Government for the imported product was
clearly excessive, and had possibly led to a serious
depletion of vitamin A.

The only human foods approved for irradiation in Australia
are imported herbs and spices, ranging from 10 to 30 kGYs,
and tropical fruit, irradiated at no more than 1 kGY.

A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries
& Forestry said Australia required all dry and semi-dried
pet food to be either heat-treated or irradiated and
Orijen was just one of a number of pet food manufacturers
that exported to Australia.

“No other manufacturer has reported any similar issues,”
he said.

The Sydney cat neurologist who first identified the link
between the pet food and the outbreak of illness in the
local cat population, Dr Georgina Child, was sceptical
of the company’s claims.

“There is nothing to suggest any of the cats I have seen
are vitamin A deficient … and while all the cats have
eaten Orijen, most have also eaten a variety of other
foods,” she said.

The study quoted by the company was based on the findings
of just eight cats and concluded that further research
was required to support any link between vitamin A depletion,
irradiation and neurological illness, Dr Child said.


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## el (May 26, 2010)

The horizon website is up. maybe you are just blind. or maybe you can not use the computer. so what you do is type this http://www.horizonpetnutrition.com/ in you search engine. then you click on dog products and go down the icons to Horizon Legacy.


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## el (May 26, 2010)

Jo you are right about what you are saying. people should listen to his/her comment. But it is not only Orijen.

Jennifer too.

two refreshing people that have experince


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## el (May 26, 2010)

sorry about that.

Jo and Jennifer Two refreshing people that have experience in this field. Thank you.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

el-this is all old news from 2008.Everyone already knows about the cats in Australia.If you don't like Orijen then don't buy it,but why do you spend so much of your time bashing it? All you ever talk about is Horizon,which is good but you shouldn't feed one food exclusively anyway.Dog food should be rotated between brands-Ingredients different meats.You accuse other people of being"ORIJEN WEB BLOGGERS" But all you ever talk about is Horizon,it kind of makes you look like a Horizon web blogger,why do you hate Orijen so much? Is it too much competition for Horizon?? Horizon products might work great for your dog,but they might not work at all for another.Before you accuse me of "working for Orijen" - I don't,I use these manufacturers,Merrick,Fromm,Champion.I rotate foods with Fish formula,Chicken-turkey formula,and a Duck formula right now.I can't figure out what you are trying to add to this forum with your posts,it seems to me that all you are about is hating Orijen and promoting Horizon.JMO


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Because Michelle, he is a salesman for Horizon. The real facts are the FDA did not have a recall on dod or cat food in the USA so I could care less about this guys childish antics. I n 2007 Champion did have a dog bisket recall, but because they where produced out side of their facility, they do not make them anymore. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/newpetfoodrecalls/brand_list.cfm?Trade_Name=Champion&pet=Dog
He bash's Orijen to try and make his product look better which in fact, does just the opposite. I have been having a little e-mail discussion with Horizon about their change of formula and it is interesting how everyone there to include Chris, this Starr guy and el all dodge the question and hit on other supjects about other dog foods. 
Remember the Abady guy did the same. It's really sad when people bash other products instead of finding and giving the positive about their own product. For god sake it is dog food and as a dog lover it's obvious that education about dog food is whats important not childish BASHING OF A GREAT DOG FOOD.
Michelle, people like us well never buy into these bashings nor well any other halfway intelligent person. We know it is more important to educate people about the bad ingredients. And we know all dogs don't do good on all products to include Orijen.
One last thing, small bone fragments (sharpe or not) are in fact VERY GOOD for dogs. Dogs on raw diets are feed bone fragments so this just keeps showing me that he is just a salesman bashing a superior product. Have you noticed he has come here only after Legacy made their change of formula?? And here is my new and updated list which well be updated again because it seems alot of manufactures seem to be changing their formula. I REMOVED Legacy off my list until they come clean about their formula change.

The A list
1.	Orijen
2.	Evo
3.	Wellness Core
4.	Instinct, Duck meal and Turkey meal only
5.	Go, Grain free only.
6.	Acana, Harvest, Pacifica & Grassland only.
7.	Innova
8.	Blue Wilderness
9.	Taste of the Wild, wetlands & prairie only, Grain free
10.	Artemis
11.	Fromm
Good quality for a low price

1. TOTW
2. California Natural
3. Health Wise
4. Kirkland, Costco

The B list
1. California Natural
2. Instinct, the rest of their products
2. Now, Grain free. 
3. GO, free indurance,chicken,salmon only
4. Merrick
4. Evangers
5. Timberwolf
6. Wellness
7. Solid Gold
8. Canidae
9. Health Wise
10. Karma
11. Nature’s Logic


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## Homero (Jun 29, 2010)

We recently switched our puppy to Orijen from Iams and she loves it. We did it really slow (a week of 3//4 old food 1/4 Orijen, a week of half and half and a week of 3/4 Orijen 1/4 old food and finally all Orijen about a week and a half ago). Last night she vomited green foam so we took her to the vet. They ran xrays b/c she was very uncomfortable when her stomach was touched and it turned out that she had A LOT of gas. I have a friend that switched to high protein as well (I think Blue Buff) and she said that her dog started farting a lot. Is this common with high protein foods? I don't want to take her off of Orijen b/c I love the product, the ingredients and the company but I also don't want to have to take her in or give her Gas-X or have her feeling bloated and gassy all the time. Has anyone had this experience? Any suggestions are highly appreciated.

Thanks.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I am a big fan of Orijen and feed it to my dog with no problems. As with all dog foods some dogs just don't do good on certain foods. Green foam?? Is your dog eating grass? Orijen just might not work for your dog. Acana is made by the same company and is also a very good food so if things don't get better you might wanna take a look at Acana. My dog did not do good on Merrick but I still think it is a very good dog food and I recommend it.


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## Kate4 (Jul 5, 2010)

Homero-

I was finding my dog was gassy on the Adult Orijen. I realized that she had an allergy to chicken based foods, because I switched her to the 6-fish formula and there were no issues - the gas cleared up almost immediately. I have since added the Red Meat (Bison, etc.) and alternate between the two bimonthly. No gas! Your pooch may have a allergy to a specific protein base. Try switching to the fish or the red meat and see if you have better luck.

I realize that you have a puppy, so a switch to adult food might be inadvisable, but depending on the dog's age, it might be worth exploring.

BTW, I have a 55lb female German Shorthair and I feed her 1 1/4 c. AM / 1 c. PM and have never had so many compliments on the condition of a dog in my life. Coat is good, energy level is good, no indigestion, small firm stools, and generally a very happy young dog.


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## JoyceFCR (Jul 8, 2010)

Jess, you have obviously done lots and lots of reserach on dog food and I appreciate your lists, they are pretty much the same as mine. However, do you still place Evo and Innova as high since they are now being manufactured by Proctor and Gamble, or am I incorrect in that statement?


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## SaltyDog (Mar 10, 2010)

Evo and Innova are still produced by Natura.....they are just now owned by Proctor and Gamble.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I have mixed feelings about this situation.I have gotton some bad feedback about dog owners having issues with new shipments of Innova, but tnat is all. Keep in mind I am a big fan of Evo, California Natural and Innova, but until I hear otherwise I am moving all down my list. I have been looking at First Mate and Fromm's to replace C.N. in my feeding. Now keep in mind, I suppelment my dogs diet with a meat source everyday, so meat isn't as a big issue with me as it is with people who don't.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Then Orijen's review... By a total unbiased party... I have not found one good review about abady and all the pet store owners in my area think it is crap, just like the rest of us. 
What a joke this clown is by saying the ingredients aren't from Canada. How far down is this guy gonna go? We need hip boots the B.S IS GETTING SO deep. Do you notice how Mr Clown NEVER leaves any links?? Go away, unless you have something positive to add. Your bashing is as old as it gets. He just doesn't understand that bashing any product just makes him look lame..

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showcat.php/cat/8


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## DogRescue (Jul 17, 2010)

Jennifer, your post from May 28 is so true. When people read their lists of ingredients and say that (for example) there are 5 meat sources in the 1st 10, but they list whole chicken they need to realize that they are paying for 70% water weight. That puts water as the 1st ingredient.

Jess, I agree that Origen looks like a great food. 

I'm currently looking to switch brands and am so concerned and confused.
I WILL NOT even consider anything owned by P&G.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Orijen, is a good choice. But no matter what dog food you choose, U should add meat to your dogs diet. U aren't paying for water U would be paying for the number 2 ingredient to actually be the number 1. My guess is that a true meat, like chicken, well fall 2 or 3 places on a ingredient list.


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## Ash (Jul 23, 2010)

I have a 6 month Pitbull Terrier. I am slowly introducing the Regional Red to her diet. The bag stated that it was an acceptable food for all life stages. Anyone think it might be an issue feeding this to her seeing as how she is still a puppy? I also mix in a few different formulas of Merricks canned food from time to time (if this info is helpful)


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I still have my 14 month old GSD on Orijen


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I still have my 14 month old GSD on Orijen Large Breed puppy. The red was a little to much for him and he got bad poo when he was your dogs age. I went super slow and still. I just got a bag of the red and I am gonna try again.


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## Ash (Jul 23, 2010)

Yeah, taking it real slow with her. She has had some gas since I started feeding it to her but that's it.


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## wrangler1 (Jun 27, 2010)

Was just curious. Is it true that most of the actual protein in Orijen is actually from a plant in Kentucky, possibly Tyson? I watched the Orijen video and there was no mention of where the meal ingredients come from, so I did some digging. 

Also, something is else is not right and I checked it out. Its impossible for any company to use fresh fish all year because the fishing season is only a few months a year. Salmon season is from May to September. Those other white fishes used have defined seasons as well.

Seems like all the ass-kissing this food gets is unwarranted.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

If you look on their web site before you post stupid posts, you would know they are located in CANADA and their laws are much different then here. Just why would you think they would buy from Tyson? That has to the dumbest post ever made. You must be an abady clown because they are the ONLY ones who are dumb enough to bad mouth the best dog food made today.

We are an award-winning, family-owned and operated Canadian pet food maker with a tradition of innovation & quality spanning more than a quarter century. We use fresh regional ingredients to produce Biologically Appropriate foods that promote the peak health of dogs & cats.

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/about/


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## wrangler1 (Jun 27, 2010)

Here are the facts Jess. There is not one plant in Canada that can provide the meal used so it bought from the US. The meal component is the cornerstone of the food. Here is the evidence from a person named Bonnie at Orijen:


"Chicken meal is a good example. Although there are producers of chicken meal in Canada, none are capable of producing from chickens passed fit for human consumption and as such no Canadian chicken meal meets the European Union Pet Food Regulation 1774. At present, Canadian chicken meal is made with spent hens (from egg laying operations) as well as chickens that have died, but are not processed in a federally inspected facility, or were not passed as ‘fit for human consumption’ by the Government of Canada. 

So, while our focus is “fresh and regional” our primary objective is always to achieve the highest standard in nutrition, palatability and food safety. Until chicken meal from human grade chickens is available in Canada, Champion will source its chicken meal from one of 2 USA chicken processors, whose chickens and facility are USDA certified, and who have the appropriate European Union qualifications (EU 1774)"


As for fishing seasons, the salmon fishing season in Canada is May - September. Other than those months its illiegal to fish, buy or sell salmon.


Jess, are you crying over there. Why do you say "We" do you work for Orijen?


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Let me explain something to you. I live in Washington and have numerous friends that are from THE Makai tribe. They can ""fish year round"". I am sure that Canada has similar laws. I have been told numerous times that the Orijen 6 fish is not in a huge supply during the winter. And have you ever heard the word freezer? Besides, chicken meal is only one of SEVEN MEATS in this product. What is wrong with you??? Seriously??? You wanna show me any other product with this much meat in it. Evo maybe, but they are going to have issues in the future.

Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, lake whitefish, chicken fat, sweet potato, whole eggs, turkey, salmon meal, salmon and anchovy oils, salmon, natural chicken flavour, sunflower oil, sun-cured alfalfa, dried brown kelp, carrots, spinach, peas, tomatoes, apples, psyllium, dulse, glucosamine Hcl, cranberries, black currants, rosemary extract, chondroitin sulfate, sea salt.


So just what is your point?? To "try" and bad mouth a great product. Looks to me as if you are trying and failing BIG TIME...You abady clowns are all nut cases, most likely the same salesman always bashing Orijen and making himself look silly...AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND THIS SITE YOU'LL SEE I LIKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT BRANDS OF DOG FOOD, just not your product...And I don't believe for a second that a representative of Orijen would ever say that, you are the biggest lair on the internet..


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

FRESH FREE-RUN CHICKEN | LOCAL PRAIRIE FARMS


Free of antibiotics and hormone enhanced feed, our chickens are raised locally in an open-concept, weather-sheltered barn environment where they are free to roam, feed, roost, and nest.

Bursting with nourishing proteins and fats, our fresh chicken is passed as ‘fit for human consumption’ by the Government of Canada and delivered to our door FRESH (never frozen) each day.

Surrounded by Atlantic, Pacific & Arctic oceans and home to vast clean, cold freshwater lakes, Canada’s maritime harvest is perfectly suited to the ORIJEN philosophy of Biologically Appropriate pet foods from Fresh Regional Ingredients.

Loaded with wild-caught fish (70%), ORIJEN 6 FISH features 6 unique fish species that are delivered to our door FRESH (never-frozen) each day, including Chinook & Coho salmon, pacific flounder & herring from North Vancouver Island, plus northern walleye, lake whitefish & lake trout from our cold freshwater rivers and lakes.

Made with the highest inclusions of free-run chicken & turkey, whole eggs, and wild-caught freshwater & saltwater fish—all farmed or fished within our region and delivered fresh (never frozen) each day—ORIJEN PUPPY LARGE BREED is bursting with protein-packed, human-grade meats (minimum 70%) that your growing puppy needs, and none of the grains or carbohydrates that are biologically inappropriate to him.

Steamed-cooked at low-temperature (90c) to preserve their natural goodness, our fresh, free-run chicken is a primary ingredient in ORIJEN diets


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## wrangler1 (Jun 27, 2010)

Jess..poor baby the truth hurts. The term "fresh" means not frozen. The meal from the USA provides virtually all the protein in that food. The same meal costs a fraction of that rip-off in other foods.

Address the truth Jess not your love affair.

What a marketing con-job.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Hey Micheal, what do you wanna bet this is the same guy who was bashing Orijen a while back under another name or names??? Aren't these abady salesman something? This guy has been all over the internet using many different names trying to build up his inferior dog food. He unplugs his modem so that he can get a new IP address. Marketing con-job,,, YOU gotta love that one coming from a company who states their product solves hip-dysplasia. Some people just don't understand, by bashing a great product they are only shooting themselves in the foot. I still haven't found a pet store who carries that crap.


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## wrangler1 (Jun 27, 2010)

You are such a pleeb. Please address the email from Orijen. Do you think that is square with what most people think? I have checked the fishing season issue as well. I am right.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

LOL, LOL, LOL, LOL, LOL..... You abady guys are all the same.. ""I have checked the fishing season issue as well. I am right."" Yeah right, OK then!!! I believe ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING you say, LOL, LOL, LOL... And their is a key word about their fish that allows them to get fish year round, see if you can figure it out. LOL, LOL, LOL... But then again you have already checked, LOL, LOL.....


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## wrangler1 (Jun 27, 2010)

Talk to Bonnie about the chicken meal...all that fresh catch stuff on the video is total bull shit..suckers paying all that money for a $30 bag of food.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Chicken, fish and turkey meals are produced exclusively from animals that are certified as fit for human consumption by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).


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## wrangler1 (Jun 27, 2010)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/diet-nutrition/138871-changing-kibble-suggestions-anyone-4.html

more evidence


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

It's not evidence.,,, it is some moron on a terrible site, giving their opinion. It most likely is YOU!!!...!! But I do like the pictures there.. Go check a little more ding-a-ling, you'll find 50% of the pet owners on that site feed Orijen.. I know the site well and take anything posted there with a grain of salt. JUST WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM???????????? Just come out and say it, WE ALL KNOW YOU WORK FOR abady. YOU CLOWNS ARE POSTING STUPID STUFF ALL OVER THE INTERNET.


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## jenn2120 (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi All,
There are defined fishing seasons for all commercial fish species (both salt and fresh water) "wild" caught in North America. 
In the U.S. it is controlled by the state governments Division Of Marine Fisheries or Department Of Fish and Game. In Canada the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has control over the commercial fishing seasons. It is impossible for specific species to be available year round as "wild" caught fresh fish. A company must supplement the "wild" caught fish with farm raised varieties. The Orijen web site pretty much states this: 
"Made with the highest inclusions of free-run chicken & turkey, whole eggs, and wild-caught freshwater & saltwater fish—all farmed or fished within our region and delivered fresh (never frozen) each day".
What you really need to look at is the quality of the farm raised fish, specifically what they are fed, how they are kept, and what antibiotics are administered.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Darn you Jennifer you gave him the BIG clue. But I can tell you right now the Native Americans (Indians) can and do fish year round. I know I buy from them all the time and it is legal on the reservation. Neah Bay is a good example they can and do fish year round and their are advertisements for their fish are in the Seattle Times in the off season. But I doubt they sell their catch to a dog food company. I am from Washington and you can get salmon here year round, NO PROBLEM. The Pike Place Market in Seattle sells salmon year round. You can go to some grocery stores and get salmon year round.....

http://www.bentler.us/washington-state/maps/google-washington-map.aspx#!latitude=48.16242149265211&longitude=-123.760986328125&zoom=8&maptype=hybrid


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## Marissa (Jul 27, 2010)

Hey ya'll-
I'm really new to the whole Grain-Free pet food. We have Lucas; he's a two and a half year old German Shepherd rescue. When we adopted him, his foster mom had said that he was on homemade dog food and she had suggested that was what we should feed him. But, honestly, we can’t remember to feed ourselves a home cooked meal, let alone our dog. So, like anyone, we asked our vet (cause they know everything!) and she had said that Hill's was the best thing for him. She also stated if we used Hill’s Science Diet we wouldn’t need to give him any supplements’ cause it was already in the food. We love him dearly and we want the best of everything for him, so we blindly listened.
Lucas has had terrible ear infections. We had him less than a month and we were already taking him to the vet. After the tenth visit in over two years for his ears, I got fed up. I did my own research and found that Shepherds are prone to allergies. I found drops that would help with that and he’s not had problems since. 
This takes me to why I’m writing this post. I think my vet is a moron. No, really, I think she cheated her way through Veterinary School and now runs a quack business. I thought if she can’t help with his ears than what are we really feeding him? AND does he need extra supplements? 
I came to my own conclusion-We are feeding him crap and he does need supplements. We don’t eat fast food and neither should our dog. So, about a week ago we began the research. Countless hours spent on searching which grain-free kibble was the very best for our Lucas. 
We came down to two:
1.)	Orijen-We bought a small bag last night. We are now giving him half Orijen - half Hill’s.
2.)	Canindae
Now, through the bickering between some of you bloggers, can anyone give any kind of unbiased opinion on this matter? We are pretty active. We hike about every weekend and go for long walks just about every night. AND since children are not in our cards we can afford to spend the extra money on a better dog food.
We just want what is best for our Lucas. Thanks for anyone who has read this far. We look forward to hearing from you.


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## Marissa (Jul 27, 2010)

Also, I'd like to add-
Are there are any suggestions as to what RAW snacks we could feed him? We're not going to give him completely raw food all the time, but I think we could do snacks.
Thanks guys!


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I like and feed Orijen...Great food and if you notice "ALL" the review sites give Orijen the highest of ratings. I feel supplements and vitamins are always a good idea. I only give Tony about 2/3 of the recommended amount. Acana is also another great food. Canidae is not even in the same league. I feed twice daily because of the fact GSG's can get bloat. My first feeding is smaller and I feed California Natural, good food, but it really comes down to money. I get dog food meat at the local butcher shop and give him that as treats.


http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/


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## jenn2120 (Apr 20, 2010)

s


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## jenn2120 (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi All,
There is currently many issues with the safety of farmed fish. Here are some links that talk about some of these issues: (high use of antibiotics, PCB contamination, escaping stock affecting wild population)
It seems to me that with all the concerns around farmed fish you would get a better product by using frozen "wild" caught fish 
than "fresh" farm raised


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## jenn2120 (Apr 20, 2010)

Links
http://www.ewg.org/node/15598
http://www.natural-and-organic-choices.com/fish-farms.html
http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/2309/farmraised-salmon-go-on-veggie-diet


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## Marissa (Jul 27, 2010)

Thanks Jess,
If I didn't know any better, I'd think you worked for Orijen. ; ) 
There are so many reviews out there and it gets to be a bit overwhelming when it comes to what is best for your furry friend. I gotta say he was very excited about eating last night, this morning, and tonight. We haven't ever seen him eat this fast!!!
As I said before money wasn't the issue - it was what was best for Lucas. 
We've been feeding him Happy Hips Free Range Chicken treats but I would like to throw in some raw meat-What do you get from the butcher? Chicken, Beef, Pork? 
Sorry for the flood of questions, but like I has said in my first post-We are really new to this!


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I do not work for any dog food company but I am a big fan of this company. Now I do like a lot of other companies and here is my A list and I do have a B list and I would feed any of these foods.

The A list
1.	Orijen
2.	Acana, Wild Prairie, Pacifica & Grassland only.
3.	Wellness Core
4. Go, Natural Grain Free Endurance.
5.	Blue Wilderness
6.	Taste of the Wild, wetlands & prairie only.
7.	Instinct
8.	Artemis
9.	Fromm
10.	Acana, the rest of their products.
11.	Evo
12.	Merrick, Before grain.


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## Robert3 (Jul 28, 2010)

There is a long white paper on thier website. After reading this paper, I know how bad things like grain and animal meals can be. My dogs now are the healthiest animals I have ever owned. I have a toy manchester terrier who is an AKC champion and I will not feed this dog anything but the absolute best. For those who want to look him up, his name is ch St. Lazars "For Your Eyes Only" nicknamed James Bond. I will feed nothing but Orijen.


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## Robert3 (Jul 28, 2010)

Also as to the question about what snacks to give your dog:
We feed James EVO grain free snacks and duck breast that we get from Petz First. Both of these are grain free and the duck breast is actually like duck jerky. There is nothing better for a dog than natural meat.
AS far as the vets are concerned, we found out that Hill's gives vets a 4 hour nutrition class and the class is completely free as long as they endorse thier product. The vets actually get great prices on Science Diet and the markup is incredible. I don't know who the guy is above badmouthing Orejin but although this is the top of the line, I wouldn't feel bad about giving my dog taste of the wild if no orejin was around. I understand that orejin is very expensive and that may turn some people away but if you can afford it that's the one I would stick with. Also mixing Hill's with it is is seving your dog a soy hamburger with his ribeye steak. LOL


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## Marissa (Jul 27, 2010)

Uhm, hi Robert. Yea, I know mixing Hills with Orijen is like "seving your dog a soy hamburger with his ribeye steak." 
We didn't want to switch him over to strictly Orijen when he's been eating Science Diet for the last 2 years. That was a "just in case" his stomach got upset.
Anywho,
So, Lucas has been on Orijen for a few days now. We like the results already. His coat was the first change we noticed, the itching has dropped down to almost zero! His scat looks darker. Any ideas as to why?? My husband and I couldn't figure that one out.
And our overall opinion on this brand of kibble-
We think it's great. No matter what brand you use-There will ALWAYS be someone who has something bad to say-or who uses something better. It's what works for YOUR dog. We got lucky with Lucas because he's not a picky eater and doesn't have any real problem as to where he would need special dog food. 
We did learn a few valuable lessons through this whole process. And I have to say, we will never be going back to that crappy dog food ever again. Ugh! I feel horrible that I ever listened to that quack of a vet in the first place.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Marissa-great choice,going with Orijen!!! Now all you need to do is get yourself a Holistic Veterinarian and your dog will be all set...although Orijen is a great dog food you really should switch foods (rotate) between brands and types of meat used for a more complete amino acid profile.Like do a fish formula,a duck formula,a chicken-turkey formula,a red meat formula...I use and would recommend Fromm family foods,Merrick pet care,Champion pet foods,and like some of the others said Taste Of the Wild.All of these manufacturers have grain free recipes....I hope this info helps.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Marissa, our butcher has frozen dog food all made up, I thought it might be real fatty but it is pretty good looking, ask your butcher(not a grocery store). I have also bought stew meat and chicken from Costco and given that to him. I cook the chicken but I give the stew meat to him raw. He just loves all three. I love the butcher meat because I feed it to him from a spoon and I get a good laff watching him.


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## nv2kenu (Sep 2, 2010)

I just got a 2 year old doberman. Small for her age and thin. She's already had 2 litters, the last being 3 months ago.

I have just found this food, and am researching, and am wondering about fattening her up. Also, I read that high protein dog food is only good for the athletic dog. Can someone please confirm? Also, I agree on the switching up of foods, but do you need to introduce each one slowly, or can you just jump right into a new batch without worrying about side effects? I am assuming since they are all high quality foods, there may not be much of a problem.

Thanks!


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## Shan1 (Jul 31, 2010)

Well it depends on what you were feeding earlier, was it also a high protein and high quality food and are they similar protein sources ? Well i will not suggest to make a change cold turkey, i have seen many dogs get diarrhea just for a formula change so changing suddenly to a new diet is not advisable, with that said I have a Lab who can take on anything i throw in his plate, whatever the protein source may be, I feed him raw i cook some times i feed dry nothing seems to have affect him. I have seen and heard of a lot of dogs that can take changes easily and lot a more dogs getting sick as they couldn't take the fast transition. Hope this helps, I would suggest to slowly transition your dog as this is very high protein and a completely different diet from almost every dry food out there, this is the greatest dry food out there.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Shan you are right each dog is an individual,but my Lab and my springer puppy both can take cold turkey switches.And before I knew better, my Lab was raised from a puppy on Purina One lbp and then Nature's recipe.Both terrible foods,I know that now..anyway now I rotate between Champion,Fromm,and Merrick,and they have no problems when rotating foods,which I always do cold turkey...now some dogs may not be able to tolerate this.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Go slow when changing dog food. Very few dogs can handle a fast change. Protein from a meat source is very good for any dog. Since Orijen states they have 70% meat this is protein from meat. My dog loves it. I recommend that your dog does not have any more puppies, just my 2 cents on that issue.


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## wrangler1 (Jun 27, 2010)

Jess, that is a letter from Orijen confirming that the proteins are not from those cute little family farms like you think. They come from big industrial plants in the US.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

michael, GO AWAY I have had MANY e-mail conversions with Bonnie, who is on vacation right now. You abady knuckleheads are all the same. So if I am so stupid, why don't you scan this so called letter and put it up on a website with a link to it!!!! Do it,,, ""PROVE"" your not just a LAIR!!! Here is part of one of her E-mails she sent to me...And MR abady NOTICE THE WORD ""NOT"" I know you clowns from abady NEVER put links up to all this great information you like to through out, with proves you have NO proof of what you are saying. ALSO TAKE NOTE THAT SHE SAYS ""by increasing fresh meat"". Now abady has NO fresh meat.

Meal components are not the cornerstone of our foods. We believe ORIJEN has the highest fresh meat varieties and inclusions of any dry dog or cat food in the world. Indeed, ‘Fresh and Regional’ guides our factory construction and product development. Each change made to our foods is with a view to improve protein and fat quality by increasing fresh meat and reducing previously processed ingredients. As an example, our mandate led us to change from previously frozen New Zealand Lamb to fresh free-range Alberta lamb when that ingredient became available to us—we are the only pet food maker we know of using fresh local lamb.

That said, while our focus is “fresh and regional”, our greatest objective is always to be ‘Biologically Appropriate’, which means matching our foods to the eating anatomy of dogs and cats. As high protein dry dog and cat foods cannot (yet) be produced using fresh meats alone, we use the highest quality dried meat ingredients that are available. In the case of chicken meal, the highest North American quality is without question from the USA. It’s important to note that we do not source from any US producer, but from one of the 2 USA chicken processors that produces chicken meal exclusively from USDA chickens that are passed ‘fit for human consumption’ by the FDA, and that has the appropriate European Union quality designations (EU 1774).


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Natasha, MOST Dobermans have a bit of a sensitive stomach. I have a 2 year old Male Doberman. Knowing that your Doberman is seemingly below breed standard and assumingly lacking any titles why have you chosen to breed her twice? But this forum is not about puppies etc, so I won't go into that tango today. However I would recommend that you transition your Doberman veryyyyy slowly if you do decide to feed a grain free diet. Also you might want to try adding some high calorie supplements to the dogs diet. I do this from time to time with my boy as well.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Antonio-Natasha said-"I JUST GOT A 2 YEAR OLD DOBERMAN" If you re-read her post,you will see that someone else was doing the breeding of this dog.And obviously NOT taking very good care of it because she said it is thin,and she's asking for advice on getting her new dog to the proper weight....it sounds to me like she got this dog from some novice back-yard breeder,that was just trying to make money off this poor dog by breeding and selling pups,with no regard for the dog or furthering the breed.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Michelle, how many dogs do you have? I really like Dobies, but Tony is a hand full. He really is getting protective of me. I have to reassure him everything is, OK. Keep in mind I have been taking him to the dog parks since he was 3 months old and he is very socialized, but around the house, he does his job. He is 14 1/2 months now and is a full teenager dog.
Antonio, where ya been?? Taken care of your dogs? How many do you have? And just where has Eric and Derrick been???


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Michelle, maybe you are right about Natasha and I possibly over ASSumed things LOL. I just find it strange someone can adopt a dog and know how many litters it's had unless they adopted it from a friend who was a novice breeder. Jess I've been busy working man. My profession is information technology and the place I work for has been undergoing some major IT upgrades so that's keeping me busy, I only have 2 dogs a 3 year old pug and of course my 2 year old Dobie. I actually posted a couple of weeks ago someone was on one of the threads making a statement about pork lard being nutritious and healthy to feed to a dog on a daily basis, I wholeheartedly disagree with that statement. I just find it hard to believe that any dog can substain its health long term eating a diet high in lard.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Hey Jess,I have 2 dogs Trinity,my Lab and Cooper my Springer Spaniel.Antonio-yeah that dude loves LARD,we think he works for Abady...


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

You know I don't mean to be rude but how can anyone think Lard is good for dogs to consume daily? I mean if that's the case why not just buy a big buck of Crisco Lard out the store and mix it in your dog food daily? He might work for Abady but he's obviously lacking some basic info about nutrition in general.


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## nv2kenu (Sep 2, 2010)

Thanks Michelle for bringing Antonio to the attention that I JUST got my 2 year old doberman. And Antonio, why can a total stranger not tell me how many litters a dog has had? Of course, she very well may have had way more than that, but there is no lying that she had at least one litter, by the size of her teats. No...this person was not a friend. I seen an ad on kijiji and responded. 

Anyway, thanks for the advice. I understand that I need to transition slowly from the Purina Puppy to the Orijen. I didn't make myself clear. I was wondering about once I have her completely over to Orijen, can I switch around within the Orijen brands, giving her a bit of a change now and then. I had originally purchased Performatin for her, but then found Orijen and bought it as well.

Again, thanks for your advice.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

My dog is feed Orijen Large Breed Puppy and when I tried a little red he got super bad poo. Now he was pretty young at the time, so who knows it could have been his age. I think you might go slow there also.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Natasha Hi,My dogs love Orijen lbp and six fish.I also use Merrick's and Fromm family foods.If your looking for grain free which in my opinion is best,Merrick has Before Grain and Fromm's is surf and turf.But anything from all 3 manufacturers is good.I do cold turkey switches with both of my dogs and they always do just fine with it...but I would not recommend this to you until you have your dog longer and get to know if she has a sensitive stomach...


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## nv2kenu (Sep 2, 2010)

Thanks a bunch. Was planning on going slow, but wanted to hear your thoughts as well.

Take care!


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## Maren (Aug 13, 2010)

Hello - I wish there was a way to flag comments...I feel the altercation between some individuals on here is warranted for a private forum, and really plain unnecessary. 

That being said, we have a 5 month old puppy - we got her at 10 weeks and unfortunately since we didn't know what she was eating, we started her on Orijen immediately. She actually responded very well and didn't have any stomach problems. She really loves it, and gets compliments on her shiny coat and size all the time. She is incredibly active and so the high protein works well for her. I should also add that she never wants to eat our food and we have even left food out accidently on the table and she never eats it. She sleeps well and digests easily. 

I actually just started trying a Wellness 95% Meat wet food as a topper to give her even more of a meat experience because later on, we may want to try raw and she also really enjoyed that and ate it up right away.

So, I would definitely try at least the sampler pack of Orijen, I do plan on sticking with it through Adult.

I also suggest going to a hollistic vet. We absolutely love ours - Lola got a cold from a dog at the dog park and suggested pears and honey, and she got well very quickly.


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## dogfood_admin (Jun 16, 2008)

Hi Maren,

Thanks for leaving your comment. Feel free to contact me if you see any posts that should be removed.

Thanks,

Adam


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## KyleO (Aug 25, 2010)

Hi all, I was feeding my Frenchie Fromm when she was a puppy and i liked the results. When it came time to switch to the sdult formula my dog was not liking it as much and often left it in the bowl. I tried Orijen and she loved it. She eats her meals and looks and acts great!


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Does anyone have pics of their dogs that have been fed Orijen diets? I would like to see the comparison to see if it's really worth the hype. I have thought about using it as a replacement to my EVO red meat once P & G have officially made crap out of it. But if I'm going to justify the cost then I would like to see some results otherwise I'll just pick from one of the many other premium brands and try to find something to replace EVO on the dietary rotation in the near future.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Antonio-Orijen is great,my dogs do really well on it-all I can say is try it for yourself,and see how YOUR dog does on it....if your worried about the cost,try the regular Orijen.The Red and the 6 fish are more expensive.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks Michelle, cost is kind of secondary, I mean I already use EVO during certain times of the year and it's a bit costly in my area, but you know I like physical proof on things b/c I do work my Doberman and run him a lot especially when I'm out running. But I need a good substitute b/c I feel that within about 6mths EVO will basically just be another good brand that's not worth the price anymore. Also I can get Horizon's Instinct for a decent price in my area as well. So I guess I was wondering what others who are working their dogs are experiencing when feeding them this formula.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Horizon Instinct = Nature's Variety Instinct


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Antonio, check out Montmorillonite Clay. My dog had some issues with Natures Varities Instinct and after researching this clay I found it had 2 ingredients that are toxic to dogs. Tony's eyes got full of goo and he seemed a little odd. So I am really not a big fan of this dog food. I also have been meaning to drop it down my list, because of the clay and just why would you put clay in a dogs food for? I realize the clay does contain some nutrients but, still, it makes no sense to me.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Jess, 

I noticed the clay in the ingredient list after I got a small sample pack at the store, I was a little confused on the benefit of this as well. But on a good note, I got a 5lb bag of California Natural Grain Free Chicken formula and started mixing it today in my dogs diet. Plus the store I went to the owner said she can order it for me at no extra cost than the other California Natural products she carries so I'll see how this trial run goes. But one thing interesting of note, I like the fact that it does not contain potatoes, I'm starting to think that potatoes actually trigger a bit of digestive upset with my Dobie, I've noticed that w/ the TOTW brands. But this is a trial run so I'll just take my time w/ switching him over on it and hope for the best.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

I just got off the phone w/ a local Pet food retailer (Independent seller). And I found out they are offering Orijen dog food at a better cost than I can get EVO. I think I just found my replacement formula to the Pro Plan , I guess I should check to see if they offer Acana as well.


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## nv2kenu (Sep 2, 2010)

Antonio, the Orijen seems to be working well for my girl. I am still in the process of changing her over completely, but it's done wonders for her, just in the month of August. 

She has put some weight on, and her coat is supper shiny. There were some thin spots on her coat, that have now filled in nicely. She used to have this awful gunk in her eyes, but now has very little. I am sure as we continue, this will disappear completely. 

I take her out for daily runs, sometimes twice a day. I have never seen a dog that loves to run so much. The moment I let her off the leash, she is gone. Would go forever I think if I let her. And playing in the water, fetching sticks....another favorite of hers.

The best physical proof you are going to get is to try it on your dog. He'll let you know. Hope things work out the best.


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## KyleO (Aug 25, 2010)

My favorite pet store closed and they were the only place close to me that sells the Orijen. I can get it in NYC, but has anyone purchased it online? anyone know of a good site to buy from? thanks guys!


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## Jacqui (Sep 9, 2010)

We just got our 2nd Bull Terrier and are feeding him Presice plus and Taste of the Wild along with raw meat. We actually use Orijen for training treats. He loves it. It is pricy but after much research we will be switching him to Orijen for dinner Too!


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## Amy_B (Sep 10, 2010)

Hey Jess! Amy B here .... just to let you know all 3 of my dogs are doing great on the TOTW! Thanks for all your help. I have a very good friend who has a GS dog and he has been on Orijen Adult since about Aug 18th. She switched him slowly and he has really bad gas. She is giving him yogurt and he still is having problems. Any good advice?


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Hummm, some dogs don't do good on some food. Maybe this is one of those cases. Maybe some canned dog food/sweet potatoes? Acana, it's made by the same people who make Orijen. I really have no good answers for that one. If it continues I would recommend her to switch dog foods.

Antonio or Michelle might have an answer.

The A list
1.	Orijen
2.	Acana, Harvest, Pacifica & Grassland only.
3.	Blue Wilderness
4.	Wellness Core
5.	Go, Grain free only.
6.	Acana, the rest of Acana products.
7.	Taste of the Wild, wetlands & prairie only, Grain free
8.	Artemis
9.	Fromm
10.	Merrick, before grain.
11.	Horizon Legacy
12. Evo

The B list
1. Now, Grain free. 
2. GO, free indurance,chicken,salmon only
3. Merrick
4. Evangers
5. Timberwolf
5. Instinct
6. Wellness
7. Solid Gold
8. Canidae
9. Natures Logic
10. First Mate
11. Kirkland, Costco
12. California Natural


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Amy B, to help with the dogs digestive issue I would reommend a good probiotic tablet, maybe one from NuVet, I think you can purchase it at most local specialty pet stores. If that doesn't work, I think that maybe grain free isn't a good option for that particular GSD, and your friend might want to try one of the Acana formulas.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Does anyone know what the meat to grain ratio is in the final cooked product in Orijen food?


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Their is no grain in Orijen. ""After processing"", I doubt the meat is as high as they say, 70%. But it is the highest on the market today. When you have 8 meats to 3 potato(or such) before the first fat it is "no" doubt pretty high. The L.B.P has a total of 12 meats. The ingredient list here is WRONG and outdated. So if you look at it that why it is easily 70%. My guess is 60% meat(after processing), the kibble would not bind together if it was much higher. Evo would be the only thing close, but as we all know that well change. Orijen being steamed cooked at a low temp also leads me to believe the product would be easier to bind with higher meat% than most dog foods.

Fresh deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh deboned salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh deboned lake whitefish, fresh deboned walleye, chicken fat (naturally preserved with vitamin E and citric acid), chicken liver, salmon meal, fresh deboned turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil, chicory root, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), dried Lactobacillus acidophilus product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product. 

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products/puppyLargeIngredients.aspx


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

I agree I'm pretty sure the meat to grain/carb content is higher than most other foods. The reason I was wondering is b/c I emailed the people at precise about that Chicken Meal & Rice foundation formula I"m using in my rotation. I will be using Orijen as well and I was wondering how much higher in meat it actually was as oppose to the precise which is only about 40% meat after final process in the Chicken Meal & Rice Foundation formula. So it seems these two blends will work well in my rotation plans.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

This formula?? If it is, I would think it would be about 20%, if that. Now their Holistic brand made my list. I am concerned about their suppliers use of ethoxyquin. I could find nothing on that fact on their website. They use both fish and salmon meal in some formulas.


INGREDIENTS:

Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Rice Bran, Ground Oats, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Ascorbyl Palmitate), Flaxseed, Chicken Cartilage (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Beet Pulp, Lecithin, Natural Chicken Flavor, Dried Kelp, Fish Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product and Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Yucca Schidigera Extract, DL-Methionine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6), Sodium Selenite, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium Iodate.

MY NEW LIST. I moved Instinct way down the list because I found some very bad information about Montmorillonite Clay. It contains 2 ingredients that are toxic and that is something I do not like. I am also not a big fan of Menhaden Fish Meal..I'll be keeping an eye out for any info on Precise. I did notice the pet store I go to now carries Precise. It is an option for replacing California Natural.

The A list
1.	Orijen
2.	Acana, Harvest, Pacifica & Grassland only.
3.	Blue Wilderness
4.	Wellness Core
5.	Horizon Legacy
6.	Taste of the Wild, wetlands & prairie only, Grain free
7.	Go, Grain free only.
8.	Acana, the rest of Acana products.
9.	Artemis
10.	Fromm
11.	Merrick, before grain.
12.	Evo

The B list
1. Now, Grain free. 
2. GO, free indurance, chicken, salmon only
3. Merrick
4. Evangers
5. Timberwolf
5. Instinct
6. Wellness
7. Solid Gold
8. Canidae
9. Natures Logic
10. First Mate
11. Precise Holistic Complete, ONLY!
11. Kirkland, Costco
12. California Natural


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I guess I am blind, because I just found it. So I well be moving it up at least 3-4 notch's.

Vitamin C and E. Natural preservatives: never BHA, BHT or ethoxyquin. Protects food and assures freshness. Helps keep fat from becoming rancid.


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## Carole2 (Sep 28, 2010)

Does anyone here know anything about Mulligan Stew dog food?


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## Lee_Wentz (Sep 30, 2010)

Antonio and/or Jess, what do you mean when you refer to "rotation plans" for their diet?? Could you explain your philosophy?? Thanks, Lee


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Lee Wentz, by food rotation we simply mean incorporate different varietys of food in the dogs diet. But whenever switching always gradually switch into the different varieties. It can be diff protein source, diff carb source, etc. Sometimes I rotate the same brand and protein, only change the protein & fat ratio. You have to find out more of what works for your dog, and slowly add some variety to his/her diet. This can be helpful in preventing allergies from the same diet daily for the animals life, and it also helps the dog from burning out on the same formula and keeps the appetite up.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Antonio, says it perfectly. I found my dog does best on California Natural (looking for a replacement) in the AM (Lamb & Herring) and in the PM Orijen LBP & or TOTW wetlands. The AM is a smaller meal which I am most likely going to change to the wetlands and then find something new, like Fromms Surf and Turf. Dogs like the change of taste's, just like we do. So I experiment with small bags of different formulas that I like. Mines pretty easy because he goes nuts for ducks. LOL.
Lee Wentz, I have found my dog can not eat certain brands, but I still recommend them. As a lot of people have said all brands don't work for all dogs. I have heard people say Orijen doesn't work for their dog. Hard to believe, but I certainly can see it happening to dogs that have been on cheap food all their lives.


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## Lee_Wentz (Sep 30, 2010)

Antonio and Jess… a high protein, grain free, rotation diet seems to make sense on many different levels. I would really appreciate any input you guys and all of you may have into my new baby…
I’ve been researching foods for my 12 wk old Black Lab “Bella” that was raised on Iams Super Puppy up to when we adopted her at 9 wks. (her skin is a little itchy, no flaking, coat is full & shiny, some eye –goo, no bad breath, firm poos and all around healthy girl) 
Although, after raising several Black & Choc Labs in Florida it’s a challenge to keep their skin & coats from itching, flaking, allergies and shedding a lot. So far, I’ve found a Feed Store that carries several “higher-end” pet foods that I like. After sampling Chicken Soup Lg Breed Puppy and all four TOTW all-life flavors I bought a bag of the TOTW “Pacific Stream” and was thinking about adding the TOTW “High Prairie” to vary the protein source and keep the Omega-3&6 Fatty Acids nice & high.
Any thoughts or suggestions on food, diets, supplements, etc. for Labradors skin & coat maintenance, hips and general good health for “Bella-girl” ?? Thanks, guys
BTW, just bought a "Vitals Vault" pet food container to keep her food air-tight with the spin-off lid. I love it! Anyone else have/heard of it?


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## Pipi (Oct 2, 2010)

Hi guys,

I am a beginner in the holistic/ grain free dog food philosophy. I recently adopted a small spitz about 8 pounds and I am in search for a good healthy dry food. So far we have tried Innova standard small breads, seemed to work at the beginning but after the second bag she didnt want to eat it. Then we switched to Innova Evo Salmon and Red Meat varieties, at first everything was fine but after 3 weeks she started having loose stools and so I switched today to Fromm Salmon a veg formula. I really don't know what to do?? Do you have any recommendations for small but active breeds. High protein seems to worked well when she was on Evo but she was obsessed in eating grass maybe she was missing fibers. What about the Buffallo Wildness???


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Lee, you can't beat Orijen PERIOD. And is great for Large breed dogs because it has a lot of Glucosamine (min.)	1400 mg/kg
Chondroitin (min.)	1200 mg/kg
NO OTHER DOG FOOD COMES CLOSE TO THIS AMOUNT. This food is outstanding and Tony loves it.


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## saltydogs (Oct 31, 2010)

I gave Orijen a chance, 3 bags, for my working retrievers and it is the most hyped pet product I have ever seen. I won the first bag in a raffle in the off season and kept with it through the summer. As soon as the dogs started working they lost weight like they had cancer.

First off, almost all the protein is just run of the mill chicken meal, produced actually in an American plant. Nice misleading marketing. Second, There is not enough fat in it. The dogs got really sluggish.

Save your money. I had been using Pro Pac for close to 15 years and went right back to the High Performance formula after wasting money on Orijen.


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## Lizzie (Oct 22, 2010)

Saltydog;
I'd like to know where you got your information about the chicken being produced in the States??? Do you work for Champion Pet Foods? Orijen is by far the BEST dog food on the market today. I feed it to my Bernese and she's doing great.


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## ann g (May 6, 2010)

I'm not gonna bash Orijen but my gsd was on Orijen for 6wks and Acana for 2 months, no noticable improvements. In fact he had less energy levels than when he is on a grain inclusive food. I had high hopes for Campion foods and I'm sure it works for a lot of dogs just not mine.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Ann,,, I don't believe a word you wrote. My German Shepherd looks and acts awesome on Orijen. So what are you feeding??? Now there are some good grains, just not many. Oatmeal and brown rice are excellent and that's about it. This being my "SIXTH" GSD, I think I know a thing or 2 about GSD's. The main food that a GSD should be eating is grainless and it should be full of Glucosamine. And their is "NONE" better than Orijen. Check around and you'll find Orijen has 3 times the amount of Glucosamine than any other dog food food made today. I can't begin to tell you how important it is to have a lot of Glucosamine in a GSD's diet. GSD's also are prone to loose stools and Orijen does a great job there. 

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Crude Protein (min.)	40.0%
Crude Fat (min.)	16.0%
Crude Fiber (max.)	3.0%
Moisture (max.)	10.0%
Calcium (min.)	1.5%
Calcium (max.)	1.7%
Phosphorus (min.)	1.1%
Phosphorus (max.)	1.3%
Omega-6 (min.)	2.6%
Omega-3 (min.)
DHA
EPA	1.0%
0.6%
0.3%
Carbohydrate (max.)	20.0%

""Glucosamine (min.)	1400 mg/kg""

Chondroitin (min.)	1200 mg/kg
Microorganisms (min.)	120M cfu/kg

http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products/puppyLargeAnalysis.aspx


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

saltydog, YOU HAVE TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST MORONS TO EVER POST HERE. Pro pac vs Orijen,,, lol... YOU KNOW ABSOLULTY NOTHING ABOUT DOG AND I MEAN NOTHING!!!!! Start here and do a little reading if you are able to...I have to believe these morons aLl work for another pet food company and come here to bash Orijen BECAUSE THEY ARE PAID TO BASH!!!


http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=badingredients


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

LOOK PRO PAC 1 star rating LOL. and look at the crap thats in it

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=230&cat=7


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## ann g (May 6, 2010)

I know that Orijen looks the best, thats why I bought it, and when I didn't see improvements I switched to Acana Wild Prairie(same results as Orijen, none. I'm not gonna continue to pay 70$ a bag(thats what it costs in the only store in my town) when I dont see results that I can get on a cheaper food.
The other brands I've tried besides Champion are Innova, Wellness, Blue Buffalo,and Merrick. My dog is currently on Whole Earth Farms by Merrick. He has been on that for almost 3months now but he's not crazy about it. The only food that he has shown noticable results on was Wellness Large Brd Adult, not to mention he seemed to enjoy it. Lots of energy and really soft coat. My dog is not a couch potato either, he goes to dog park and runs every day and gets at least 1 40 min walk per day not to mention all the ball playing and running around in the house and yard.
I know what you feed your dog is very important, I used to feed Iams and Eukanuba till I got internet and began doing research. I too lost my beloved gsd, Chance 3yrs ago unexpectantly at the age of 12, he ate Iams an we never knew the cause of his death. I certainly dont want that to happen again.
I know everyone preaches Orijen and I gave it a try, it just didn't work for my dog. Mine does best with a grain inclusive food, plus he gets cooked chicken, turkey and occasionly hamburger added in plus canned grain free a few times a week for a different protien source.
I have read your posts and others as well for quite a while now. I have learned alot but I don't appreciate you saying that you dont believe a word of it. I have a beautiful lean gsd that in my opinion is eating better than anyone dog I know and I will continue to feed him what works best for him, it just wasn't Orijen. I never said it was a bad food.
Please feel free to go onto the forum and check out pix of my Frodo, my profile is ann g.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Hi Ann-have you ever tried Taste Of The Wild? My 2 dogs love it.It has good ingredients and a budget price.I get a 30 lb bag for $40 bucks.The two best formulas are Wetlands and Prairie.


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## ann g (May 6, 2010)

Michelle-
Yes, I've been wanting to try it, especially the Wetlands because Frodo loves canned duck so maybe he'll like it. I just got a new bag of food so it will be probably another month before I'll need to get more. But it is something I'm going to try.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Did you say duck, LOL. Ann, all the brands you mention are great,,, not to include Icykanuba or lams.


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## ann g (May 6, 2010)

Like most people, until I got the internet over a year ago I thought the only dog foods were the ones at grocery stores or Petsmart, thankfully I have discovered better options. Yes, he gets canned food of all varieties including duck, which he seems to really like. Salmon is his other favorite, although he doesn't like the fish based dry foods.


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## Lizzie (Oct 22, 2010)

Here's another reason to love Orijen! My local dealer told me they're changing the formula to 80% meat (instead of 70%) and 20% vegetables/fruit (instead of 30%)!! However, this also means a price hike unfortunately!


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## Jere_Murray (Nov 16, 2010)

We adopted a year old boxer that had been kenneled most of the day and had terrible ear and skin infections. Her dog food at that time was Ol Roy and she was severely undernourished and weighed 45 pounds. We switched her to BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food and the change in her was nothing short of miraculous. However, the cost of BARF is very high plus the shipping costs. So once we had her on the right track and after much research we changed her to Origen. She continued her improvement and now a year and a half later you would never know that she was the same dog. The vet was amazed at her progress and her current condition. Everyone who sees her oohs and aahs over her beautiful coat and obvious good health. She can't wait to dig into her food. We do mix a third of a BARF patty in with the Origen. It is expensive but we just go out to eat less and shift that cost to the dog food. We could not be happier with Origen!


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

It's true, Orijen is changing their formula for the BETTER and better is something that doesn't happen very often.

http://www.championpetfoods.com/


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## Lizzie (Oct 22, 2010)

Well, no matter the price hike, I will still buy Orijen for my dear Bern Sasha. Since the amount of protein is increasing, feeding portions may decrease, so it may all even out in the long run!


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I totally agree and I well always feed Orijen as my dogs main food. But I have to stay real and realize money well became a factor some day. This means Orijen well only be his main meal and his AM feeding well have to be a less spendy food. Once it gets to 2.25-2.50 bucks a pound is when things well change for me, because I can get red meat for that price. I know Tony likes the red meat waaay better than any kibble.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Does anyone know how long Orijen/Champion Pets has been in business and what type of trial testing methods they use? I emailed their customer service on the website about 3 weeks ago and no one has got back with me at this point. Thanks


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

1975 and all their testing is done on their own personal animals. I found that in their F.A.Q section and I remember reading that when I fist started feeding Orijen.

http://www.championpetfoods.com/faq/


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks Jess, that might explained why they didn't respond to my email. I thought I looked on their FAQ and didn't see it when I looked it over. But in testing I meant more like did they do performance type testing, not general feeding, palatability type tests. I'm not sure which one you feed, but in case I haven't mentioned it, give the regional red a try, although I am currently feeding my Doberman 4 - 4.5 cups a day of this formula, I'm a bit shocked b/c that's about all I was feeding on the Pro Plan formula I was using last year at this same time.


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## Maggie's_Mom (Dec 27, 2010)

We fed our small dog Solid Gold Wee Bits for a few months and she virtually stopped eating. We like the idea of feeding her a holistic healthy food, so we tried the lamb recipe and she still won't eat it. She gobbles up other dogs' food, but won't touch Solid Gold. Any ideas on why she won't eat or other brands to try?


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## Nate1 (Jan 11, 2011)

I have my 2 Dachshunds on the new 80% Orijen Adult. The dogs not only go more crazy for it then the old 70%, but it no longer has a fishy smell to the kibble.
My female loves it so much she sucks it up like a vacuum. The only downfall is they only get 1/3 to 1/4 cup twice a day because of the higher calories. Instead of dog treats to add on more calories they get baby carrots. Orijen is the only food I'll buy though. I've tried Halo and Canidae since we adopted them and they didn't do well on those plus they didnt seem to care for it. 

Also, to Maggie, I would highly suggest buying Orijen.....even if you have to buy it online. If your dog does not go crazy for it then I dont know what to tell ya. I've never seen dogs go so crazy for Orijen.


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## RJ (Feb 9, 2011)

Hello. I'm currently feeding my puppy Orijen and he loves it, he's an English Bulldog. I'm mixing it with some Sojos (only veggies) in order to make it last a little longer and to give the kibble a little bit of a different flavor and consistency. The only issue we're having is his stool is really soft and smelly (I know its not the Sojos because we were feeding him only the Sojos before and his stool was completely the opposite). Is this caused because of the high ptotein count? Is he not absorbing and processing it all? I'm sure this has probably been answered somewhere else but any pointers will be greatly appreciated since I only want the best for my dog and I believe I'm feeding the best product in the market.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

My guess and it is only a guess is overfeeding and to much water with his meal. If he isn't very active like my parents Bulldogs, you might wanna look at their senior formula.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Opps, I sure didn't read that he was a puppy. Are you feeding puppy or L.B Puppy?


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## RJ (Feb 9, 2011)

Regular puppy Orijen. He does drink a lot of water but I live in Puerto Rico and the weather is hot. I feed him twice a day about 3/4 of a cup per meal of the Orijen and another 1/4 of the Sojos. He's getting almost all the protein from the Orijen though. Thanks.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

Ya know I love Orijen but it might not work for your dog. Maybe take a look at Acana. I know Bulldogs and if their is one dog breed that farts and has smelly poo it is a bulldog, LOL.


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## RJ (Feb 9, 2011)

He does fart a lot. LOL. I have been looking at Acana also. They seem to be manufactered by the same people or at least their both Canadian. Also, Acana is a little bit easier to find in petshops. Thanks for all the great info.


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## Peter_Ronaldson (Mar 21, 2011)

Unfortunatly I heard the great comments about Orijen too and the great stuff it has but my dog 12 year old pit bull immediately got sick with such bad diareah he had to be hospitalized on IV for 24 hours. Vets told me it was the food. His blood work were all out of wack. Will never try Orijen again. I went back to Taste of the Wild Duck and just like magic he was great again no problems,
and yes i did 14 days transition and the pumpkin and everything. The problem began first day of feeding Orijen on its own he also refuses to eat the stuff. Anyways Taste of the Wild is cheaper too 40$ a bag compared to 60$ and diareah.


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## The Expert (Jan 25, 2012)

Hi Peter, The reason this happened was that the protein in Orijin is WAY to high. It is very sad that they are being promoted as such a great brand, when there have been actual clinical deaths related to the protein content of the food. This company is playing on the market of grain free, as if grain in the diet is an issue. Depending on the company grain really is not a problem. If anyone is looking to switch please read the RESEARCH the company does to ensure their diets are great. I know many great results are being seen today (however, only in large dogs mostly because they can handle the protein better), but what about 10 years down the line, how many small vet bills or bad gas or shedding does your dog have. This is something that makes of breaks diets, and most companies which are advertising these great things have not done the back work to ensure the product is safe for long term consumption. 

If your dog has really bad gas it is because the protein quality is poor. In making the kibble the ingredients go through an extruder, this machine is incredibly tough on the ingredients and if the company are not doing their part in ensuring the ingredients coming in can withstand the heat, you get denatured proteins. This protein then is NOT digestible, and ferments in the colon causing bad gas and very smelly stools. This in some sensitive dogs causes anal gland issues (if you have ever had the pleasures of working a vet clinic and having to help with this one you wont ever want to feed a diet that can do this). Unfortunately the guaranteed analysis tells you the protein, but measures this though Nitrogen levels, NOT through amino acids profiles. Amino acid profiling is very costly and only a truly good company will do this often. Most are required to do it once a year, but the great companies do it much more often to ensure their product is the best. To be honest many of the holistic companies are just giving you great ingredients but not making sure that ALL the nutrients needed to ensure a very long healthy life are there. 

Some dogs do however, have very sensitive stomachs and will produce alot of gas (bulldogs are prone to this), then you can look for a company which is adding pre and probiotics (there are forms which are able to make it through the extruder and are not toxic) this helps with sensitive stomachs (same as adding yogurt), and higher omega 3`s (this reduced inflammation)


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## Syd (Apr 6, 2011)

We heard nothing but good things about Orijen and gave it a try for almost 2 months...
Stools were solid, but he was having severe skin allergies (he's had these allergies with virtually every food we've tried). But his stools were healthy (about the only food that he didn't have loose stools with).


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## Charlie2 (Apr 13, 2011)

Orijen in my calculations is the best. Sadly, I don't give my dog Orijen. I stick with Canidae because that's what my vet reccomends. I would love to switch but vets know best. Please which do you think is better?


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## Shelby (Nov 2, 2010)

Our 11 year old Westie has been eating a combination of Orijin 6 Fish Formula and Origin Senior Formula with an equal portion of baked salmon and/or turkey thighs. I try to give him two small meals a day rather than one large meal. About 5 months ago he began to present stomach issues having loose to diarrhea stools, grumbling belly noises and demonstrating he did not feel well. Our vet believed he had worms and treated him for the problem. However, about one or two months ago the symptoms returned. My vet now believes his diet contains too much fat content and suggested we feed him just the turkey and potatoes. Will this diet provide the nutrients and balance needed for a healthy diet? I bought a probiotic when he began experiencing the problems, and after using it only for a few days as directed and seeing no improvement, have stored it in the refrigerator. Any advice or imput you can give me would be most appreciated. Thank you.


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## Dale2 (May 29, 2011)

If your dog is having digestion troubles I would try a high quality food with a very low number of ingredients like California Natural. Or if you still want the high protein EVO has all the high quality ingredients (maybe more) of Orijen but leaves out the cool sounding label stuffing that your dog doesn't need and may be forming an sensitivity to.


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## Mike15 (Jun 14, 2011)

I will never use this food again and do not recommend it at all. My 3 yr old dog was on it for a few months and he had a blood test done. His liver enzymes were very high. After hundreds of dollars with testing and ultrasounds, we decided to change his food all together. His enzymes are now back to normal. Most dogs cannot digest all that protein and you will never know unless you get a fairly routine blood test done. Be warned.


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## Sharon4 (Jun 22, 2011)

Have been using Orijen for a couple of months now...my dog has developed an urgent thirst, drinking ALOT of water. Labs checked by my vet are normal(negative for diabetes, liver and kidneys are great, very low probabilty for Cushings since alk phos is normal). He recommended that I try a dietary change since I've only been using this for a short time. I researched the herbal ingredients and found several to be diuretics. Also licorice can have some sort of effect on cortisol. I'm really disappointed b/c nothing on the market seems to match it. Any one have any suggestions on another high quality grain free food for senior doggies?


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## Lindsay2 (Jun 28, 2011)

My dog has very loose stools and foul-smelling gas on the Origen large breed puppy food. We have been using it for a month hoping this would improve with time but I think it's time for a switch. I really believed this dog food was the best, but my puppy is not her best on this food.


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## sherry3 (Jul 1, 2011)

My dog has been on several dog foods which I never cared for the ingredients in those ..He has terminal cancer and was getting where I had to coax him to eat ..I decided to go to a good pet store and I asked for the best dogfood they had.The salesperson said that would be orjen so I bought the senior dogfood. He loves it and seems to besome better.Thank you for the orjen food.I dont understand the negative comments..Sure is alot better than wellness.Bought that and my dogs coat looked horrible after three months...I am in love and will not change...My dog loves it and its worth it...


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## Mark10 (Jul 11, 2011)

Not sure how the one reviewers dog had liver issues while on Orijen. And the part about dogs not being able to digest all that protein? What do you think they would eat in the wild?

Same bad info as people say that us humans can't digest all that protein. Human nature would not allow for organisms to evolve without the ability to "digest a lot of protein".

No studies have been done showing high protein diets are bad for humans (minus those with already diagnosed kidney disease) and the same can be said for dogs.

Recently switched both our dogs from Artemis to Orijen in the past month and both are doing great. Did you people that rated it low transition them slowly? I did so over a 2-3 week period and that was going from a rather natural dog food to this. Can't imagine switching a dog from commercial kibble to this stuff all at once.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

If you would like to sign a petition against animal abuse, you can do it here. http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-for-a-strong-sentence-against-patricks-abuser


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## Mike15 (Jun 14, 2011)

Mark....I guess you know more than 2 vets with 35+ years exp. and a breeder? Not all dogs or humans can handle the amount of protein the same. You try taking 3x amount of protein your are supposed to and get a blood test.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

The problem w/ high protein diets, is most dogs live a couch potato lifestyle, and probably only get outside and run for about 45min -1hr a day or less, in this case a extremely high protein diet is not needed or warranted, in the wild dogs, and wolves consume high protein meals b/c it's necessary for survival, but todays' domesticated house dog doesn't have this need do to environmental changes.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

does have this need due to the environmental differences between him and his distant cousin.


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## chad1 (Aug 9, 2011)

Most prople should not have dogs! I am lucky enough to have my own business an take my dog with me every day. she gets to the park 3 to 5 times a day for 15 min a time. She gets to run about 2 miles each time. but my main concern is her diet! Orijen looks great on the ingredients list but what about the loophole dog food companies have? The one where they dont have to list whats in the meat such as chemicals an where it came from. Referring to the 4D's. I need to know if the best diet for my dog be a home cooked meal? Because if kibbles are really so great for dogs an so healthy, why dont they make a kibble for humans to eat? I would realy like to have a 40lbs bag of food thats good for 6 months to a year an i could eat 3 times a day an have all my diet needs met. lol funny but true. She is not my pet she is a part of the family! Thank you


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Chad unfortunately there is no perfect dog or human food , but your doing a good job feeding the Orijen, it's very likely that Orijen will not reveal the rendering plant they source their ingredients b/c I've asked them this information in the past and didn't receive a reply, but I think they are still a decent food by pet food standards, so as long as your dog is doing well it's probably not a issue. But I'm with you, I would like a human food made w/ the concept of a complete meal like dog food as well LOL.


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## Jennifer16 (Aug 29, 2011)

I started feeding my dog Orijen and within a month he had pancreatitis. Won't use this food again.


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## Susan_Kirton (Sep 2, 2011)

I too started feeding my golden Orijen a couple of months ago and he
has pancreatitis. I feel so bad that I thought I was giving him something
really good, only to cause this. I now have a dog that has to be on a 
special diet for life. Perhaps they should say that although working
dogs can handle all this protein, normal house pets really can't.
We certainly can't use this food again.


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## Michelle6 (Feb 12, 2010)

Jennifer, probably not the Orijen, check this article out.... http://www.lovable-golden-retriever.com/pancreatitis-in-dogs.html


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## Little Wise Owl (Nov 2, 2010)

My dogs did fantastic on this food. Because it's so rich and high in calories, you can easily feed much less than what's recommended. 

What I didn't like about it was the price. I couldn't keep paying $80 for one bag.


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## Diana3 (Sep 12, 2011)

my dog loves orijen, she had bad skin allergies and her coat was a mess very itchy, the vet told me it was the food i was giving her (pedigree) i switched to orijen and she no longer ripps her skin out and her coat looks beautiful and shiny.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I still feed this along with one cup of the 6 fish at his am feeding. His pm feeding is this, mixed evenly with TOTW due to $$$. I still get meat for 2.15 a pound at Costco, so he gets about 60 grams of fresh raw meat a day as a after dinner snack. Gotta watch the fingers when feeding him meat, LOL. I think he could be getting issues (hotspots) with chicken so I am gonna start feeding the Wild Sierra Mountain because it contains zero chicken. I can't afford the Red since it went up so much. We tried Kirkland but it did not work for Tony and gave the rest of bag to the pet adoption place here.


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## Antonio1 (Apr 22, 2010)

Jess, you might want to look into Victors Grain Free. That's what I'm feeding currently, but Nevermind I'm not sure it's available over in your area, and also it does have Chicken in the formula.


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## Lana1 (Nov 7, 2011)

We've used Orijen with our dog since we got him last year. He is a rescue dog- Black Lab with a skinny cross (greyhound? whippet? whatever...). His coat is super shiny (I never see any other Labs at the dog park anywhere close to his 'gleam'), and he is a very energetic and athletic dog. He is slim due to his 'breeding', but the high protein content works wonders on how fit he is. One thing- the Regional Red gives him the stinkiest and most frequent farts, so we switched back to the Poultry and Fish formula. Our cats also eat Orijen and prior to this they were incredibly picky. Now, they will eat any of the Orijen formulas with no complaint. And they are in great shape.


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## Ted_Levecque (Nov 13, 2011)

Just switched from Fromm to Orijen Senior, to help control Diabetes, also Insulin can now be purchased from a Drug Store rather than a Vet, as it is the Human Kind of Insulin called Humullin R. Will see how she does on this food, I was a little concerned at first over the high Protein content but after a lot of study with my Vet it seems to be okay


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## Ash (Jul 23, 2010)

Lana, I had the same issue with the gas for the first 3 weeks when I started with the Red., Eventually it went away. This brand, especially the Red, seems to take a longer transitional period than most foods.


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## Markalaw (Nov 18, 2011)

We really like how our little Cavalier has taken to Orijen. I have had her on it now for two years. But, those desiring to swtich to Orijen should be aware of two things. First, the transition from a non-Orijen product to Orijen took us about four weeks (gassy and loose stools). I now rotate among Regional Red (her favorite), 6 Fish, and Adult for variety, and because its all Orijen, I've not had the transitional issues. Second, the amount of food needed may not be as much as your old food. I found that the recommended amount of kibble I was feeding her with the old brand was too much compared to Orijen's recommended amount by nearly 25%.


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## Maija (Dec 2, 2011)

I've been feeding Orijen 6 Fish to my 2.5 -year-old Lagotto Romagnolo for half a year now. First everything was like a dream - stinky gas was no longer a problem like it used to be with many other foods that I tried. Nails and coat went remarkably better in really short time. Cutting the nails was always a nightmare with my dog: the nails went in to pieces and that was of course painful. Now it is just one of these things that has to be done, not worrying from my side and not panic & pain thing for my dog. After ear infection and antibiotics for that the gas problem has returned with more or less constant diarrhea. I think it has something to do with the right kind of bacteria in the stomach. Now the bacteria is just not in balance. Sea weed powder and yoghurt I've already tried. If someone has any ideas, I'd be very grateful...


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## Terri6 (Dec 8, 2011)

My GSD did not do well with Orijen. We tried 6 fish and regional red. She was on Evo red meat and I wanted to get something else in rotation. She had stinky stools nd lots of gas along with itchy paws and stains on her hair around around her anal area. Now I have switched back to Evo fish and her coat is now gorgeous. No more itchy paws. I am now slowly integrating Nature's Variety Instinct into her diet and she is doing quite well. No more Orijen for Shiloh.


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## Will1 (Jan 10, 2012)

Question, has anyone just Googled 'problems with Orijen' I did and page after page of complaints come up from a variety of breed forums. 

Seems like this food is just an internet darling, but nothing more.


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## Jessy (Jan 29, 2012)

I love origins products my dog is very healthy and she only gets three cups a day at 65 lbs a 30lbs bag will last her a month and a half. And my friends dog had skin cancers and wouldn't eat he switched to origen after I told him about their product his dog is doing much better. Cancers spots are getting smaller and he is gaining wait can't keep him out of the bag lol.


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## misty2 (Feb 11, 2012)

Hi I have a 5 month old male yorkie. When I 1st got him I had him on science diet. About a 5 weeks ago I switched him over to Origen. He loves it but has lots of gas. The problem I am having is I was told that once you open it its only good for 40 days. I am buying the trial .88lb bags ( one a week) It would be cheaper to get small bag but I am worried about him getting sick if I dont use it fast enough. ANy suggestions?

Thanks in advance


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## RealDog (Jul 4, 2011)

You guys know that Orijen sold out right? Bedford Capital runs it now, and the CEO is Frank Burdzy, a chemical company executive.

Why when Natura was sold did everyone have a hissy fit but when you try to mention it on the forum the comment is removed?


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## Kyrsten_Adams (Apr 5, 2012)

We have fed Orijen now for goingon 4or5 years to our Newfoundlands and we highly recommend it. I have haard some other breeders say it is too "rich" for their dog and caused stomach upset but all my dogs have always done well and they have a mixture of bloodlines. Was always worried about the high protein for our puppies but so far so good. We love Orijen!


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## Sara4 (Sep 18, 2012)

About a month ago, I switched over my boy to Orijen, from Royal Canin Vet line for large breed puppies. My vet assured me it was balanced and worth the $90, yes $90 dollars for a big bag. After I did some research though, I realized the ingredients were not all that impressive. Corn was second on the list... So, we switched to Orijen which I did extensive research on. It's made right here in Alberta, where we live, has amazing ingredients, and an over all great outlook on dog nutrition. Unfortunately, we will be trying something else next time we buy him food. He started off great, then slowly began to leave his meals unfinished, which never happened before. But the main reason is because he now gets awful, terrible, foul gas all the time, and his BM's are just rank. I know it's all the protein, but it can\t be comfortable being that gassy all the time... If any one has any suggestions please let me know


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## Anne6 (Apr 20, 2013)

I have a 2 year old long haired shepherd who weighs between 70 and 80 pounds and is very fit and healthy....have fed Orijen large puppy until about two months ago and gradually changed to Orijen adult large dog.......have had no gas, diarrhea, etc. issues, poops are normal...always get compliments on her coat and over all health....I have been adding a small bag of Now to each large bag of Orijen.....she eats about four cups a day, I just keep food available and never issues with over eating, she also gets raw marrow bones....I find dogs eat less with good quality food...will continue with this food until I am aware that they use poor ingredients and preservatives...would recommend this food, but of-course, as in people, not everyone can always eat the same thing, allergies are more prevalent because of our environment...


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## Krusty (May 24, 2013)

Been feeding my dogs Orijen for over a year now and we're very happy. No gas or diarrhea and poops are normal. Everybody compliments us on the rich color and texture of their poops. It used to be so embarrasing when they would do runny stinky poops which I'm sure plenty of you can relate to. You get what you pay for. Great food at the right price.


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## Todd2 (Oct 22, 2013)

This statement is totally incorrect "Orijen is amongst the best grain free brands of dog food out there" BECAUSE IT IS BY FAR, THEE BEST DOG FOOD PRODUCED TODAY. All the others are over loaded with "a meat meal" and meat meal is between 70-90% bone. Chicken meal, turkey meal and others... Sure some bone is very good for dogs, but not the majority of the product. But no matter what you feed, add as much fresh meat as you can afford.


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## Chris_Perry (Jun 27, 2015)

Orijen is the only dog food my 17 month old German Shepard has eaten. We get compliments all the time about his coat. The breeder we bought him from highly suggested this great food! 
This is my second GSD and I have tried all different brands and found out the hard way that inexpensive usually means very low quality.


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## GermanSheperdlover (Nov 15, 2009)

I am really sad to see that their Glucosamine % went from 1500mg/kg to 700mg/kg. It has affected my dog and I now give him an extra Glucosamine pill in the AM. But it is still, by far, the best dog food made today. Darn expensive, but you have to pay to get the best and that matters in everything in life.


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