# Which is better Orijen or Innova EVO?



## phunkyphat (Nov 4, 2008)

Just wanted to know what you guys think. I use Orijen but my local petstore here in Sacramento, CA said that they sell more of the Innova EVO dry kibble. The employees their also think EVO is a better dog food than Orijen. Just need everyone's opinions.


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## Doc (Jan 17, 2009)

Orijen - without question


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Yeah I'm gonna go with Orijen too. Especially with their new red meat formula. They just put a lot more meat and wider variety of protein sources in there than Evo does.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I'd personally go with Orijen because my dog didnt care for the taste of EVO.


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## 1605 (May 27, 2009)

I can't speak to the Orijen, but Zio is enjoying the change to Evo Large Bites from his previous food, Exceed. Also, given that he is an extremely active hunting dog, the 42% protein is a good choice.

I also thought that the fact that their formula is grainless is a real plus.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Rocky eats Orijen but he also gets a can of Evo split into two portions twice a day just because I read that canned food contains more meat then kibble and he LOVES his twice a day plate of Evo. It's really expensive so I may just give him real meat twice a day when I run out of that and it may be cheaper. He does really well on the Orijen dry but I have to have it shipped here. My local store is considering starting to carry it because more and more people are asking for it instead of the Evo.


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## claybuster (Dec 18, 2008)

phunkyphat said:


> Just wanted to know what you guys think. I use Orijen but my local petstore here in Sacramento, CA said that they sell more of the Innova EVO dry kibble. The employees their also think EVO is a better dog food than Orijen. Just need everyone's opinions.



I never tried either and have no desire. Each seems to have way too many inappropriate ingredients IMO. They are omnivore targeted nutrition, not carnivore.


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## lorih1770 (Jun 17, 2008)

I vote for Orijen! I think Evo is a great food too, but I buy Orijen. My two dogs LOVE Orijen and were only so-so about Evo.


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## Doc (Jan 17, 2009)

I'd go with Abady in your situation. It will give you better results, IMO. I've fed both Abady and Orijen - it really depends on what you are trying to accomplish.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

I think that both Orijen and Innova & EVO are great products. I have used Innova & EVO and found them excellent. In my rotation I will try Orijen! I want to try the fish one! They all make great claims on their web sights so really need to know what your looking for exactly. Its what works best for your dog! 
But Orijen to me is better than Acana and this is what the company writes and I agree!

MEAT CONCENTRATION: ORIJEN is made with 70-75% meat ingredients while ACANA has between 40 to 65%, depending on the formula. 
AMOUNT OF PROTEIN: ORIJEN diets range between 38% and 42% protein, while ACANA features protein levels of 29-34%. 
AMOUNT OF CARBOHYDRATE: ORIJEN diets range from 18-22% of carbohydrate, while ACANA diets are typically in the 28-30% carbohydrate range. 
AMOUNT OF FRESH MEAT: ORIJEN is made with 28-33% of fresh meats, compared with ACANA which ranges from 9-15% of fresh meats. 
VARIETY OF FRESH MEAT: ORIJEN contains a minimum of 5 fresh meats, compared to ACANA which contains 3 different fresh meat ingredients. 

EVO claims~EVO Grain-Free, Meat-Based Pet Food
While all Natura Pet Products use high-quality meat as the main pet food ingredient, EVO dog and cat food is completely grain-free. In fact, EVO has the highest protein content of any meat-based dry pet food on the market and uses whole, fresh meat sources such as turkey, chicken and herring meal!

Innova claims~Innova Holistic Cat and Dog Food
Just as dieticians recommend following the U.S. Department of Agriculture food pyramid for our own dietary needs, Innova applies this same principle when creating foods for our animal friends. Every Innova pet product, including our new Nutrient-Enhanced Innova Flex stews, incorporates elements from the five food groups - meat, dairy, vegetables, fruit and grain - plus essential fats and oils to deliver supreme nutrition for the overall health of your dog or cat.

Abady has by ~products and isn't a great food at all!


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## Winniesdad (Nov 25, 2008)

I think they are both close enough that you should just let your dog decide. They both have pretty decent ingredients and they are both pretty expensive so it should come down to your dog. Some might do better on Evo and some on Orijen.

Clay I know your nuts for Abady and I wouldn't mind giving it a try for my Coonhound but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I'm in Minnesota and haven't seen it anywhere.


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## Doc (Jan 17, 2009)

Nothing wrong with Abady's chicken by-products. Before you critize it, maybe you should try it. Your dogs will like it.


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## Winniesdad (Nov 25, 2008)

Hmmm I didn't criticize the by products. I just can't find anyone who sells it.

**edit** oops I see your post wasn't meant for me. I still stand by the fact that you cant find the stuff anywhere!


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## STPFAN (Feb 5, 2009)

Orijen gets my vote!

I get a great deal on it plus its good to I'm supporting a Canadian company!


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## BabyHusky (Jul 21, 2008)

Yea both are great so I think whichever the dog prefers is fine. Mine prefers EVO so thats what she gets. :tongue:


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

Doc said:


> Nothing wrong with Abady's chicken by-products. Before you critize it, maybe you should try it. Your dogs will like it.


I am not here to critizie anyones choice of food Feed whatever you like if it agrees with your pup then go for it. I just know that Abady from what I have read seems not a choice for my dogs that I would ever choose. I don't like their ingredients and I don't care for what they put in their food. If it works for your dogs then it is fine for you and your pups! I jsut would never recommend this product or endorse it to others because of the ingredients I think they are not good! As to whether my dogs would like it they may but they will never get the chance to find out because I don't care for the ingredients. But I wouldn't say I want to argue about this or be beligerent! Just don't like the product! 

Chicken by-product meal is defined by AAFCO as "consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice. “Poultry” by-product meal is similar, but of unidentifiable origin (species). Meat and bone meal is an extremely low quality product of unidentifiable origin and something we would go to great lengths to avoid in any dog food. It is defined as "the rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices".


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## Doc (Jan 17, 2009)

wags said:


> I am not here to critizie anyones choice of food Feed whatever you like if it agrees with your pup then go for it. I just know that Abady from what I have read seems not a choice for my dogs that I would ever choose. I don't like their ingredients and I don't care for what they put in their food. If it works for your dogs then it is fine for you and your pups! I jsut would never recommend this product or endorse it to others because of the ingredients I think they are not good! As to whether my dogs would like it they may but they will never get the chance to find out because I don't care for the ingredients. But I wouldn't say I want to argue about this or be beligerent! Just don't like the product!
> 
> Chicken by-product meal is defined by AAFCO as "consisting of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice. “Poultry” by-product meal is similar, but of unidentifiable origin (species). Meat and bone meal is an extremely low quality product of unidentifiable origin and something we would go to great lengths to avoid in any dog food. It is defined as "the rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices".


"Don't judge a book by its cover". Perhaps you are reading your bias into the ingredient list on the box of Abady. Some federal agency "define" the products and we are suppose to drink their Kool-Aid? Dogs were eating lard and chicken by-products long before commercial dog food was invented. I appreciate the attempt by some companies to produce an outstanding product for dogs. I just personally believe it can come from many sources. I have fed Orijen, Pinnicle, Natural Balance, EVO, and 2 different Abady products. I can make comments on all theses because I have first experience with them and seen the results. 

I'm sure eating raw fish is a no no according to some federal agencies, but sushi is sold all over the place.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

Doc said:


> "Don't judge a book by its cover". Perhaps you are reading your bias into the ingredient list on the box of Abady. Some federal agency "define" the products and we are suppose to drink their Kool-Aid? Dogs were eating lard and chicken by-products long before commercial dog food was invented. I appreciate the attempt by some companies to produce an outstanding product for dogs. I just personally believe it can come from many sources. I have fed Orijen, Pinnicle, Natural Balance, EVO, and 2 different Abady products. I can make comments on all theses because I have first experience with them and seen the results.
> 
> I'm sure eating raw fish is a no no according to some federal agencies, but sushi is sold all over the place.


I'm pretty logical and I do think the ingredient list is their for a reason so we the public know what is in the product. I have used all the products you mention except Abady which I never will. I don't think they are writing falsehoods on this product. I find some of the food mentioned of very high quality and also some of it has a bit much in protien levels and some dogs do great others do not! I study up on these products and ask questions from store owners just regular folk even in general and I like to hear the results. The rep from Bil Jack tried to tell me how great it was and hmmm I was very confused as to her reasoning and thinking Molasses? yuck! Well anyway My kids drank koolaid and loved it I let them have sugar! I can't help it I love chocolate also! But I don't think I would let any one cram it down my throat! I pick and choose! And I hate sushi would never ever try it! But a couple of my kids eat it and tell me I don't know what I am missing! Ahhh choices! You have a wonderful rest of the day! just got back form a nice long walk going to have some koolaid!

If you wish in this world to advance, your merits you're bound to enhance; You must stir it and stump it, and blow your own trumpet, or trust me, you haven't a chance. 
W. S. Gilbert


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

chowder said:


> Rocky eats Orijen but he also gets a can of Evo split into two portions twice a day just because I read that canned food contains more meat then kibble and he LOVES his twice a day plate of Evo. It's really expensive so I may just give him real meat twice a day when I run out of that and it may be cheaper. He does really well on the Orijen dry but I have to have it shipped here. My local store is considering starting to carry it because more and more people are asking for it instead of the Evo.


Chowder- With Titus, I put ground trukey, chicken, beef or anything else ground that is on sale into his kibble and mix it up. That way I know that he is getting protien and I know that it's not processed, dried and ground so fine that it is no longer recognizable. I might even suggest that others do it as well if you are looking for a higher protien level, but don't want to switch to raw. (Not telling anyone to switch to raw here, just trying to help!) I have been getting ground meet for between 1-3 dollars a pound, or on sale if they are having sales.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Dogs need protein! and the more natural the better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

whiteleo said:


> Dogs need protein! and the more natural the better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Agreed!!!!


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

EnglishBullTerriers said:


> Chowder- With Titus, I put ground trukey, chicken, beef or anything else ground that is on sale into his kibble and mix it up. That way I know that he is getting protien and I know that it's not processed, dried and ground so fine that it is no longer recognizable. I might even suggest that others do it as well if you are looking for a higher protien level, but don't want to switch to raw. (Not telling anyone to switch to raw here, just trying to help!) I have been getting ground meet for between 1-3 dollars a pound, or on sale if they are having sales.


You're right, at those prices it is cheaper then buying cans of Evo. Plus he mainly eats the Orijen anyway. I also try to hit my grocery store at the right time so they have their meat in the clearance bin and mark it half off. If we can eat it at half off, the dogs can surely eat it too!!!


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## claybuster (Dec 18, 2008)

EnglishBullTerriers said:


> Chowder- With Titus, I put ground trukey, chicken, beef or anything else ground that is on sale into his kibble and mix it up. That way I know that he is getting protien and I know that it's not processed, dried and ground so fine that it is no longer recognizable. I might even suggest that others do it as well if you are looking for a higher protien level, but don't want to switch to raw. (Not telling anyone to switch to raw here, just trying to help!) I have been getting ground meet for between 1-3 dollars a pound, or on sale if they are having sales.


Adding fresh meat (raw or cooked) up to 15% by weight is always consistent with good feeding practice. I don't have to do that because what I feed is a stand alone product. It is not needed however it is mentioned on the side of the box, it is always consistent with good feeding! I think it is a very wise idea to supplement with today’s omnivore commercial rations being they are very weak in animal source proteins. 'Ancestral Diets' and 'Biologically Appropriate' are catch words designed to catch you! IMO there is nothing ancestral or biologically appropriate about any of these two feed in question!

Chicken, Turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal....where is the strength when looking at that profile? Careful! It is very easy to be fooled here. The last two are far superior than the first two in regards to the proteins. Remember the dollar bill analogy I used prior. The first two ingredients amount to about 25 cents worth of that dollar, not nearly enough protein, not in the slightest to satisfy even a small part of the 42% protein these feeds boast. The next two however, the meals, constitute the bulk of the animal source proteins in the remainder but are not making up the remainder of the 42%, no way. Both feeds protein core are about 60% IMO, and the remainder of those proteins are none other than gluten source proteins. That 42% I think is 60% animal source and 40% gluten and it's not enough. It's good, but not good enough IMO to keep them out of the Vets office and med-free, all the time. And that is why, with a lot of these designer kibble products it is a very good idea to supplement up to 15% with your own raw or cook meat. You will often hear don’t cook the meat, it kills most of the nutrients but on the other hand cooked meat would be better than no meat at all I think most would agree.


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## EnglishBullTerriers (Sep 10, 2008)

claybuster said:


> Adding fresh meat (raw or cooked) up to 15% by weight is always consistent with good feeding practice. I don't have to do that because what I feed is a stand alone product. It is not needed however it is mentioned on the side of the box, it is always consistent with good feeding! I think it is a very wise idea to supplement with today’s omnivore commercial rations being they are very weak in animal source proteins. 'Ancestral Diets' and 'Biologically Appropriate' are catch words designed to catch you! IMO there is nothing ancestral or biologically appropriate about any of these two feed in question!
> 
> It's good, but not good enough IMO to keep them out of the Vets office and med-free, all the time. And that is why, with a lot of these designer kibble products it is a very good idea to supplement up to 15% with your own raw or cook meat. You will often hear don’t cook the meat, it kills most of the nutrients but on the other hand cooked meat would be better than no meat at all I think most would agree.


Yea, i don't have to worry about adding suplements to my dogs diet because I give them all they need in a raw piece of meat!! But for those who feed kibble, and for my sisters dog that she doesn't want to be fed raw meat, I add about 1/4 pund of ground raw meat to his first meal of the day and leave the second plain. He is a ~100 pound dog that would cost a TON of money to feed plain kibble daily and I would rather know that he is getting protien as much as possible.


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