Our verdict
Is Orijen Original Dog Food a good dog food?
We score it 74/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.
Complete extruded dry food for dogs of all life stages, with chicken, turkey and chicken liver as the main ingredients.
Who is this food for?
Suits
- Labelled by the manufacturer for all lifestages
- Grain-free: no grain ingredients listed
- Doesn't list beef, lamb, venison, pork, duck as ingredients
Consider something else if:
- Your dog avoids chicken: the label lists chicken
- Your dog avoids turkey: the label lists turkey
- Your dog avoids fish: the label lists herring
- You want a single-protein recipe: this one lists more than one animal protein
- You are limiting fat: 20.5% on a dry-matter basis is in the high band
These points are derived from declared ingredients and analysis, not a substitute for veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, food choice is a medical nutrition decision: speak to your vet. Find foods that fit your dog.
Nutrition and feedingProtein 38% · Fat 18%
Typical analysis (as fed)
| Nutrient | As fed |
|---|---|
| Protein | 38% |
| Fat | 18% |
| Fibre | 5% |
| Ash | 9% |
| Moisture | 12% |
| Omega-3 fatty acids | 1% |
| Omega-6 fatty acids | 3% |
| Calcium | 1.40% |
| Phosphorus | 1.10% |
Additives & feeding info
Feeding and storage
Storage
Store in cool, dry place.
Feeding guide
1 Cup = 120g Dog Weight KG LB 2-5 4-11 5-10 11-22 10-20 22-44 20-30 44-66 30-40 66-88 40-50 88-110 50-60 110-132 Less Active 1 hour or LESS daily exercise Cups/Day GR/Day ¼ - ½ 30-60 ½ - 1 60-120 1 - 1⅓ 120-160 1⅓ - 2 160-240 2 - 2⅓ 240-280 2⅓ - 2¾ 280-330 2¾ - 3¼ 330-390 Active 1 hour or MORE daily exercise Cups/Day GR/Day ⅓ - ¾ 40-90 ¾ - 1¼ 90-150 1¼ - 2 150-240 2 - 2¾ 240-330 2¾-3½ 330-420 3½ - 4 420-480 4- 4¾ 480-570
Additives declared on the label
Nutritional additives
Zinc 105 mg; Copper 11 mg; Vitamin B1 10 mg; Vitamin A 3750 IU; Vitamin D3 500 IU; Vitamin E 80 IU
Technological additives
Tocopherol extract from vegetable oils 121 mg; citric acid 40 mg
Ingredients (44)15% of the recipe is estimated
Estimated composition
- meat 81.0%
- veg 12.5%
- oil 4.0%
- carb 1.9%
- fibre 0.6%
| # | As declared | Matched | Label reading | Declared % | Est. % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresh chicken (25%) | Chicken | meat · medium | 25 | 25.0 |
| 2 | raw turkey (8%) | Turkey | meat · medium | 8 | 8.0 |
| 3 | 3.5% liver | Chicken Liver | meat · good | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| 4 | 3.5% heart | Chicken Heart | meat · good | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| 5 | raw whole herring (6%) | Herring | meat · good | 6 | 6.0 |
| 6 | raw whole hake (5%) | Hake | meat · good | 5 | 5.0 |
| 7 | fresh eggs (5%) | Egg | meat · good | 5 | 5.0 |
| 8 | raw turkey liver (5%) | Liver | meat · good | 5 | 5.0 |
| 9 | dehydrated chicken (4%) | Dried chicken protein | meat · good | 4 | 4.0 |
| 10 | dehydrated turkey (4%) | Dehydrated turkey protein | meat · good | 4 | 4.0 |
| 11 | dehydrated mackerel (4%) | Mackerel | meat · good | 4 | 4.0 |
| 12 | dehydrated sardine (4%) | Sardines | meat · good | 4 | 4.0 |
| 13 | dehydrated herring (4%) | Herring | meat · good | 4 | 4.0 |
| 14 | whole red lentils | Lentils | veg · medium | - | 0.7 |
| 15 | whole chickpeas | Chickpeas | veg · good | - | 0.7 |
| 16 | whole peas | Peas | veg · good | - | 0.7 |
| 17 | chicken fat (3%) | Chicken Oil and Fat | oil · good | 3 | 3.0 |
| 18 | whole green lentils | Lentils | veg · medium | - | 0.6 |
| 19 | whole pinto beans | Whole Pinto Beans | carb · medium | - | 0.6 |
| 20 | whole navy beans | Whole Navy Beans | carb · medium | - | 0.6 |
| 21 | lentil fibre | Lentil Fiber | fibre · medium | - | 0.6 |
| 22 | pollock oil (1%) | Pollock Oil | oil · good | 1 | 1.0 |
| 23 | pea starch | Pea Starch | carb · poor | - | 0.6 |
| 24 | dried kelp | Kelp | veg · good | - | 0.6 |
| 25 | fresh whole pumpkin | Pumpkin | veg · good | - | 0.6 |
| 26 | fresh whole butternut squash | Butternut Squash | veg · good | - | 0.6 |
| 27 | fresh whole zucchini | Courgette | veg · good | - | 0.6 |
| 28 | fresh whole carrots | Carrots | veg · good | - | 0.5 |
| 29 | fresh whole apples | Apples | veg · good | - | 0.5 |
| 30 | fresh whole pears | Pears | veg · good | - | 0.5 |
| 31 | dried chicory root | Chicory root | veg · good | - | 0.5 |
| 32 | fresh kale | Kale | veg · good | - | 0.5 |
| 33 | fresh spinach | Spinach | veg · good | - | 0.5 |
| 34 | fresh beet greens | Fresh Beet Greens | veg · good | - | 0.5 |
| 35 | fresh turnip greens | Turnip | veg · good | - | 0.5 |
| 36 | whole cranberries | Cranberries | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
| 37 | whole blueberries | Blueberries | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
| 38 | whole saskatoon berries | Whole Saskatoon Berries | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
| 39 | turmeric | Turmeric | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
| 40 | milk thistle | Milk Thistle | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
| 41 | burdock root | Burdock Root | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
| 42 | lavender | Lavender | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
| 43 | marshmallow root | Marshmallow Root | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
| 44 | rosehips | Rose Hip | veg · good | - | 0.4 |
- 1. Fresh chicken (25%)25% declared25.0% estimated
- 2. raw turkey (8%)8% declared8.0% estimated
- 3. 3.5% liver3.5% declared3.5% estimated
- 4. 3.5% heart3.5% declared3.5% estimated
- 5. raw whole herring (6%)6% declared6.0% estimated
- 6. raw whole hake (5%)5% declared5.0% estimated
- 7. fresh eggs (5%)5% declared5.0% estimated
- 8. raw turkey liver (5%)5% declared5.0% estimated
- 9. dehydrated chicken (4%)4% declared4.0% estimated
- 10. dehydrated turkey (4%)4% declared4.0% estimated
- 11. dehydrated mackerel (4%)4% declared4.0% estimated
- 12. dehydrated sardine (4%)4% declared4.0% estimated
- 13. dehydrated herring (4%)4% declared4.0% estimated
- 14. whole red lentils0.7% estimated
- 15. whole chickpeas0.7% estimated
- 16. whole peas0.7% estimated
- 17. chicken fat (3%)3% declared3.0% estimated
- 18. whole green lentils0.6% estimated
- 19. whole pinto beans0.6% estimated
- 20. whole navy beans0.6% estimated
- 21. lentil fibre0.6% estimated
- 22. pollock oil (1%)1% declared1.0% estimated
- 23. pea starch0.6% estimated
- 24. dried kelp0.6% estimated
- 25. fresh whole pumpkin0.6% estimated
- 26. fresh whole butternut squash0.6% estimated
- 27. fresh whole zucchini0.6% estimated
- 28. fresh whole carrots0.5% estimated
- 29. fresh whole apples0.5% estimated
- 30. fresh whole pears0.5% estimated
- 31. dried chicory root0.5% estimated
- 32. fresh kale0.5% estimated
- 33. fresh spinach0.5% estimated
- 34. fresh beet greens0.5% estimated
- 35. fresh turnip greens0.5% estimated
- 36. whole cranberries0.4% estimated
- 37. whole blueberries0.4% estimated
- 38. whole saskatoon berries0.4% estimated
- 39. turmeric0.4% estimated
- 40. milk thistle0.4% estimated
- 41. burdock root0.4% estimated
- 42. lavender0.4% estimated
- 43. marshmallow root0.4% estimated
- 44. rosehips0.4% estimated
Trust and sourceNo recalls recorded in our database · checked 2026-09-14
Brand and contact: Orijen
- [email protected]
- Phone
- 01737 767679
- Address
- Bancroft Place, 10 Bancroft Road, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 7RP, UK
- Contact page
- www.orijenpetfoods.co.uk
Trust and provenance
- Recall history
- No recalls recorded in our database
- Label data last checked
- 2026-09-14
- Scored with
- Model v3 (methodology)
- Product page
- www.orijenpetfoods.co.uk
Recall history is presentation-only and never affects the score. Dates are when we recorded the data, not when the manufacturer last changed the recipe.
Spotted a mistake in this listing? Report it here and we'll take a look.
Score details and methodologyCalculations, history and evidence
Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated
Why this score?
The overall score is 74 out of 100. The meat content contributed +7.6 points and the overall quality of the ingredient list contributed +7.4 points, both lifting the result. The processing format reduced the score by -6.7 points, while being labelled nutritionally complete added +2.3 points.
Scored with model v3 on 2026-10-25. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.37 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 79.5% | 0.096 | +7.63 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 3.7% | -0.115 | -0.42 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 8.9% | -0.092 | -0.82 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 6.7% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.6% | -0.065 | -0.04 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.6% | 0.060 | +0.04 |
| Undeclared quantities | 15.0% | -0.106 | -1.58 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | 0.707 | +0.71 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
Show all 40 components
| Component | Input | Coefficient | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base score | - | 30.909 | +30.91 |
| Average ingredient quality | 0.8 | 9.191 | +7.37 |
| Meat share of dry matter | 79.5% | 0.096 | +7.63 |
| Carb share of dry matter | 3.7% | -0.115 | -0.42 |
| Oil share of dry matter | 8.9% | -0.092 | -0.82 |
| Vegetable share of dry matter | 6.7% | -0.005 | -0.03 |
| Additive share of dry matter | 0.0% | 0.163 | +0.00 |
| Supplement share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.012 | +0.00 |
| Other share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.375 | +0.00 |
| Unrecognised share of dry matter | 0.0% | -0.027 | +0.00 |
| Recipe graded poor | 0.6% | -0.065 | -0.04 |
| Poor-quality meat in recipe | 0.0% | -0.179 | +0.00 |
| Number of poor ingredients | 1 | -0.876 | -0.88 |
| Largest single poor ingredient | 0.6% | 0.060 | +0.04 |
| Undeclared quantities | 15.0% | -0.106 | -1.58 |
| Prints ingredient percentages | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Complete diet | yes | 2.294 | +2.29 |
| Frozen or chilled fresh | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| High meat (30%+ of dry matter) | yes | 0.707 | +0.71 |
| Low meat (under 10% of dry matter) | no | -3.158 | +0.00 |
| High carb and low meat | no | -1.180 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × printed percentages | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Meat share × fresh | 0.0 | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Fresh × high meat | 0.0 | 11.084 | +0.00 |
| Additive penalty | 0.00 | 0.222 | +0.00 |
| Processing multiplier | 0.98 | 33.786 | +33.11 |
| Processing: Raw | no | -0.054 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Chilled | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Frozen | no | -2.354 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Refrigerated | no | 0.000 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Fresh Shelf | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Freeze Dried | no | 6.629 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Air Dried | no | 6.331 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Cold Pressed | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Baked | no | -6.713 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Extruded | yes | -6.713 | -6.71 |
| Processing: Dry Semi Moist | no | -6.174 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Dry Muesli | no | -10.146 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Pate | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
| Processing: Wet Chunks | no | -0.672 | +0.00 |
- Processing-type offset
- +0.02
- Additives declared on label
- +2 transparency bonus
- Subtotal
- 73.6
- Final score
- 74/100
Contributions are rounded to two decimals, so they may not sum exactly to the subtotal. The full coefficient table is published on the methodology page.
Score history across model versions
The score shown above is always computed with the latest published model. Earlier scores are kept for the record and are never edited or deleted; a scoring change ships as a new model version with a public write-up on the methodology page.
Nutritional: declared analysis vs reference ranges
How the declared analysis compares with FEDIAF reference ranges for adult dogs. The label prints as-fed values; we convert to a dry-matter basis before scoring, and the bands are dry-matter ranges. Scores rise to 100 at the band midpoint: the reference is adequacy, not maximisation. Nutrients with a published upper limit taper again above it; fat is policed through calorie density rather than a direct penalty.
| Nutrient | As fed (label) | Dry matter (scored) | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 38 | 43.2 (band 18 to 40%) | 100 |
| Fat | 18 | 20.5 (band 5.5 to 20%) | 100 |
| Fibre | 5 | 5.7 (band 0.5 to 5%) | 100 |
| Calcium | 1.4 | 1.6 (band 0.5 to 2.5%) | 100 |
| Phosphorus | 1.1 | 1.3 (band 0.4 to 1.6%) | 100 |
| Calcium:phosphorus ratio | 1.3 | 1.3 (band 1 to 2%) | 86.4 |
| Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) | - | - | 100 |
Omega fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3): scored as the mean of its declared components (omega-6 100). The FEDIAF minimum for omega-6 is linoleic acid specifically.
Scored over 7 declared nutrients (combined weight 90); undeclared nutrients do not affect the score.
Declared fortification: 6 nutritional additives on the label
- Zinc 105 mg
- Copper 11 mg
- Vitamin B1 10 mg
- Vitamin A 3750 IU
- Vitamin D3 500 IU
- Vitamin E 80 IU
Medium confidence: the full five-part analysis is on file; where moisture was not declared it was estimated from the food type.
This measures agreement with published reference ranges, not suitability for an individual dog. For medical conditions, follow veterinary guidance.
Transparency: what the label discloses
How much the manufacturer discloses, measured against the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice and Regulation 767/2009. Mandatory items dominate the weighting.
| Item | Points |
|---|---|
| Ingredient list on the label (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Printed percentages on the label (85% of the recipe mass) (voluntary) | 17/20 |
| Analytical constituents declared (mandatory) | 15/15 |
| Additives declared (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Energy value declared (voluntary) - not on file | 0/5 |
| Complete/complementary designation (mandatory) | 5/5 |
| Feeding guidance given (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory) | 10/10 |
| Country of manufacture stated (voluntary) | 10/10 |
| Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file | 0/5 |
Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Batch and date labelling).
Safety: recall history
Recall and safety-notice history, time-decayed. This dimension is shown alongside the score and never feeds the headline number.
No recalls recorded in our database.
See all current recalls we track.
Evidence: what the brand claims, and what supports it
The claims made on the pack and product page, checked against the declared label. We record claims as stated; "consistent" means our stored label data supports the claim, "contradicted" means it conflicts with it. Functional claims are recorded but never scored.
Claims on file; none we can check against the label
| Claim | Type | Check | Substantiation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried coated for a burst of raw flavour your dog instinctively craves (on page) | Functional | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| 85%* quality poultry and fish ingredients, providing a strong source of essential protein, vitamins, and minerals (on page) | Nutrient | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| Packed with WholePrey animal ingredients like organs and bone (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| packed with 85%* quality animal ingredients like fresh or raw free-run** chicken and turkey, and wild-caught or sustainably farmed fish (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
| The first 5 ingredients are fresh or raw*** poultry and fish ingredients (on page) | Content | not checkable | Manufacturer assertion |
The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.
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