Orijen Small Breed Puppy

Dry Extruded complete High meat Clear label

Small Breed Puppy
Good
our rating

Is Orijen Small Breed Puppy a good dog food?

We score it 70/100 (Good). This reflects the ingredient quality, composition and label transparency of the recipe as declared on the label.

How we score

Why this score?

This recipe achieves an overall score of 70 out of one hundred. The meat content contributed +9.3 to this total, alongside the overall quality of the ingredient list which added +7.4. However, the processing format brought a deduction of -7, while printing percentages on the label provided a further addition of +3.2.

The Recipe score measures how attractive and transparent the declared ingredient list is. It is not, by itself, proof that the food is nutritionally appropriate for long-term feeding. The Nutritional and Evidence scores measure what we can verify towards that stronger claim.

Complete extruded dry food for adult dogs, with turkey, chicken and quail as the main ingredients.

Why you might choose it

  • Scores 70, in the top quarter of dry foods we track.
  • Meat makes up an estimated 80% of the dry matter (82% as fed).
  • Prints ingredient percentages on the label.

Why you might not

  • High in fat: 21% fat on a dry-matter basis.

View the source page

Estimated composition

meat82.0%
veg11.6%
oil3.5%
carb1.8%
fibre0.6%
additive0.5%

Typical analysis (as fed)

Protein
39%
Fat
18%
Fibre
4%
Ash
9%
Moisture
12%
Omega-3 fatty acids
0.50%
Omega-6 fatty acids
2.80%
Calcium
1.40%
Phosphorus
1.10%

Additives & feeding info

Nutritional additives

kg) 3b606 (Zinc 112.5 mg/kg), 3b406 (Copper 11mg/kg), 3a821 Vitamin B1 19.6 mg, 3a841 Vitamin B5 10 mg, 3a700 Vitamin E 90 IU.; kg) 3b606 (Zinc 112.5 mg/kg), 3b406 (Copper 11mg/kg), 3a821 Vitamin B1 19.6 mg, 3a841 Vitamin B5 10 mg, 3a700 Vitamin E 90 IU.

Technological additives

Extract, Citric Acid.; Extract, Citric Acid.; Extract, Citric Acid.

Storage

Refrigeration of ORIJEN Dry Kibble is not required. Rather than a garage with large temperature fluctuations, the best storage is in your home in a cool, dry place at room temperature.

Who is this food for?

Suits

  • Labelled by the manufacturer for adult dogs
  • Labelling or feeding guide is aimed at small dogs
  • 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 hake
  • 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. Use the homepage filter to find foods that fit your dog.

Ingredients (46)

#As declaredMatchedCategoryTierDeclared %Est. %
1Raw Turkey 19%Turkeymeatmedium1919.0
2Fresh Chicken 18.5%Chickenmeatmedium18.518.5
3Raw Quail 4%Quailmeatgood44.0
4Raw Whole Hake 4%Hakemeatgood44.0
5Raw Whole Herring 4%Herringmeatgood44.0
6Raw Turkey Liver 4%Livermeatgood44.0
7Fresh Chicken Giblets (Liver, Heart) 4%Livermeatgood44.0
8Fresh Eggs 4%Eggmeatgood44.0
9Dehydrated Turkey 4%Dehydrated turkey proteinmeatgood44.0
10Dehydrated Chicken 4%Dried chicken proteinmeatgood44.0
11Dehydrated Herring 4%Herringmeatgood44.0
12Dehydrated Chicken Liver 4%Livermeatgood44.0
13Dehydrated Egg 4%Dried Eggmeatmedium44.0
14Whole Red LentilsLentilsveggood-0.6
15Whole Pinto BeansWhole Pinto Beanscarbgood-0.6
16Whole Green LentilsLentilsveggood-0.6
17Chicken Fat 3%Chicken Oil and Fatoilgood33.0
18Whole Navy BeansWhole Navy Beanscarbgood-0.6
19Whole ChickpeasChickpeasveggood-0.6
20Lentil FibreLentil Fiberfibregood-0.6
21Whole PeasPeasveggood-0.6
22Pollock Oil 0.5%Pollock Oiloilgood0.50.5
23Pea StarchPea Starchcarbpoor-0.6
24Dried KelpKelpveggood-0.6
25New Zealand Green MusselsMusselsmeatgood-0.5
26Fresh Whole Butternut SquashButternut Squashveggood-0.5
27Fresh Whole PumpkinPumpkinveggood-0.5
28SaltSaltadditivepoor-0.5
29Fresh Whole ApplesApplesveggood-0.5
30Fresh Whole CarrotsCarrotsveggood-0.5
31Fresh Whole PearsPearsveggood-0.5
32Fresh Whole ZucchiniCourgetteveggood-0.5
33Dried Chicory RootChicory rootveggood-0.5
34Fresh Beet GreensFresh Beet Greensveggood-0.5
35Fresh KaleKaleveggood-0.4
36Fresh SpinachSpinachveggood-0.4
37Fresh Turnip GreensTurnipveggood-0.4
38Whole CranberriesCranberriesveggood-0.4
39Whole BlueberriesBlueberriesveggood-0.4
40Whole Saskatoon BerriesWhole Saskatoon Berriesveggood-0.4
41TurmericTurmericveggood-0.4
42Milk ThistleMilk Thistleveggood-0.4
43Burdock RootBurdock Rootveggood-0.4
44LavenderLavenderveggood-0.4
45Marshmallow RootMarshmallow Rootveggood-0.3
46RosehipsRose Hipveggood-0.3

Brand

Orijen logo
Phone
01737 767679
Address
Bancroft Place, 10 Bancroft Road, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 7RP, UK

Trust and provenance

Recall history
No recalls recorded in our database
Label data last checked
2026-09-14
Scored with
Model v2 (methodology)

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.

Recipe: how the 1-100 score is calculated

Scored with model v2 on 2026-09-22. Each component is the feature value for this product multiplied by the model's published coefficient.

ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-32.336+32.34
Average ingredient quality0.79.915+7.36
Meat share of dry matter80.2%0.116+9.31
Carb share of dry matter3.6%-0.113-0.40
Oil share of dry matter7.8%-0.088-0.69
Vegetable share of dry matter6.2%-0.002-0.01
Additive share of dry matter1.0%0.177+0.18
Recipe graded poor1.1%-0.045-0.05
Number of poor ingredients2-0.868-1.74
Largest single poor ingredient0.6%0.056+0.03
Undeclared quantities15.0%-0.131-1.96
Prints ingredient percentagesyes3.194+3.19
Complete dietyes1.703+1.70
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)yes-0.506-0.51
Meat share × printed percentages80.2-0.073-5.88
Additive penalty-0.630.236-0.15
Processing multiplier1.0032.336+32.34
Processing: Dry Extrudedyes-6.996-7.00
Show all 40 components
ComponentInputCoefficientContribution
Base score-32.336+32.34
Average ingredient quality0.79.915+7.36
Meat share of dry matter80.2%0.116+9.31
Carb share of dry matter3.6%-0.113-0.40
Oil share of dry matter7.8%-0.088-0.69
Vegetable share of dry matter6.2%-0.002-0.01
Additive share of dry matter1.0%0.177+0.18
Supplement share of dry matter0.0%-0.009+0.00
Other share of dry matter0.0%-0.371+0.00
Unrecognised share of dry matter0.0%-0.022+0.00
Recipe graded poor1.1%-0.045-0.05
Poor-quality meat in recipe0.0%-0.182+0.00
Number of poor ingredients2-0.868-1.74
Largest single poor ingredient0.6%0.056+0.03
Undeclared quantities15.0%-0.131-1.96
Prints ingredient percentagesyes3.194+3.19
Complete dietyes1.703+1.70
Frozen or chilled freshno11.440+0.00
High meat (30%+ of dry matter)yes-0.506-0.51
Low meat (under 10% of dry matter)no-1.988+0.00
High carb and low meatno-1.250+0.00
Meat share × printed percentages80.2-0.073-5.88
Meat share × fresh0.0-0.339+0.00
Fresh × high meat0.016.475+0.00
Additive penalty-0.630.236-0.15
Processing multiplier1.0032.336+32.34
Processing: Rawno13.322+0.00
Processing: Fresh Chilledno7.712+0.00
Processing: Fresh Frozenno6.583+0.00
Processing: Fresh Refrigeratedno4.857+0.00
Processing: Fresh Shelfno0.072+0.00
Processing: Dry Freeze Driedno11.127+0.00
Processing: Dry Air Driedno9.320+0.00
Processing: Dry Cold Pressedno4.569+0.00
Processing: Dry Bakedno-2.321+0.00
Processing: Dry Extrudedyes-6.996-7.00
Processing: Dry Semi Moistno-6.833+0.00
Processing: Dry Mueslino-10.711+0.00
Processing: Wet Pateno2.935+0.00
Processing: Wet Chunksno2.292+0.00
Processing-type offset
-0.01
Additives declared on label
+2 transparency bonus
Subtotal
70.1
Final score
70/100

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.

ModelScore
v270/100current
v168/100
v1.970/100
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.

NutrientAs fed (label)Dry matter (scored)Score
Protein3944.3 (band 18 to 40%)100
Fat1820.5 (band 5.5 to 20%)100
Fibre44.5 (band 0.5 to 5%)100
Calcium1.41.6 (band 0.5 to 2.5%)100
Phosphorus1.11.3 (band 0.4 to 1.6%)100
Calcium:phosphorus ratio1.31.3 (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.

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.

ItemPoints
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 file0/5
Complete/complementary designation (mandatory)5/5
Feeding guidance given (mandatory) - not on file0/10
Manufacturer identity and address (mandatory)10/10
Country of manufacture stated (voluntary)10/10
Batch and date labelling (mandatory) - not on file0/5

Capped at 60: mandatory items missing (Feeding guidance given, 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 marketing claims made on the pack and product page, and how much evidence sits behind them. We record the claims as stated; we do not assess whether they are true.

ClaimTypeSubstantiation
Loaded with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids to support the skin & coat health (on page)FunctionalManufacturer assertion
Packed with 85% quality animal ingredients like raw salmon and herring (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
With WholePrey animal ingredients like organs and bone (on page)ContentManufacturer assertion
Marine Fish is lower in fat to help maintain a healthy weight (on page)High/low levelManufacturer assertion
No grain or poultry ingredients (on page)Free-fromManufacturer assertion

Limited: at least one claim rests on manufacturer assertion alone.

The full scoring method is published. See the methodology for exactly how the headline score and each dimension are calculated.

Other products from Orijen

Alternatives to Small Breed Puppy

Foods in our database that are similar on ingredients, protein, format or price. Scores and figures are from the same deterministic model used everywhere on the site.

See all alternatives

Community

Owners' verdict
0 votes

Comments (0)

No comments yet. Be the first to share how this went down with your dog.

Comments are reviewed before they appear.