Orijen whats everyones opinion?
 

I have a new pup at home right now he is 9 weeks old he is doing great! He eats and drinks very well on his own and has from day 1 he weighs 2.5 lbs. The breeder was using purina puppy chow, and told me i could change it slowly if i would like. Before everyone goes crazy i know that Purina is not in the elite brands of dog food which is why i will be changing it, and yes my breeder was reputable and did everything by the book and yes Jax has been to the vet and has a clean bill of health. So now what does everyone think about Orijen dog food (particularly puppy food)? I have heard a lot of great thinks about it but i am wondering how smaller breeds have done it? Any Yorkie parents out there using it ? Price is not going to scare me off if it is a quality product I want the best for my little guy.

Lol I love how you have to be like "YES I know" before posting lol. No judging here. :) Lots of dogs and puppies grow on on Purina and are perfect and healthy so I wouldn't fault for you even if you decided to continue using it. Also lots of breeders feed Purina and see good results which is one of the reasons they continue to feed it.

Anywho, I've fed Acana for many years off/on with fab results (same company - Champion). Orijen is a bit "richer" (for lack of a better word?) so SOME dogs tend to get looser or mushier stool while on it. I have to say though I've seen the opposite with Jackson, he's eaten Orijen Senior on occasion (we had a few free sample bags even though he's 6 and not a senior, I preferred the protein/fat ratios on that food) and he had perfectly formed nice little poops.

I guess it's what you're comfortable with/what you can afford/etc. Orijen is a bit overpriced IMO when you can get Acana a bit cheaper and is basically the same food (except a bit less 'complicated' formulas which I actually prefer). I use mostly the Singles line though (duck or pork usually). A puppy may need more protein/fat.

Essentially I think it's a fine food, but you can find other foods for lesser price and the dogs will probably just do just as well on them/if not better. But if cost isn't a factor and you're happy with it and your pup does well on it, it's a good food.

Lacey ate Orijen for almost two years, the red and blue package. It was the first kibble I could get her interested in. She also gained weight on it just feeding the recommended amount. Other than the weight gain and stinky (and I do mean stinky) poops, she did well on it. No stomach upsets at all. She is now eating Stella and Chewy's freeze dried raw instead. Her weight is back to where it should be. I still give her a few Orijen kibbles as treats.

Another great food i would recommend looking at is Fromm, they are fairly cheaper than Orijen but it's a great company - that is just my 2 cents but you can do your search.

Thanks for all the great info everyone ! Brister great post very helpful. Sorry if I came off as defensive to anyone. I know some on this site have very strong opinions on certain topics, and there is nothing wrong with that means they care about the pups. Just wanted them to know I know (most of it from the great info on this site). Also didn't want the thread to go off on tangent. Thanks again keep the suggestions coming I am open to all on which food to choose for my pup.

If have heard lots of issues with the high protein with Orijen. Especially will yorkies. I prefer Acana.

My Cali eats either Fromm or Orijen. You puppy does not need all the extra "stuff" in the orijen Red right now. I use if for the glucosamine and chondrotin and protein because Cali is so active in agility and is 6 years old. Those could even be given separately if you wanted them down the road.

Sometimes the foods that say "for all ages" aren't really that.
Consider looking at Fromm, it is a great food and hS not had the recall issues.

:rolleyes: That is very funny! Love how you did that! LOL

Purina has a lot of puppy formulas available. I think you referred to this one: https://dogchow.com/dog-food/1064/puppy-chow

This one reminds me of some of the Royal Canine formulas discussed in earlier threads: https://www.proplan.com/dogs/product...breed-formula/

Here's Orijen's Puppy: Puppy | Orijen and the ingredients: Boneless chicken*, chicken meal, chicken liver*, whole herring*, boneless turkey*, turkey meal, turkey liver*, whole eggs*, boneless walleye*, whole salmon*, chicken heart*, chicken cartilage*, herring meal, salmon meal, chicken liver oil, chicken fat, red lentils, green peas, green lentils, sun-cured alfalfa, yams*, pea fiber, chickpeas, pumpkin*, butternut squash*, spinach greens*, carrots*, Red Delicious apples*, Bartlett pears*, cranberries*, blueberries*, brown kelp, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, Enterococcus faecium.

* FRESH AND PRESERVATIVE-FREE

SUPPLEMENTS
Vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E Supplement, zinc proteinate, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

Acana Puppy Small Breed: Puppy Small Breed | ACANA Pet Foods
INGREDIENTS
Chicken meal, steel-cut oats, chicken fat, deboned chicken, whole potato, peas, whole egg, deboned flounder, sun-cured alfalfa, chicken liver, herring oil, pea fiber, whole apples, whole pears, sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, spinach, cranberries, blueberries, kelp, chicory root, juniper berries, angelica root, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, lavender.

SUPPLEMENTS
Vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium yeast, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

I used to grab the info(ingredients & analysis) from retailers websites, but I found it's not always up to date, so, now I grab the info directly from the manufacturer's website with the hopes that it is the most up to date. Manufacturers change their formulas from time to time and do not inform consumers when they do so.

There's some info out there about having too high of a protein level causing problems in some dogs. I'd find it, read it, be aware of it and make a decision after doing so. FEED corn is not necessarily a bad thing, neither are rice or oats ect for most dogs.

With that being said, Orijen Puppy ingredient list looks pretty darn good! I'd serve it up to my relatives as pate' any day! LOL (just kidding, for levity)

Reputable breeders don't sell Yorkies under the age of 12 weeks. So, I wouldn't be listening to her feeding advice or really any advice.

I would choose Royal Canin Yorkshire terrier for puppies.

Ive tried Teddi on Orijen....(bought it on-line)...she just sniffs and walks away.....mixed it with various puppy foods too but no good....Im really finding it hard to get her to eat.....some days she hardly eats anything....any advice would be much appreciated...

First of all no matter what you change food to do it very very very slowly. A pup that young will get diarrhea easily by a change in food.

We have a few favorites for various reasons. Acana is a great food plus you can buy a very small bag for $4. to give it a try. I think it makes smelly potty, maybe all the fish?

Our dry food of choice is Fromm lamb and lentil, very small kibble for all ages. The bag is huge but stores that carry it may have free sample bags.

Orejen was not a good choice for us when Ali was a pup, but Acana was fine.

Thank you so much......:aimeeyork

I LOVED orijin for my pits, but it seems a bit rich for Moxie, so she primarily raw from primal and some acana kibble (and I use a bit of excellent doggie salmon oil, I should look up the brand. Raw is controversial and not for puppies, but have you considered wet food also? I am SO excited about a brand I recently discovered called Party Animal. I have to research quality control, but the ingredients are EXCELLENT and usda certified organic. No wheat, corn, filler, etc, of course. I also believe weruva and Fromm to be very good quality wet food but I haven't researched or studied puppy diets

I'm not sure on what do food choice you like. But for me I don't like any corn or grain in my dog food. Just my preference And the first 4-6 ingredients need to be substantial. Like a Named meat or meats and a names meal ect... FWIW a reputable breeder isn't going by the book if they don't follow the guide lines . FWIW.. good luck on your food choice
"If you are seeking a family pet a reputable Yorkshire Terrier Breeder will not
release a puppy to a new home before it is twelve (12) weeks old.
This
ensures the puppy is old enough to have had some of its shots, has b
een
checked by a veterinarian, and a health certificate issued."

I use acana, not as rich as the orjien but good food

Farmina is a great brand and the ingredients look great:

Chicken, pomegranate. Complete food for small and medium puppy.

Ingredients
Fresh boneless chicken (28%), dehydrated chicken meat (27%), potatoes, chicken fat,
dehydrated whole eggs, fresh herring, dehydrated herring, fish oil, fiber vegetable of peas, dried carrots,
dried alfalfa, inulin, fructooligosaccharides, mannan‐oligosaccharides, pomegranate powder (0.5%),
dehydrated apple, spinach powder, psyllium (0.3%), blackcurrant, dehydrated sweet orange, powdered
blueberries, sodium chloride, dried brewer’s yeast, turmeric root (0.2%), glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate,
Marigold extract (source of lutein).

But this particular one is heavy on protein - 42%