
An independent Feed Wise evaluation of Orijen ORIJEN Small Breed, built from the published ingredient panel, guaranteed analysis, certifications and processing method.
Complete diet: complete and balanced (fediaf)
Share of scoring criteria backed by published evidence.
Protein
39%
Fat
18%
Estimated carbohydrate
18%
Processing
Extruded
Feed Wise considers this a solid, well documented option for ORIJEN Small Breed, an extruded kibble formula built on chicken and eggs. The manufacturer publishes a nutritional adequacy statement, so it can be fed as a complete daily diet for the life stage named on the label. Supporting the rating, it is manufactured in Canada and the label declares 39% crude protein.
Raw turkey (19%), fresh chicken (18.5%), raw quail (4%), raw whole hake (4%), raw whole herring (4%), raw turkey liver (4%), fresh chicken giblets (liver, heart) (4%), fresh eggs (4%), dehydrated turkey (4%), dehydrated chicken (4%), dehydrated herring (4%), dehydrated chicken liver (4%), dehydrated egg (4%), whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, whole green lentils, chicken fat (3%), whole navy beans, whole chickpeas, lentil fibre, whole peas, pollock oil (0.5%), pea starch, dried kelp, New Zealand green mussels, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole pumpkin, salt, fresh whole apples, fresh whole carrots, fresh whole pears, fresh whole zucchini, dried chicory root, fresh beet greens, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh turnip greens, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, whole saskatoon berries, turmeric, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips
1. Raw turkey (19%)
Tier A, exceptional food ingredient
Named Animal Protein
Named animal muscle meat. Highest value protein source in the FeedWise model.
2. fresh chicken (18.5%)
Tier A, exceptional food ingredient
Named Animal Protein
Named animal muscle meat. Highest value protein source in the FeedWise model.
3. raw quail (4%)
Tier A, exceptional food ingredient
Named Animal Protein
Named animal muscle meat. Highest value protein source in the FeedWise model.
4. raw whole hake (4%)
Tier A, exceptional food ingredient
Named Marine Protein
Named fish. Provides high value protein plus marine omega 3 fatty acids.
5. raw whole herring (4%)
Tier A, exceptional food ingredient
Named Marine Protein
Named fish. Provides high value protein plus marine omega 3 fatty acids.
This is the largest single category in FeedWise. It looks at which animal ingredients are present, whether the species is named, whether organs, egg and named fats are included, and whether concentrated plant proteins are diluting the animal content.
Named animal protein first
Raw turkey (19%) is a named animal ingredient in position 1.
Animal Prominence Index
Animal Prominence Index 78 of 100. This is a FeedWise position-weighted measure of how far animal ingredients dominate the ingredient panel. It is a label-position index, not a manufacturer-disclosed recipe percentage.
Liver
Liver is included.
Heart
No heart in the ingredient panel.
Other appropriate organs
No additional organ meats identified.
Whole egg
fresh eggs (4%) is included.
Named animal or marine fats
Named animal or marine fat sources: chicken fat (3%), pollock oil (0.5%), raw whole hake (4%), raw whole herring (4%), dehydrated herring (4%), pollock oil (0.5%).
Verified animal ingredient proportion
Manufacturer confirms 85 percent animal ingredients.
Plant protein dilution
No concentrated plant proteins detected.
Every ingredient is classified into a quality tier and weighted by its position on the label, so ingredient number one counts far more than ingredient number fifteen.
Position weighted ingredient quality
40 food ingredients assessed by quality tier with early positions weighted most heavily. 6 fortifying nutrients or preservatives excluded from the average.
Ingredient splitting
Multiple fractions of the same core ingredient appear: LENTIL FAMILY (whole red lentils, whole green lentils, lentil fibre); PEA FAMILY (whole peas, pea starch).
Estimated carbohydrate, calculated as 100 minus protein, fat, moisture, fibre and ash.
Carbohydrate burden
Calculated with a published ash value carbohydrate of 18 percent.
Ingredient based plant load
Plant load assessed as HIGH. Carbohydrate bearing plant ingredients: whole red lentils (whole pulse), whole pinto beans (whole pulse), whole green lentils (whole pulse), whole navy beans (whole pulse), whole chickpeas (whole pulse), lentil fibre (whole pulse), whole peas (whole pulse), pea starch (refined starch), fresh whole butternut squash (starchy vegetable), dried chicory root (fibre ingredient).
Combined pulse load
8 pulse ingredients detected at positions 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23: whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, whole green lentils, whole navy beans, whole chickpeas, lentil fibre, whole peas, pea starch. Together these represent a substantial plant contribution.
Split plant fractions
Split plant fractions understate the true plant load in the ingredient order.
Processing method: Extruded. This category measures food integrity only. Raw handling safety is assessed separately under Safety and Quality Control, so a raw food can score well here and still lose safety points.
Processing method
Extruded processing. Food integrity only. Raw handling safety is assessed separately under Safety and Quality Control.
Animal species clearly identified
Every animal ingredient names its species.
Ingredient sourcing disclosed
Not publicly verified
Country or region identified
Country or region of origin published: Canada.
Manufacturing location identified
Manufacturing location published: Canada.
Detailed nutritional analysis
A detailed nutritional analysis is published.
Traceability information
Not publicly verified
Manufacturer provides sourcing detail
Not publicly verified
Overall formulation transparency
A complete ingredient panel and an identified manufacturer are on file.
Marketing language alone does not count. Anything that has not been published is shown as not publicly verified rather than as a failure.
Complete and balanced for the stated life stage
ORIJEN Small Breed is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by FEDIAF for All Life Stages.
Detailed nutritional analysis available
A full guaranteed analysis with energy content is on file.
Qualified formulation expertise
Not publicly verified
Feeding trial or validation
Not publicly verified
Calcium and phosphorus disclosed
Calcium 1.4 percent and phosphorus 1.1 percent disclosed.
Batch testing
Not publicly verified
Pathogen testing
Not publicly verified
Supplier verification
Not publicly verified
Lot traceability
Not publicly verified
Nutrient verification
Not publicly verified
Manufacturing quality program
Not publicly verified
Recall context and corrective action
No recalls on file.
A recall alone does not destroy a score. Severity, cause, frequency, recency and documented corrective action are all considered.
Unknown information is not treated as bad information. It is scored as unverified and it lowers the confidence rating instead.
Canadian retailers on record. Stock and price vary by store and province.
Only certifications we can confirm from the brand's own documentation or the certifying body appear here. Nothing is assumed — if a program isn't listed, it isn't disclosed for this product.
| Animal Protein Quality | 19.6 / 25 |
| Ingredient Quality | 16.1 / 20 |
| Carbohydrate and Plant Load | 4.5 / 15 |
| Processing and Food Integrity | 5 / 10 |
| Transparency and Sourcing | 8 / 10 |
| Nutritional Formulation | 8 / 10 |
| Safety and Quality Control | 3.3 / 10 |
| Total | 64.5 / 100 |
FeedWise Score 6.5 · Good · High Confidence
How FeedWise Scores Dog Food →Scored by the FeedWise 100 point model. Read the full methodology.
Community reviews do not affect the Feed Wise score.
Real experiences from Paw Privileges members. Reviews never affect the Wise score — scoring is based only on label evidence.














