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Orijen--The Miracle Food!


Guest taylorsmom

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Guest taylorsmom

Hello everyone--

I just wanted to post about my experience transitioning from raw to Orijen. For various reasons, I need to switch from raw to a kibble-based diet for my dogs for a period of time. I decided to try the grain-free foods since I really believe dogs don't need grain or even a lot of carbs in their diet. I tried Instinct Rabbit first, but two of my dogs didn't like it. Then I tried Orijen Regional Red--miracle!! First, their poops are small and firm, even better than on raw if you can believe it (one of my greyhounds frequently got constipated and then had diarrhea on and off on raw). Their coats look great, their breath smells fine, and they love it. But the best is--I am transitioning my highly allergic Lab onto it from her hypoallergenic prescription Royal Canin. I have tried many times to switch her to another high quality food from the Royal Canin, since I really don't like the ingredients and she has a tough time keeping her weight down on it (too many carbs again). With other foods like Evo, etc. she started itching like mad almost right away (non-chicken or poultry based foods since I know for sure she is allergic to all poultry). So far we are about 50% switched, and her regular itching has even decreased!! I am amazed, and keeping my fingers crossed that I can successfully transition her all the way. I would feel so much better if I could give her a high-quality grain free food and keep her allergies controlled.

Sure it is pricey, no doubt about that. But I figured it is not much more than the raw, and so much less work. I have to say that I really like just about everything about this food, from the ingredients to the company's philosophy on sustainable sources and their philosophy on biologically appropriate foods for canines (all explained on their website--I highly recommend reading their "white paper", especially the research-based info they have there on feeding high-protein food to dogs with kidney issues)

I will keep you all posted!! :rolleyes:

Edited by taylorsmom
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Guest TBSFlame

Now that I am eating grain free and feeling so much better I have been thinking it's got to be good for the hounds. My Star has had a runny nose for over a year now. I have just changed her over to Tast of Wild grain free. Going to see if it helps her nasty nose. lol. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

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Interesting update. We feed 85% raw, 15% kibble. After moving to Canada from the US, we found the cost of raw only is atrocious in comparison. We don't buy meat for less than $2/lb and even then, $2 is hard to find.. Beef, chicken, etc...all pricey. So, we've been trying different high quality kibbles and just went through 3 samples of Orijen food and would consider moving to more kibble versus raw if there was a positive impact on the dogs. Toying with the idea, so we'll see. Good luck - hope this works out for you guys -

Doe's Bruciebaby Doe's Bumper

Derek

Follow my Ironman journeys and life with dogs, cats and busy kids: A long road

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Guest taylorsmom

I'm just curious, from the Canadian people who have replied (or others)--I am wondering what it cost for a large bag of Orijen up there? Down here in Southeastern PA it costs almost $75 per bag. Since it is a Canadian company, I was wondering if you get it cheaper.

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I'm a raw feeder but will occasionally sprinkle Orijen Six Fresh Fish on the raw food, or, when I board my dogs at the vet, I'll leave them a fair amount of Orijen for variety. It is an excellent product. In my experience, as expensive as Orijen is, raw feeing costs me more, but not by much.

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Guest KennelMom

It's amazing (or perhaps not when you consider how complimentary dogs and humans are) that the nutritional requirements for dogs are pretty much the same as people. I've actually given all of this advice in human diet/nutrition threads :lol

 

* There are 3 sources of calories in all dog foods – protein, fat & carbohydrates.

* Protein and fat are essential, carbohydrates are not. While dogs thrive on proteins and fats, they require absolutely no carbohydrate in their diet.

* Simple carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to elevate and fluctuate.

* When not used for energy, carbohydrates are stored in the body as fat.

* Carbohydrates are the leading dietary cause of overweight conditions in dogs.

* By providing more calories from protein and fewer calories from carbohydrate, ORIJEN reduces the risk of obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.

 

Looks like pretty amazing food. It has about 100 more cal/cup than TOTW HP...I wonder what the price difference would be. Thanks for the heads up on the white paper...

Edited by KennelMom
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Guest eaglflyt

We feed grain free Acana (made by same company as Orijen, Champion Pet Foods) and all our pups and fosters love and thrive on this food. I can highly recommend it too.

Edited by eaglflyt
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Guest taylorsmom

It's amazing (or perhaps not when you consider how complimentary dogs and humans are) that the nutritional requirements for dogs are pretty much the same as people. I've actually given all of this advice in human diet/nutrition threads :lol

 

* There are 3 sources of calories in all dog foods – protein, fat & carbohydrates.

* Protein and fat are essential, carbohydrates are not. While dogs thrive on proteins and fats, they require absolutely no carbohydrate in their diet.

* Simple carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to elevate and fluctuate.

* When not used for energy, carbohydrates are stored in the body as fat.

* Carbohydrates are the leading dietary cause of overweight conditions in dogs.

* By providing more calories from protein and fewer calories from carbohydrate, ORIJEN reduces the risk of obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.

 

Looks like pretty amazing food. It has about 100 more cal/cup than TOTW HP...I wonder what the price difference would be. Thanks for the heads up on the white paper...

Excellent point, Heather!!

The only point I wonder about in this list from Orijen's info is "when not used for energy, carbohydrates...." etc. When I was doing my studying to do the raw diet, a lot of sources I read said that canines actually get their energy from raw fat, not carbs, and that carbs in canines will simply get stored. I don't recall all the details now, but at the time I remember that the biochemistry that supported this made sense to me.

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Guest KennelMom

Well, dogs have insulin just like people do so I would imagine they have the ability to burn carbs for energy just like we do. Just like in people, carbs not used for energy are stored as fat thanks to insulin. Fat and protein are used by the body for things other than energy - to create hormones, repair cells, build new cells...a whole host of functions and roles in the body...That's why neither dogs nor humans have a dietary requirement for carbs (the body can make what it doesn't take in via diet with gluconeogenesis). Carbs are ONLY energy. Fat and protein can provide both energy and support for the repair, maintenance and general running of the body.

 

I was watching a show about the use of dogs in northern climates where, literally, the lives of the humans depended on dogs for nearly everything - hunting, transportation and even warmth at times. Anyhoo...on long sled rides the dogs ate seal blubber for their diet. I would imagine this would send most pet dogs into pancreatic shock b/c (like many people) most pet dogs are primed to burn sugar (modern commercial diets) rather than what they are genetically better wired to run on: fat. The high amount of carbs in our diets is probably why so many people (and dogs) struggle with weight (fat) gain.

 

Carbs drive insulin which drives fat storage. It's true in people and dogs. Here's a diabetic Quilty before insulin (she'd been getting fed LOTS of food at the adoption kennel but no one knew she was diabetic):

3734498053_547d4113a3.jpg

 

And here's a much fatter Quilty after a couple months of insulin

3880867651_0933bc1b7a.jpg

 

eta: there are cells in the body that do need glucose to function and it is certainly easier to get those nutrients via the diet than via gluconeogenisis so I can justify having a small to moderate amount of carbs in any diet.

Edited by KennelMom
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Guest taylorsmom

Well, dogs have insulin just like people do so I would imagine they have the ability to burn carbs for energy just like we do. Just like in people, carbs not used for energy are stored as fat thanks to insulin. Fat and protein are used by the body for things other than energy - to create hormones, repair cells, build new cells...a whole host of functions and roles in the body...That's why neither dogs nor humans have a dietary requirement for carbs (the body can make what it doesn't take in via diet with gluconeogenesis). Carbs are ONLY energy. Fat and protein can provide both energy and support for the repair, maintenance and general running of the body.

 

I was watching a show about the use of dogs in northern climates where, literally, the lives of the humans depended on dogs for nearly everything - hunting, transportation and even warmth at times. Anyhoo...on long sled rides the dogs ate seal blubber for their diet. I would imagine this would send most pet dogs into pancreatic shock b/c (like many people) most pet dogs are primed to burn sugar (modern commercial diets) rather than what they are genetically better wired to run on: fat. The high amount of carbs in our diets is probably why so many people (and dogs) struggle with weight (fat) gain.

 

Carbs drive insulin which drives fat storage. It's true in people and dogs. Here's a diabetic Quilty before insulin (she'd been getting fed LOTS of food at the adoption kennel but no one knew she was diabetic):

3734498053_547d4113a3.jpg

 

And here's a much fatter Quilty after a couple months of insulin

3880867651_0933bc1b7a.jpg

 

eta: there are cells in the body that do need glucose to function and it is certainly easier to get those nutrients via the diet than via gluconeogenisis so I can justify having a small to moderate amount of carbs in any diet.

Thanks for that, Heather--very interesting indeed. Awwww, poor sweet Quilty--so glad it was figured out that she was diabetic!!

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Guest mcsheltie

I raw feed. But use Acana grain free when I need to feed kibble. I would like to use Orijen, but went with Acana because of the price. Acana is $50 for 30 lbs and you get every 13th bag free. It has less meat in it, you get what you pay for. I see the same benefits you have... their poop stays the same size as when they are eating raw (unless I get carried away with the RMBs)

 

I like this company because they have never been involved in a major recall. Which is the first thing I look at when choosing a kibble. And I like the attention paid to the sourcing of their ingredients.

 

I go back and forth between Acana and raw with no transition and had no problems.

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Guest KennelMom

no prob, taylorsmom...and I should clarify that Q was found as a stray and she was already that skinny when she got to the adoption kennel...she was there for a couple weeks before we brought her home. She's just a great example of what insulin can do & why it's necessary ;)

Edited by KennelMom
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Guest happygrey

Thanks for the update! I think I may try some to offer my boys some Orijen for variety. They love their TOTW Pacific Stream, and it seems to agree very well with their digestive systems, but I am sure they'd like to try something else once in a while.

Edited by happygrey
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Thanks for the update! I think I may try some to offer my boys some Orijen for variety. They love their TOTW Pacific Stream, and it seems to agree very well with their digestive systems, but I am sure they'd like to try something else once in a while.

 

If the TOTW is fish-based, you might want to give Orijen Six Fresh Fish a try!

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I've been feeding Orijen for along time now And have been consistently happy with it. It is expensive but on the other hand, I use less of it than the foods I used before. I also feed some raw. I initially changed cause I could really see no good reason for a dog to eat grain and then with the Chinese contamination issues, I was happy to know it was a "home" made food.

gallery_7628_2929_17259.jpg

Susan, Jessie and Jordy NORTHERN SKY GREYHOUND ADOPTION ASSOCIATION

Jack, in my heart forever March 1999-Nov 21, 2008 My Dancing Queen Jilly with me always and forever Aug 12, 2003-Oct 15, 2010

Joshy I will love you always Aug 1, 2004-Feb 22,2013 Jonah my sweetheart May 2000 - Jan 2015

" You will never need to be alone again. I promise this. As your dog, I will sing this promise to you, and whisper it to you at night, every night, with my breath." Stanley Coren

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I've been feeding Orijen for along time now And have been consistently happy with it. It is expensive but on the other hand, I use less of it than the foods I used before. I also feed some raw. I initially changed cause I could really see no good reason for a dog to eat grain and then with the Chinese contamination issues, I was happy to know it was a "home" made food.

 

When you say you use less, what are you talking about? I give my guys 1-1/3 twice a day.

 

Mom to Melly and Dani

Greyhound Bridge Angels - Jessie, Brittne, Buddy,

Red, Chica, Ford and Dodge.

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Guest taylorsmom

I've been feeding Orijen for along time now And have been consistently happy with it. It is expensive but on the other hand, I use less of it than the foods I used before. I also feed some raw. I initially changed cause I could really see no good reason for a dog to eat grain and then with the Chinese contamination issues, I was happy to know it was a "home" made food.

 

When you say you use less, what are you talking about? I give my guys 1-1/3 twice a day.

Wow--that seems like a lot. How big are your guys? I feed my two petite girls (both between 50-55lbs) about a cup and a half for the whole day (split into two meals, with a little canned as a topper). Their weight is staying perfect, seeing just the right amount of ribs :rolleyes:

Edited by taylorsmom
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I've been feeding Orijen for along time now And have been consistently happy with it. It is expensive but on the other hand, I use less of it than the foods I used before. I also feed some raw. I initially changed cause I could really see no good reason for a dog to eat grain and then with the Chinese contamination issues, I was happy to know it was a "home" made food.

 

When you say you use less, what are you talking about? I give my guys 1-1/3 twice a day.

 

I feed them about a cup 2x/day. With other foods it was 1 1/2 - 2 cups 2x/day. So in the end I pay about the same as less expensive food.

gallery_7628_2929_17259.jpg

Susan, Jessie and Jordy NORTHERN SKY GREYHOUND ADOPTION ASSOCIATION

Jack, in my heart forever March 1999-Nov 21, 2008 My Dancing Queen Jilly with me always and forever Aug 12, 2003-Oct 15, 2010

Joshy I will love you always Aug 1, 2004-Feb 22,2013 Jonah my sweetheart May 2000 - Jan 2015

" You will never need to be alone again. I promise this. As your dog, I will sing this promise to you, and whisper it to you at night, every night, with my breath." Stanley Coren

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