Do you know what DOG ESSENTIALS you are missing out? Find out now!
Zack Keithy, our author, is a certified veterinarian technician (UC Blue Ash) for over 6 years (contact him here). The articles written here are based on his expertise and experience, combined with a review by our expert vet reviewers including Dr M. Tarantino. Learn more about us here.
It’s a common dilemma: you want to feed your dog the best food possible, but you don’t know where to start. What should you look for in quality dog food? How do you know if the ingredients are healthy or harmful?
Well, who says it’s easy to be a dog owner? Luckily, we’ve got that part covered for you.
If you have been trying to compare Farmina vs Orijen dog food, this post is right for you.
We’ll explore 6 important factors when choosing dog food, put the two brands side by side, and help you decide which one might be best for your dog.
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Overview: Farmina vs Orijen Dog Food Comparison
⚠️ Consider the following when choosing dog food:
- Life stage
- Size of dog
- Grain-inclusive or grain-free
What’s most important in choosing the right type of food for your dog is understanding its breed (activity levels) and any existing allergies.
If you need more help, consult your vet or find a veterinary nutritionist at the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (AVCM).
Farmina and Orijen are both premium dog food brands.
They offer grain-free options, which are popular among pet owners who want to avoid corn and other grains in their dog’s diet, as well as the traditional grain-inclusive ones.
Both companies make a variety of formulas, each designed to meet the nutritional needs of dogs at different stages in life and you can also find both dry and wet options.
But which one is better? Which should you choose for your dog?
Let’s look at each factor closer before making our choice.
1. Brand Reputation
Farmina Dog Food
Farmina is a well-known pet food brand that has been around since 1965.
The company is based in Italy and makes products for dogs and cats.
They offer a variety of formulas with very different protein sources such as chicken, lamb, herring, and duck.
Farmina has built up a stellar reputation in Europe and in recent years, in the United States as well.
Doggy says, consider reading. this too: Farmina vs Fromm Dog Food Comparison
Orijen Dog Food
Orijen is owned by Champions Petfoods, which has just been recently acquired by Mars, and the company has been making premium dog food for over 30 years.
It’s known for its high-quality ingredients, including farm-fresh meats and locally sourced fruits and vegetables.
Orijen Dog Food is also a well-established brand with a loyal following of pet owners who swear by its products.
Doggy says, consider reading this too: Is Ollie Dog Food Good for Dogs? [Reviewed]
2. Ingredients
⚠️ A few points to note about the product label
Product name – tells you the percentage of the main ingredient
- “Chicken” – at least 70% of the product.
- “Chicken entree”, “Chicken platter”, “Chicken dinner” – at least 10% of the product.
- “With chicken” – at least 3% of the product
- “Chicken flavor” – less than 3% of the product
Ingredients – The first few items listed are the most important and make up the majority of the product (determined by weight).
Meat-meal – Can have much more protein than actual meat. To further understand, refer to this guide by AAFCO.
In this comparison of Farmina and Orijen dog food, we will consider the following dry food products from each company:
Farmina Dog Food
The company is committed to providing pet owners with natural, healthy, and tasty food for dogs that are free of artificial flavors and preservatives.
In this particular dry dog food product, they have used real meat for 90% of the protein and does not contain any sort of corn.
Something interesting is the use of ancestral grains, such as spelt and oats.
These are grains that have been minimally modified over the years as opposed to modern ones such as corn and rice.
The actual benefits are up for debate though, so I feel that this is a matter of individual preference.
The company also does not use any meat by-products
Orijen Dog Food
Orijen dog food is made by Champion Petfoods in North Alberta, Canada.
They use fresh whole ingredients and a variety of proteins to create their formulas that are free from grains, fillers, antibiotics, hormones, and preservatives.
A closer look shows that real meat is used in its primary ingredients.
In fact, quite a fair bit including chicken, turkey, chicken liver, whole herring, and whole mackerel in its top 5.
3. Key Nutrients
Every pet food label must include a guaranteed analysis of the nutrients, according to AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials) regulations.
It has strict requirements to make sure that a product is in fact complete and balanced for dogs.
This means that complete and balanced diets must contain the minimum amount of all of the nutrients necessary for dogs, which is also indicated in the “guaranteed analysis.”
The analysis must validate minimum crude protein and crude fat percentages as well as maximum crude fiber and moisture percentages.
The tables below will show you the data from the two brands.
Take note: When comparing dog food nutrients percentages, you should remove the amount of moisture to make it a more even comparison.
This is also referred to as calculating its dry matter basis (use this calculator).
This approach is a more accurate way to understand the true nutrient contents of dog food, instead of just relying on the number on the label (which is an ‘as-fed’ basis).
| Nutrient | Farmina | Dry matter basis | Orijen | Dry matter basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude protein | 30% min | 32.97% | 38% min | 43.18% |
| Crude Fat | 18% min | 19.78% | 18% min | 20.45% |
| Crude Fiber | 2.5% max | 2.75% | 4% max | 4.55% |
| Moisture | 9% max | – | 12% max | – |
Farmina vs Orijen Dog Food Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein
A healthy and balanced diet for dogs must include plenty of protein.
Their body uses protein for a variety of purposes, including the development and maintenance of muscles and other tissues.
It is required for the growth of hair, muscle, and new skin cells, among other things.
Additionally, it aids in the production of essential bodily molecules including hormones and enzymes.
Like carbs, it gives off energy and supports a robust immune system.
A dog can produce half of the 22 amino acids required to make proteins, so the other half has to come from its food.
From the tables above, it can be seen that Orijen provides a massive amount of protein for your dog compared to Farmina.
Both products are more than capable of fulfilling a dog’s daily needs (18% min)
Crude Fat
A balanced diet for dogs must include fats and oils.
For typical, healthy adult dogs, the optimal diet to maintain health is one that contains between 10 and 15 percent fat (minimum 5.5%).
When animals are permitted to consume excessive amounts of fat and calories (from additional snacks and table scraps, for example), without receiving enough activity to balance things out, this is when fat in the diet becomes an issue.
When you compare the 2 brands, there is really not much difference between them.
In the table, you can see that both companies offer more than enough (minimum 5.5%) amount of fats in their recipes.
Crude Fiber
Fiber helps generate firm, well-formed stools by adding mass and absorbing extra water, which promotes intestinal regularity.
Additionally, fiber contributes to a balanced intestinal pH, which prevents the formation of harmful bacteria in your dog’s gut.
It also contributes to the health of their digestive system and gives them a sense of fullness, which can help them feel less hungry and avoid overeating.
In this comparison, you will see that Farmina dry dog food is on the low side when it comes to fiber, while Orijen offers a substantial amount.
From the data, we can see that both companies offer an adequate amount of the recommended daily fiber required (2 – 4%).
4. Range of formulas
I personally like to stick to one brand of dog food as much as possible, and if a brand gives me that choice, I will be partial to it.
Both of the two brands have done well in offering a wide variety of dog food products including dry and wet dog food.
They even have formals that cater to special needs such as weight management, food sensitivity, and grain-free options.
Here’s a look at their most popular products:
5. Product Safety and Recall
There is really no discussion about quality dog food without talking about their safety records.
Companies do make mistakes, and it is important for us dog parents to know about them and decide if they are worth our consideration.
I try to update this section as much as possible, but if you find anything amiss, you may double-check on the FDA’s site or its archives for accuracy.
Farmina
Farmina dog food has never been recalled before in the United States or Canada.
Orijen
Orijen dog food has never been recalled before in the United States or Canada.
6. Price
The price of dog food can be a major factor in choosing it.
It’s not always the case, but if you have several dogs to feed and are on a budget, then cost is going to play a role.
It’s also no secret that prices can vary greatly between brands and varieties, but if you don’t want to break the bank, it’s worth taking a look at the prices below before making a purchase.
The following table shows what the options mentioned in this post cost per pound:
| Brand | Adult Dry Food |
|---|---|
| Farmina | $2.93/lb |
| Orijen | $4.31/lb |
In Conclusion: Farmina vs Orijen Dog Food
I hope the facts and details presented in this post have helped you to better understand what each of these two companies offers to you.
My personal choice between the two would be Orijen due to its use of more quality meat protein and higher nutritional value.
What about you?
