ORIJEN Small Breed Dry Dog Food

Dry food for dogs · All life stages · by Orijen

See the full breakdown in Beagly

What to watch for

• Lentils Moderate risk
  Lentils add plant protein, starch and fiber. The FDA has been investigating reports of heart disease (DCM) in dogs eating diets high in peas, lentils and other legumes, often grain-free. No cause has been proven, but it is worth knowing when legumes sit near the top of the list.
• Pea starch Low risk
  Starch from peas, used as a binder in grain-free kibble. Part of the legume load the FDA DCM investigation looked at.
• Natural flavor Low risk
  Flavoring from natural sources. Normally safe, but the term can hide which animal or plant it came from, which matters for allergies.
• Dried kelp Low risk
  Seaweed that supplies iodine and trace minerals. Too much kelp can push iodine too high, so it should be a minor ingredient.
• Salt Low risk
  Salt supplies sodium and chloride, which dogs need. Pet foods use small amounts; high salt is mainly a concern for dogs with heart or kidney disease.
• Copper sulfate Low risk
  A source of copper, an essential trace mineral. Some breeds accumulate copper in the liver, and vets have raised concern that some dog foods supply more than dogs need.

What it does well

• High protein 43.2%
  30% or more on a dry-matter basis.
• Named meat first
  First ingredient is turkey.

Ingredients

Turkey, chicken, turkey giblets (liver, heart, gizzard), quail, whole blue whiting, whole mackerel, chicken liver, eggs, dehydrated turkey, dehydrated chicken, dehydrated mackerel, dehydrated chicken liver, dehydrated egg, whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, whole green lentils, chicken fat, whole navy beans, whole chickpeas, lentil fiber, pea starch, natural chicken flavor, pollock oil, chicken heart, New Zealand green mussels, whole cranberries, whole pumpkin, whole butternut squash, collard greens, whole apples, whole pears, dried kelp, zinc proteinate, salt, mixed tocopherols (preservative), thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, copper proteinate, dried chicory root, turmeric, sarsaparilla root, althea root, rosehips, juniper berries, citric acid (preservative), rosemary extract, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product.

Guaranteed analysis

What the label cannot tell you

• Ingredient order is by weight before cooking; fresh meat counts water.
• Some ingredients were not recognised; the score may be incomplete.
• We could not find the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement for this product. Scan the bag to confirm it is complete and balanced.

Sizes and barcodes

• ORIJEN Small Breed Dry Dog Food - 4-lb UPC 064992581404

Higher-scoring dry food for dogs

• Acana Wholesome Grains Dry Food for Dogs - Sea to Stream 94/100 · Excellent
• Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Adult Medium & Maxi 94/100 · Excellent
• Wellness CORE+ High Protein With-Grain Adult Dry Dog Food - Turkey & Chicken 93/100 · Excellent
• Wellness CORE+ High Protein With-Grain Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food - Turkey 93/100 · Excellent
• Farmina N&D Prime Chicken & Pomegranate Adult Medium & Maxi 92/100 · Excellent

More from Orijen

• ORIJEN High Protein Amazing Grains Regional Red Dry Dog Food 87/100 · Excellent
• ORIJEN High Protein Amazing Grains Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food 84/100 · Excellent
• ORIJEN Large Breed Adult Recipe Dry Dog Food 82/100 · Excellent
• ORIJEN Regional Red Dry Dog Food 82/100 · Excellent
• ORIJEN Grain Free Tundra Adult Freeze Dried Dog Food 81/100 · Excellent

Informational, not veterinary advice. The score is our opinion of a food, built from the facts on its label with our published method. No brand pays to rank higher. Recipes change: check the bag you have, or scan it in the app.

Score version 2026.11.6 · Page updated 2026-11-03