Senior Grain-Free High-Protein Dry Dog Food, 23.5-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
ORIJEN Senior Grain-Free High-Protein Dry Dog Food is a senior formula built around chicken, turkey, salmon, and chicken liver.
This formula boasts a strong protein profile, with chicken as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also uses quality named fat sources and has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance, which is a great sign of thorough testing.
Multiple pulse-family ingredients like red lentils, pinto beans, and navy beans appear in the top 15. This legume stacking is partially mitigated by organ meat, such as chicken liver, appearing higher in the ingredient list.
Good fit for senior dogs who thrive on a high-protein diet. Less ideal if your dog has a known sensitivity to legumes.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for lower-energy small companion breeds like French Bulldogs, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers navigating a sensitive stomach. Chicken leads at position 1, but 6 stacked proteins make isolating triggers harder. Worth watching: calorie density (427 kcal/cup) is on the rich side for less-active seniors. Frenchies have notoriously sensitive GI tracts plus a tendency toward obesity given their low activity needs. Limited-ingredient formulas with moderate calorie density tend to fit them well.
Looking at this for senior French Bulldogs or French Bulldogs with a sensitive stomach ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.
Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.
Sniff scored this formula 76/100, landing in A-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+25.5 points): Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The biggest detractor was controversial-ingredient penalty (-2 points): Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10.
Strong protein profile with chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.
Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..
- Lowest DMB protein in ORIJEN's lineup (43.2%)
- Top 5% for protein quality in grain-free dry kibbles (25.6/27)
- Lowest DMB fat in ORIJEN's lineup (14.8%)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
Similar dog foods worth considering
Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.
ORIJEN Amazing Grains Original High-Protein Dry Dog Food, 22.5-lb bag
Scores 5 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
ORIJEN Original Grain-Free High-Protein Dry Dog Food, 31-lb bag
$4.32/lb vs your seed's $4.55/lb (5% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4herring
Whole fish, naturally high in omega-3s and very digestible protein. Common in premium formulas.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 5. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 6dehydrated chicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7dehydrated sardine
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8dehydrated chicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 8. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 9dehydrated egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 10legumered lentils
Same concern as other lentils. Affordable plant protein, part of the legume stack the FDA examined. See why →
Position 10. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 11legumepinto beans
Position 11. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 12legumenavy beans
Position 12. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 13legumelentils
Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →
Position 13. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 14legumechickpeas
Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
Position 14. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 15legumepeas
Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
Position 15. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 16dried apple pomace
- 17turkey giblets
- 18eggs
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label by amino acid score.
- 19dehydrated turkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
- 20othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 21dehydrated pumpkin
Soluble fiber that supports stool quality. Mild and well-tolerated.
- 22pollock oil
- 23fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
- 24lentil fiber
- 25protein animalchicken heart
Organ meat. Dense in taurine, B vitamins, and CoQ10. One of the best ingredients dogs can eat.
Showing first 25 of 52. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
18 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.