Small Breed Grain-Free High-Protein Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
ORIJEN Small Breed Grain-Free High-Protein Dry Dog Food is a dry food for small breeds, featuring turkey, chicken, and salmon as its main protein sources.
This food has a strong protein profile, with turkey, chicken, and salmon providing high biological value. It also uses quality fat sources, which are clearly named. The formula has AAFCO feeding trial substantiation.
The formula does contain high legume stacking, with multiple pulse-family ingredients like red lentils and pinto beans appearing in the top 15. This is partially mitigated by the presence of organ meat in the top 10 ingredients.
Good fit for small breed dogs who need a high-protein diet. Less ideal if you prefer foods without significant legume content.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Good fit for lower-energy small companion breeds, including the French Bulldog, navigating a sensitive stomach. Turkey leads at position 1, but 6 stacked proteins make isolating triggers harder. Worth watching: calorie density (473 kcal/cup) is rich for a lower-activity breed. 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 adult 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.
Research informing this analysis
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- NRC, 2006digestibility · fiber· cited in 2 claims
- AAFCO, 2024zinc
- Swanson et al., 2002prebiotics
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 72/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+24.5 points): Strong protein profile with turkey 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. The gap to A-tier is small (3.0 points). Trimming controversial-ingredient penalty would likely close it.
Strong protein profile with turkey as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with declared fat sources.
AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for not stated.
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 4% for protein quality in dry kibbles (24.4/27)
- Lowest crude fiber in ORIJEN's lineup (4.5% DMB)
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, 30-lb bag
Scores 9 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 $6.40/lb (32% 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 animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3turkey giblets
Position 3. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 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 animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6dehydrated turkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7dehydrated chicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 7: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 8dehydrated sardine
Position 8: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 9dehydrated 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 9. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 10dehydrated egg
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11legumered lentils
Same concern as other lentils. Affordable plant protein, part of the legume stack the FDA examined. See why →
Position 11. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 12legumepinto beans
Position 12. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 13legumenavy beans
Position 13. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 14fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 15legumelentils
Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →
Position 15. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 16legumechickpeas
Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
- 17dried apple pomace
- 18legumepeas
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 →
- 19protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
- 20eggs
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label by amino acid score.
- 21othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 22pollock oil
- 23protein animalchicken heart
Organ meat. Dense in taurine, B vitamins, and CoQ10. One of the best ingredients dogs can eat.
- 24green mussels
- 25vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
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.