We’ve been using the amazing grains regional red since about February 2023. Haven’t noticed anything as far a reduced quality issues. The kibble is perhaps darker sometimes but don’t think that’s uncommon.
Have not seen any issues that are poop related either.

I don’t buy kibble by mail. I pick it up at the store (Petco). I do buy the honest kitchen from chewy.
I wouldn’t buy any food from Amazon.

If you believe you have a bad batch, report it to Orijen.

If you’re emptying the kibble into a container, be sure to clean the container with every new bag. I just put the entire bag into a simple human dog food bin without emptying the contents.

The stool is probably unrelated to the kibble if the food isn’t tainted.

Try adding a quality pre and probiotic.

 

We’ve been using the amazing grains regional red since about February 2023. Haven’t noticed anything as far a reduced quality issues. The kibble is perhaps darker sometimes but don’t think that’s uncommon.
Have not seen any issues that are poop related either.

I don’t buy kibble by mail. I pick it up at the store (Petco). I do buy the honest kitchen from chewy.
I wouldn’t buy any food from Amazon.

If you believe you have a bad batch, report it to Orijen.

If you’re emptying the kibble into a container, be sure to clean the container with every new bag. I just put the entire bag into a simple human dog food bin without emptying the contents.

The stool is probably unrelated to the kibble if the food isn’t tainted.

Try adding a quality pre and probiotic.

I'll reach out to orijen, I haven't had any complaints with them since starting back in March so it might be a bad batch, I also forgot to mention, I did end up getting the Nutramax Proviable probiotics but it's only been 4 days. The recipe I get is the original one, if I stay with orijen I might get the regional red from now on. I only but the kibble in store and I keep it in the bag the whole time in a container. I might stop by and pick up a small bag of the honest kitchen to try as a topper so I know if he'll like it if I make the switch.

 

I would not feed Orijen due to the sale to Mars (for one reason).

I remember well when the old Natura brand (Innova, California Natural, etc.) was acquired, then destroyed, then obliterated -- removed from the market.

How old is your dog, puppy (and age?) or adult?

I'm feeding Farmina, and just about to order a bag of the dry. I would highly recommend the brand, unreservedly. Cans and dry are both excellent.

I like and trust Annamaet as a company. Choose a grain inclusive formula.

On the cost saving side, Kirkland Signature (NOT Nature's Domain) is a pretty proven, solid choice sold at Costco.

I'e fed the puppy formula, with Farmina canned. Many, many breeders have successfully fed the formulas for decades. It's their own formula designed by a PhD in Small Animal Nutrition and PhD Biochemist for live cultures best bioavailable for dogs, their own heightened inspections and quality standards imposed upon the manufacturer (Diamond).

 

Open Farm could be a good choice. I like a lot of things about the company. But there is room for improvement on a few fronts.

Go!Solutions, from Petcurean is worth looking into, particularly the Skin & Coat line with grain, higher protein formulas with grain -- dry and wet.

Dr. Gary's Best Breed, Nature's Variety Instinct (now owned by European Agrolimen Spa.) are other companies whose formulas and brand are worth checking out. DACVN DVM Susan Wynn (double boarded also in viral & vaccine immunology) also a GSD person, was hired on full time to guide Instinct, which was a needed move for the company and adds to their quality/safety profile.

 

After seeing orijen was sold to mars I've seen others complain also.
My dog is 7 1/2 years. But on the heavier side so lowered the portions a bit. I supplement glucasomine and salmon oil on top so the content in the food doesn't need to be high.
Haven't heard of Farmina till now looks good but might get something that's available locally. Was also interested in the instinct raw boost whole grain, might stop by petco later and get a small bag to try out. I probably still have about a 7 or 10 days worth of orijen so I can make the transition. Any thought on honest kitchen, it just grabbed my attention because it's different, but not sure if he'll like his food that wet. Probably best to try as a topper. I wasn't aware that Instinct had a vet on full time to help make the food, now looking like the best option that's available on hand.

 

There’s complaints that people don’t like the sale to Mars, which I agree. But the food hasn’t changed yet as far I can tell. It may in the future but it hasn’t yet.

 

I like THK and give 30% of that and the rest Orijen. THK I use is the grain free dehydrated turkey or beef.
I think the Orijen is more species appropriate if can’t do raw (which I do not). But I like adding THK too.

for the probiotic, Purina fortiflora flora is good to rehab the dog to firm stools.

Carmspack’s Sunday sundae and other supplements are also recommended.

Any company that becomes successful is liable to get bought out by the likes of Mars. I think we have to look at each product individually rather than just say mars sucks, which I agree, but won’t stop feeding Orijen unless I see a decline in quality.

 

Was gonna mention the Mars sale…

we have had great success with all the Fromm kibble we have fed Rosie. Small, tight, not so stinky stools. Local feed store has the 25lb bags of various formula for $60

 

I asked Orijen how much of their protein is animal based, they refused to answer me. Lots of subject changing over many emails. That alone made me skip Orijen. We’ve been doing the First Mate limited ingredient fish and Fern is doing well. They have regular food with grain in it as well.

 

I think there was a time and a place where we as humans saw kibble as a good feeding format for canines. Orijen was perhaps the best widespread example of kibble done right - it appeals to people who read ingredients but at best these foods can only be good nutritional supplement product - and perhaps should only be used only to supplelement their diets, any foods in kibble format are going to be an inferior experience for the dog with diminished nutritional assimiliation. Really the key differences between Orijen and other brands that offer additive-free dog food is that the first few ingredients being ”whole prey” rather than meal … regardless you have to consider that the format in which your dog will encounter these ingredients is not the best way for these ingredients to offer their true benefits. Another key difference, and one of the only tangible ones is that it has some extra glucosamine

 

So since asking I have bought a small bag of instinct kibble + raw. He likes it, I like the idea of added freeze dried bits. I’m now mixing 50/50 with Orijen. I have seen improvement in the stool, maybe it’s the food or maybe the probiotics I started adding. Hasn’t happened before so I don’t think probiotics were necessary. I provided Orijen the lot and production dates and they are doing a “quality assurance investigation” and offered a free bag voucher but I don’t really want to risk trying another bag/recipe.

Since I’ve started researching this I learned that salt splits the ingredients and anything after is less than 1%. In instinct raw it’s quite high on the list but on open farm it’s further down the list and you can also check where every ingredients is from. Also seen good reviews, only thing is I’d have to order on Amazon or go to a different store because petco doesn’t carry it.

 

We just noticed a change with the most recent bag of Orijen. Nothing but diarrhea for 2 1/2 days. Not sure what to switch to but this stinks, literally.

 

Which recipe?
What was different with the contents when you opened the new bag?

 

Something to add, I would not trust Orijen or Acana any more since the buy out to Mars. I also remember the buyout of Natura brands & recall a conversation I had with the store manager of our local natural pet food store. She told me a company can change their ingredients and have up to 6 months before changing it on the food label. So with the buy out of Champion Pet foods(Orijen/Acana), it would not surprise me if Mars has already changed the ingredients & not for the better. I had fed Orijen for years, now I'm a raw feeder with Honest Kitchen dehydrated as a base for my dog's meals. I would recommend the Honest Kitchen products & I use many of them.

 

I have not seen a difference as yet, and I'm watching closely. I also email Orijen frequently regarding these things. But will change over to something else if I see even the slightest degradation in quality. I also use honest kitchen in addition to Orijen.

 

I contacted Orijen when it happened, gave them the batch info and they did an “investigation” and found no other complaints from the same batch and offered a free bag of food. I didn’t want to stick with then so was looking between instinct raw boost + kibble, honest kitchen dehydrated and open farm raw mix. I ended up getting a small bag of instinct raw and he liked it, the ingredients weren’t bad but open farm with showing where everything is from seemed like a good thing to me. Also doing good on this food only thing is it might not be as easily available nearby, Amazon and PetSuppliesPlus has it, but I don’t think I’ve seen it anywhere else.

 

You may want to check in to where ingredients are sourced. I remember many years back finding out Instinct brands sourced some ingredients from China, don't recall off hand which they where. It's a general statement to check in to for any company. It's sad we have to look in to things so closely, but it is necessary these days.

I also agree Open Farm does a lot of good things, but they could be better as already mentioned.

 

Looks like Orijen’s ingredients have changed in their amazing grains regional red. The reviews are visible on some sites that imported from Orijen’s website but Orijen seems to have removed the negative reviews from their website about the recipe change. The new ingredients list isn’t posted on their site. **** Mars!

 

I realize this reply is waaaay late. I have been feeding my Bouvier Orijen Regional Red for about 3 years now. He hoovers it! His stools, with some variability, have been loose/ loosely formed and sometimes not formed at all. I have been giving him just over half a teaspoon of diatomaceous earth with his breakfast, a little olive oil and wetting the dia. earth (not good for them to inhale it, apparently) and his poops have been great. If you go with a DE supplement, shop it on (hate to say it) Amazon. It is significantly better value. Chat with your vet, first, if you like. The substance is benign and has some mineral content and also deals with parasites, etc.. Good luck!

 

D-EARTH is available at Tractor Supply or anywhere that sells food for livestock. My dogs get it mixed with a little water on their kibble. It eradicates intestinal parasites.