Taste of the Wild vs. Orijen Puppy Food

Finding the right food for your dog can seem like a tedious task with all different options out there. Kibble is the most popular form of dog food, but that doesn't mean they are all created equal. A healthier dog food translates into a healthier dog, just like a healthy diet can improve the health of us humans. Since getting my first puppy, I've done quite a bit of research on what food to feed her, and this is what I've found. 

First off, it's important to get the appropriate food for the life stage of your pet. Most dog food packages will say "puppy" or "adult" or even "nursing". Puppy food is much more dense to meet the needs of their growing bodies. If your puppy starts to reach their full grown size, they might be ready to switch to an adult food. The following kibbles are the one's I have personally fed my corgi, and the experience we had with each. 

Taste of the Wild (Puppy)- Pacific Stream Canine Formula

This was the first food we tried after reading great reviews. At first this kibble was great, but we started to notice that her stools were becoming softer. Not runny, but not firm either. The food also caused her to have very fishy breath. Overall, a great food if you don't mind the fishy smell and aren't noticing a big change in your dogs stools. This would be a great option for a dog with allergies, since most if not all of the protein come from fish. You can read more about the different kibbles by Taste of the Wild in this article. You can find Taste of the Wild kibble at most health conscious pet stores. 

Here's the breakdown on the nutrition of Taste of the Wild:

Crude Protein 27.0% Minimum Crude Fat 15.0% Minimum Crude Fiber 5.0% Maximum Moisture 10.0% Maximum Zinc 150 mg/kg Minimum Selenium 0.4 mg/kg Minimum Vitamin E 175 IU/kg Minimum Omega-6 Fatty Acids * 2.4% Minimum Omega-3 Fatty Acids * 0.3% Minimum DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) * 0.05% Minimum

 

Orijen - Puppy 

After a long convo with our healthy pet shop owner, we decided to give this one a try. It boasted a higher protein level and fresh local ingredients. This one helped to firm up her stools, and she seemed to prefer the taste. This food has a mix of different types of protein, so it might not be the best option if your pup has allergies. You can find Orijen Puppy Kibble at most health conscious pet stores. 

Here's the breakdown on the nutrition of Orijen Puppy:

• Crude protein (min.)
• Crude fat (min.)
• Crude fiber (max.)
• Moisture (max.)
• Calcium (min./max)
• Phosphorus (min./max)
• Omega-6 (min.)
• Omega-3 (min.)
• DHA (min.)
• EPA (min.)
• Carbohydrate (max.)
• Ash (max.)
• Glucosamine (min.)
• Chondroitin (min.)
• pH

 

• 38 %
• 20 %
• 5 %
• 10 %
• 1.3 / 1.6 %
• 1 / 1.3 %
• 3.0 %
• 1.2 %
• 0.6 %
• 0.3 %
• 20 %
• 8 %
• 1500 mg/kg
• 1200 mg/kg
• 5.5

Overall, these are both great grain-free options for your dog. To prevent digestive issues, it's recommended to introduce a new formula over the period of a few days, slowly mixing in more of the new food to replace the old. If your dog is experience any kind of discomfort or itching after introducing a new food, they might be experiencing a food allergy. In this case, look for a food that contains only one type of protein. 

Have you tried either of these puppy foods? What was your experience?