# Orijen/Acana weight gain?



## Patticakes0729 (Jan 12, 2015)

I have a 10 week old lab/boxer mix. Definitely looks more on the lab side. As many people with labs know, they can be prone to overeating or putting on weight.

I've done a lot of research and saw that Orijen and Acana have stellar reviews. However, the high protein concerns me. High protein won't be an issue if I exercise my dog a lot and I have no problem doing so, but at this point, I don't know what her temperament will be like as she grows. If shes a laid back dog, the high protein might cause her to gain too much weight.

So I started looking for a good dog food brand with moderate protein and came across Fromm. For the most part I liked it, except for a few horror stories I read from a few users on the internet.

*Sigh* I just don't know what to do and I'm looking for advice. I don't want my girl putting on weight, I want her to be lean and healthy and on a good dog food brand.

Any comments/suggestions/opinions are welcome.


----------



## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Calories per cup is more important than % protein when it comes to considering whether a food will make your dog overweight. (I.e. the number of calories is ultimately what makes a dog gain weight, and there's more than just protein that makes up the calories in a dog food - % fat is also a very big contributor).

If she starts to get pudgy, cut her food back (start with reducing it by 10% for a few weeks and then adjust from there). If that still doesn't cut it, consider switching to a less calorically dense food. There are plenty of good foods that are not as rich as Orijen - you may want to look into Acana, which is a sibling brand to Orijen.


----------



## fourdogs (Feb 3, 2014)

I've used and love Fromm for years now and never had a problem. I've read the horror stories too and I suspect either the dog is intolerant to an ingredient or they really did get into something. Every time I try something else I come back to Fromm. 

I don't go by the feeding amounts on the bag, I feed to body condition. They get plump, I cut back. One of my dogs gains weight very easily so I use a scale to weigh her portions. Most of the fromm grain-inclusive have around 370 calories per cup and the grain free around 408 per cup.


----------



## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

I do as Fourdogs does, feed to body condition. However if you are feeding much less than that bag chart suggests you could be shortening your dog's protein. Protein builds muscle and that helps the dog want to stay on his/her feet and move. Most kibbles are far over supplemented with minerals and vitamins so it is very unlikely you will be skimping on those essential nutrients.

My problem with super high protein, low bulk kibbles is it is extremely easy to overfeed the dog as what goes into the dog's dish doesn't look like enough to feed a chicken let alone a big dog. I fed through 2 large bags of EVO back when it first came out and while Max didn't gain weight he also never had firmed up stool so I gave up and went back to the previous kibble. He was getting something like 1/2 cup twice a day for a medium sized dog and that was too much although it looks like nothing.


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

While the Orijen kibbles tend to be higher protein than most, they are pretty moderate in the fat content and IMO not actually super high in calories. On the higher end but lower than a number of the performance type foods. For example, I am feeding a food with 30% protein and 25% fat and 585 kcals per cup right now, as compared to the typical adult Orijen formula at around 36-38% protein and 16-18% fat and about 430-460 kcal per cup. My dogs are moderately active, both are fixed and are aged ~8 and ~4 and are lean and in good condition.

As long as you aren't feeding so little that the dog isnt getting minimum basic nutrients then you can adjust the food amount as needed to body condition. I would be surprised anyway if a Lab/Boxer mix ended up as anything close to "laid back" before 5 years old  besides, even dogs that don't demand a lot of exercise almost always enjoy plenty of good hikes and walks and keeping up good muscle tone is to the benefit of not just the dog's weight but helps support joints too.

Or you may find as the dog's growth slows that you need a little lower calorie food or that seasonally when you are less active a lower calorie (not diet, just lower than Orijen I mean) makes sense.


----------



## gingerkid (Jul 11, 2012)

Maybe we have different definitions of "high calorie", but Orijen formulas range from 445 - 490 kcal/cup. Most are over 470. The lowest is their Senior formula, at 445 kcal/cup; the large breed puppy formula is next at 456 kcal/cup, then Regional Red at 468. Everything else is over 470.


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Orijen is on the high side of calories but not overly high compared to performance foods. Its protein tends higher but its fat is moderate.

For example, Redpaw 38k is 4605 kcals/kg vs Orijen Adult at 3980 kcal/kg, Inukshuk is 4190 for its 30/25 formula (what i am feeding right now) or its 32/32 formulas is 4505 kcals/kg. Native level 4 is 4130 kcal/kg. Purina ProPlan Sport is 4250 kcals/kg. Diamond Extreme Athlete is 4710 kcal/kg. Sportmix high energy adult chunk is 4795 kcals/kg. Sportmix High protein is 4473 kcals/kg


----------



## Siould (Jan 2, 2015)

Congratulations on your new Boxador puppy! They normally favor the Labrador retriever. Any breed can become overweight if they are overfed or fed a poor diet. Orijen is too high in protein. You need to find a food for your puppy that is lower in protein. Too much protein in the diet is always a problem. It not only causes weight gain, but also causes a puppy to grow too rapidly and taxes the internal organs. Unfortunately, Fromm doesn’t contain enough protein for a growing puppy. You need to talk to your veterinarian about an appropriate diet and not just read reviews online. As an RVT, I would never recommend Orijen, Acana or Fromm for any dog. Too much protein is as dangerous as too little protein. I only feed my dogs Science Diet and my 16-year-old (almost 17-year-old) Cockapoo can attest to the fact that it is a perfect food.


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Siould said:


> Congratulations on your new Boxador puppy! They normally favor the Labrador retriever. Any breed can become overweight if they are overfed or fed a poor diet. Orijen is too high in protein. You need to find a food for your puppy that is lower in protein. Too much protein in the diet is always a problem. It not only causes weight gain, but also causes a puppy to grow too rapidly and taxes the internal organs. *Unfortunately, Fromm doesn't contain enough protein for a growing puppy.* You need to talk to your veterinarian about an appropriate diet and not just read reviews online. As an RVT, I would never recommend Orijen, Acana or Fromm for any dog. Too much protein is as dangerous as too little protein. I only feed my dogs Science Diet and my 16-year-old (almost 17-year-old) Cockapoo can attest to the fact that it is a perfect food.





Siould said:


> *Fromm is too high in protein*. It is also too high in fat. Hi-Tek Naturals Grain Free Alaskan Fish Formula is also too high in protein. Fromm Game Bird contains too much protein. It is also too high in fat, like all of their other foods. It is too high in fiber. Hi-Tek Naturals Chicken Meal & Rice Fitness Formula for Adult Dogs is also too high in protein. But, the Fromm Game Bird is even higher in protein, which is worse. It contains way too much fat for a dog. Too much fiber, too. Fromm Lamb and Lentil also contains too much protein. As is Fromm Surf and Turf. You are probably causing her problems by feeding her too much protein. Too much fat is bad for a dog, too. I can't find the GA of the Farmina formula you are talking about. There is nothing wrong with feeding your dog peas. Looking at the other Farmina formulas, it looks to be too low in protein for an adult dog.


So is Fromm too high in protein or too low in protein? There are several options of protein levels within the Fromm foods and several are right in line with the protein level of the common Science Diet formulas anyway.

Science Diet or any other food isn't the perfect food because none of them work for all dogs. My male dog was eating SD when I got him and he was doing horribly on it. Heck, he did better on Purina dog chow than on SD. Some dogs can't handle some ingredients, some do better on higher protein, some on lower protein. My vet has zero issues with a high protein diet for a healthy dog. We even ran blood work to be sure of what his health status was and I got a big thumbs up for a diet heavy in meat proteins and fat.


----------



## Jen2010 (Feb 12, 2013)

> I don't know what her temperament will be like as she grows. If shes a laid back dog, the high protein might cause her to gain too much weight.


 With a Lab/Boxer you'll be WISHING she were more laid back! Lol!

Seriously though, I agree with the others who've said if she starts gaining weight, cut back on the amount a bit. You'll have to play with the amounts as she grows anyway.


----------

