Orijen 80/20 Formula Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food is a grain-free formula, containing a rich balance of premium animal ingredients (80%) with fruits, vegetables and botanicals (20%) that young dogs would encounter in a wilderness setting. Free-run chicken and turkey, whole eggs and wild-caught fish are farmed or fished within the Canadian region by people known and trusted by Champion Petfoods. Quality is never outsourced! The first 5 ingredients are FRESH MEAT, which are low in calcium and phosphorus, helping to make the formula balanced! Using this high amount of fresh meat gives the kibble a unique shape, smell and color. And although your puppy may look very different from a grey wolf, they share the same eating anatomy as a carnivore with a diet rich in meat, not carbohydrates or grains.

Orijen 80/20 Formula Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food is bursting with the protein-packed, veterinary-inspected meats that form a Biologically Appropriate diet of 38% protein and 16% animal fat — and none of the grains or carbohydrates that are inappropriate for your puppy. The potential oversupply of calcium and phosphorus in high-protein dog foods is cause for concern. High inclusions of chicken and fish meal used to increase protein levels also provide a rich source of minerals and push calcium and phosphorus levels to the upper allowable limits of, respectively, 1.7% and 1.4%. This is a common concern in large breed puppies.

Fresh chicken and turkey cartilage, not synthetic ingredients, provides a natural and high source of glucosamine and chondroitin. Non-rendered omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) are from fresh fish, not sunflower, flax or canola oils (ALA), which are ineffective in the body of a dog. These fatty acids are essential for your puppy's developing immune and nervous systems, as well as glowing skin and hair coat.

Instead of grain, this formula contains a full complement of regional fruits and vegetables that supply important natural antioxidants and phytochemicals — including kelp, juniper berries and marigold flowers — that are naturally rich in phytonutrients, B-vitamins and essential trace minerals. Veterinary selected botanicals soothe, nourish and tone the digestive tract while strengthening the liver.

While puppies thrive on essential proteins and fats, they require absolutely no carbohydrate in their diet. Simple carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to elevate and fluctuate. When not used for energy, carbohydrates are stored in the body as fat, causing overweight conditions in dogs. By providing more calories from protein and fewer calories from carbohydrate, Orijen reduces the risk of obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes.