Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice
Owners who trust veterinary-backed nutrition and want excellent palatability
Score Comparison
Pricing & Features
Making Your Decision
When to Choose Orijen Original
Owners who want the absolute best ingredient quality regardless of cost
Orijen is widely considered the gold standard of commercial dog food. 85% animal ingredients, WholePrey ratios with organs and cartilage, zero recalls ever. The ingredient list reads like a butcher shop menu. The only real barriers are the ~$2.13/day price and the grain-free DCM concern.
Strengths
- Zero recalls in brand history — impeccable safety record alongside sister brand ACANA
- 85% animal ingredients from fresh/raw free-run chicken, turkey, and wild-caught fish
- WholePrey ratios include organs and cartilage — mimics natural ancestral diet
Limitations
- Most expensive option at ~$2.13/day — ultra-premium pricing
- Very high protein content (38%+) may be too rich for sedentary dogs
- Grain-free formula subject to FDA DCM investigation concerns
When to Choose Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice
Owners who trust veterinary-backed nutrition and want excellent palatability
Purina Pro Plan is the most veterinarian-recommended brand in this comparison, backed by decades of feeding trial data. The shredded blend texture is genuinely unique and dogs tend to love it. The trade-off is corn gluten meal and by-product meal in the formula — ingredients that premium brands avoid.
Strengths
- Backed by extensive feeding trials and veterinary research at Purina labs
- Unique shredded blend texture combines hard kibble with tender meaty pieces
- Live probiotics added for digestive health — one of few brands offering this
Limitations
- Contains corn gluten meal and poultry by-product meal in the ingredient list
- Dec 2022/Feb 2023 recalls of veterinary diet lines raise brand-level concerns
- Ingredient transparency is limited — vague sourcing information
