Rating: 
Wellness Dog Food (canned formula) earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
Currently, the Wellness Dog Food Canned Formulas include eight different products… not to be confused with the company’s other two canned lines… Wellness Core and Wellness 95%.
Here are three examples…
- Wellness Dog Food Duck and Sweet Potato Formula
- Wellness Dog Food Just for Puppy
- Wellness Dog Food Senior Formula
After comparing products, Wellness Dog Food Turkey and Sweet Potato Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Wellness Canned Formula Turkey & Sweet Potatoe
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: turkey, turkey broth, turkey liver, ground barley, sweet potatoes, carrots, tricalcium phosphate, ground flaxseed, canola oil, guar gum, potassium chloride, salt, carrageenan, iron proteinate (source of chelated iron), zinc proteinate (source of chelated zinc), choline chloride, vitamin e supplement, cobalt proteinate (source of chelated cobalt), copper proteinate (a source of chelated copper), manganese proteinate (a source of chelated manganese), riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin a supplement, vitamin b12 supplement, potassium iodide, biotin, vitamin d3 supplement.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.5%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey. Turkey is defined by AAFCO1 as “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”. A quality meat ingredient.
The second ingredient is turkey broth… which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Nutritionally speaking, broths are pretty much worthless.
The third ingredient is turkey liver. Provided it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, liver can be considered a nutritious component.
The fourth item is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. It is considered a quality grain ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.
And dogs really seem to love the sweet potato’s naturally sweet flavor. A quality ingredient.
This product also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically “bound” to amino acids. This makes them up to ten times more easily absorbed than non-chelated minerals.
Bottom Line
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 36%, a fat level of 23% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 33%.
The nutrient gauges suggest this particular Wellness product to be an above-average canned dog food… and the listed ingredients and the lack of Red Flag items seem to confirm that impression.
With quality ingredients like these… along with our second-highest four-star rating… this product is certainly one to consider.
Highly recommended.
A Note of Caution… and an Invitation
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
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- American Association of Feed Control Officials ↩
