Rating: 
Wellness Core dry dog food receives the Advisor’s highest rating of 5 stars.
The Wellness Core product line includes 3 kibbles… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
- Wellness Core Ocean Formula
- Wellness Core Original Formula
- Wellness Core Reduced Fat Formula
Wellness Core Original Formula Dry Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Wellness Core Original Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Deboned turkey, turkey meal, chicken meal, peas, potatoes, dried ground potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, chicken liver, natural chicken flavor, flaxseed, salmon oil, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli, spinach, parsley, apples, blueberries, vitamins [vitamin E supplement, beta-carotene, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), biotin, folic acid], minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, iron proteinate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate], choline chloride, mixed tocopherols added to preserve freshness, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, taurine, chicory root extract, Yucca schidigera extract, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 34% | 16% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 38% | 18% | 36% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 32% | 37% | 31% |
The first ingredient in this dog food lists turkey. Although it is a quality item, raw turkey contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
Which brings us to turkey meal… the second and (more likely) the dominant meat ingredient in this recipe.
Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.
The third ingredient is chicken meal… like chicken meal, another high protein meat concentrate.
The fourth ingredient mentions peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein… a factor that must be considered when evaluating the total protein reported in this food.
The fifth ingredient lists potato. Assuming they’re whole, potatoes are a good source of digestible carbohydrates and other healthy nutrients.
The sixth ingredient is dried potato… a dehydrated product made from potatoes and retaining most of the tuber’s healthy nutrients.
The seventh ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient… a by-product left after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content… while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
The ninth ingredient includes chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, chicken liver is a beneficial component.
After the natural chicken flavor, we find flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are rich in soluble fiber.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, salmon oil is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids… essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
Next, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.
this food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Wellness Core Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Based upon the quality of its ingredients, Wellness Core Dry Dog Food looks like an above-average kibble.
But ingredient quality alone cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 38%, a fat level of 18% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 36%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 38% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 38% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a generous amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Wellness Core dry dog food is a grain-free kibble using a generous amount of named poultry or fish meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a wet grain-free product from the same company may want to read our review of Wellness Core Canned Dog Food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
11/18/2009 Original review
06/15/2010 Review updated
07/07/2010 Review updated
06/07/2011 Review updated (minor recipe change)
06/07/2011 Last Update
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.