Rating: 
Wellness Simple Food Solutions dry dog food earns the Advisor’s mid-tier rating of 3 stars.
The Wellness Simple Food Solutions product line includes three dry dog foods, each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.
Wellness claims the products are targeted to “dogs suffering from food allergies and intolerances”.1
- Wellness Simple Food Solutions Rice and Duck
- Wellness Simple Food Solutions Rice and Lamb
- Wellness Simple Food Solutions Rice and Salmon
Wellness Dog Food Simple Food Solutions Rice and Duck formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Wellness Simple Food Solutions Rice and Duck Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Ground rice, duck, rice protein concentrate, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of vitamin E), tomato pomace, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, natural duck flavor, calcium carbonate, vitamins [vitamin E supplement, beta-carotene, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin, vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D-3 supplement, folic acid], minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, iron proteinate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, manganese sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], choline chloride, taurine
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first item in this dog food is ground rice. In a good grade (an unknown factor in this case), rice can be a quality hypoallergenic ingredient.
This particular form is bran-free… making it lower in fiber and other beneficial nutrients… but much easier to digest.
The second item lists duck. Although it is a quality item, raw duck 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 occupy a lower position on the list.
The third ingredient includes rice protein concentrate… made by removing the starchy part of the grain and leaving the protein.
Compared to meat, plant-based protein concentrates have a lower biological value. They’re lower in many of the essential amino acids dogs need to sustain life.
This ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
Now, in fairness to Wellness, we note the other two products in this line use meat meals (instead of rice protein) to boost protein.
The fourth item is canola oil. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.2
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 a cheap pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
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 two notable exceptions…
First, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
And lastly, 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 Simple Food Solutions Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Wellness Dog Food Simple Food Solutions can be better defined by what it’s not (rather than what it is)… making it suitable for dogs with certain allergy and digestive problems.
There are no dairy products, no corn, no wheat, no soy, no eggs, no artificial preservatives, no colors and no flavors.
Judging by its ingredients alone, Wellness Simple Food Solutions looks to be an above-average dry dog food.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 23%, a fat level of 14% and estimated carbohydrates of about 56%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 22% and a mean fat level of 13%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 57% for the overall product line.
Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbohydrates when compared to a typical dry dog food.
In addition, when you consider the plant-based protein-boosting effect of the rice protein concentrate, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.
Although we commend Wellness for its simple design, we would prefer to have seen the company include more meat in all three products.
Bottom line?
Wellness Simple Food Solutions is a rice-based dry dog food using a modest amount of duck, lamb or salmon as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand three stars.
Recommended.
Those looking for a wet product from the same company may wish to check out our review of Wellness Simple Food Solutions 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… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
11/21/2009 Original review
04/18/2010 Review updated
11/18/2010 Review updated
- Wellness Pet Food, 4/18/2010 ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.