Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Wellness CORE Grain Free canned product range consists of four recipes with ratings varying from 4.5 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5 stars.
High‑quality protein recipes crafted with nutrient‑dense superfoods, including blueberries, spinach, and kale.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- Premium brand yet affordable
- Transparency with ingredient sourcing, manufacturing processes, and quality control measures
Cons
- Limited protein options
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Wellness Core Grain Free Turkey, Chicken Liver Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Wellness CORE Grain Free Turkey, Chicken Liver Recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, turkey, chicken broth, chicken liver, turkey liver, turkey heart, sweet potatoes, ground flaxseed, chicken heart, carrageenan, guar gum, carrots, apples, spinach, parsley, blueberries, broccoli, kale, potassium chloride, salt, dried chicory root, yucca schidigera extract, choline chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B-12 supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D-3 supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 13% | 9% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 51% | 35% | 6% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 36% | 60% | 4% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
The second ingredient is turkey, another quality, raw item.
Both chicken and turkey are naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The third ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.
The next two items include chicken and turkey liver. These are organ meats sourced from named animals and thus considered beneficial components.
The next ingredient is turkey heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, heart tissue is pure muscle – all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.
The seventh ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.
The eighth ingredient is 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 also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
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 Wellness product line.
With two notable exceptions…
First, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
In addition, this food 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.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Wellness CORE Grain Free Turkey, Chicken Liver Recipe canned dog food looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 49.5%, a fat level of 33.7% and estimated carbohydrates of about 3.5%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 49.6% and a mean fat level of 30.5%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 5.3% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 62%.
Which means this Wellness product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a generous amount of meat.
However, with 59% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 36% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for every animal.
Wellness Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Wellness through May 2026.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Wellness CORE Grain Free Canned Dog Food
Wellness Core Grain Free is a canned dog food using a liberal amount of named meats and organs as its dominant source of animal protein, thus receiving 5 stars.
Readers may also want to consider the company’s other canned lines, Wellness Canned Formulas and Wellness 95%.
About
Wellness was founded in 1997. Both dog and cat food are manufactured by Wellness Pet Company, and are produced in the USA, specifically at facilities in Minnesota and Indiana.
Compare Wellness CORE Grain Free Dog Food
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