WholeHearted Grain Free Dog Food Review (Canned)

WholeHearted Grain Free Canned product range is made up of 24 recipes with ratings varying from 4 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5 stars.

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

WholeHearted Grain Free Healthy Benefits Easy Digestion Boiled Chicken Dinner in Broth was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

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

Chicken is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The second 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 ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.

The fourth ingredient includes carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The fifth ingredient lists pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

The sixth ingredient is tapioca starch, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.

The seventh ingredient is sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

The eighth ingredient is calcium sulfate, a source of supplemental calcium.

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 Petco product.

With three notable exceptions.

First, this product includes tuna oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.

We also note, fructooligosaccharides are included here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine and deliver digestive health benefits.

And lastly, with the exception of copper, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, WholeHearted Grain Free Healthy Benefits Easy Digestion Boiled Chicken Dinner in Broth looks like an above-average wet dog food.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 50%, a fat level of 15.8% and estimated carbohydrates of about 21.1%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 42.4% and a mean fat level of 23.2%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 20.6% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 55%.

Which means this WholeHearted product line contains…

Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.

Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a significant amount of meat.

WholeHearted Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to WholeHearted through April 2026.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of WholeHearted Grain Free Canned Dog Food

WholeHearted Grain Free is a moisture-rich dog food using a significant amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the product line 5 stars.

Highly Recommended

About

WholeHearted dog food is produced and distributed by Petco, it was introduced in 2016 to provide a wholesome nutritional choice to its clients at a reasonable price.

WholeHearted dog food is produced in the United States at Petco-owned facilities. However, the ingredients are sourced internationally. That means that Petco buys certain ingredients from the international market, and then manufactures the food in the United States.

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