Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Wellness Core Hearty Cuts wet product range is made up of two recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.
This canned Core range has meaty cuts of protein in a savoury gravy blended with nutrient-rich superfoods like sweet potatoes and broccoli. And does not contain any wheat, corn, soy, meat by-products, or artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- Affordable premium brand
- Transparency with ingredient sourcing, manufacturing processes, and quality control measures
Cons
- Limited recipes
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.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Wellness Core Hearty Cuts in Gravy Beef and Venison | 5 | M |
| Wellness Core Hearty Cuts in Gravy Chicken and Turkey | 5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Wellness Core Hearty Cuts in Gravy Beef and Venison recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Wellness Core Hearty Cuts in Gravy Beef and Venison
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Beef, beef broth, venison broth, beef liver, venison, natural flavor, potato starch, sweet potatoes, dried egg product, green beans, guar gum, carrots, apples, blueberries, broccoli, kale, parsley, spinach, salt, sodium phosphate, ground flaxseed, potassium chloride, canola oil, calcium carbonate, dried chicory root, yucca schidigera extract, dried kelp, choline chloride, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, tricalcium phosphate, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 0.3%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 11% | 5% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 48% | 21% | 23% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 39% | 42% | 19% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The next two ingredients are beef broth and venison broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common addition component in many canned products.
The fourth ingredient is beef liver, an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The fifth ingredient is venison. Venison is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” venison and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.2
Venison is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
After natural flavor, we find potato starch. Potato starch is a gluten-free carbohydrate used more for its thickening properties than its nutritional value.
The next 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 ninth ingredient is dried egg white. Eggs are highly digestible and an excellent source of usable protein.
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.
With six notable exceptions…
First, 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 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.
Next, this recipe includes canola oil. Unfortunately, canola can be a controversial item. That’s because it can sometimes (but not always) be derived from genetically modified rapeseed.
Yet others cite the fact that canola oil can be a significant source of essential omega-3 fatty acids.
In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.
We also find salmon oil in this recipe. Salmon 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, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
In addition, we note the inclusion of inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and typically sourced from chicory root.
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.
Next, this recipe includes sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
And lastly, 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 Hearty Cuts in Gravy Beef and Venison looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 46.6%, a fat level of 21.7% and estimated carbohydrates of about 62.6%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 46.5% and a mean fat level of 21.8%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 61.8% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 47%.
Which means this Wellness product line contains…
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-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.
Wellness Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Wellness through December 2025.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Wellness Core Hearty Cuts Dog Food
Wellness Core Hearty Cuts is a grain-free canned dog food using an abundance of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
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.
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