Somewhat Recommended
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Our Verdict
Wellness CORE 95% product range is made up of three recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 2.5 stars.
Pros
- High-quality ingredients
- Single source animal protein
- 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 95% Beef with Carrots | 2.5 | M |
| Wellness CORE 95% Chicken with Broccoli | 2.5 | M |
| Wellness CORE 95% Turkey with Spinach | 2.5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Wellness CORE 95% Beef with Carrots was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Wellness CORE 95% Beef with Carrots
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Beef, water sufficient for processing, carrots, ground flaxseed, cassia gum, xanthan gum, potassium chloride, tricalcium phosphate, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, potassium iodide), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, magnesium sulfate, calcium carbonate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 10% | 8% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 46% | 36% | 10% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 32% | 61% | 7% |
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 second ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The third ingredient includes carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fourth 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.
The fifth ingredient is cassia gum. Cassia gum is a plant extract likely used here as a gelling agent and providing no nutritional value to this food.
The sixth ingredient is xanthan gum is a food additive used here as a thickener to create gravy-like consistency.
The seventh ingredient is potassium chloride, a nutritional supplement sometimes used as a replacement for the sodium found in table salt.
The eighth ingredient is tricalcium phosphate, a beneficial source of calcium and phosphorus. In addition, this additive is used in canned foods as an emulsifier — an agent designed to disperse a food’s fats more evenly in water.
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 two notable exceptions…
First, this recipe contains 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 includes 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 95% looks like an above-average canned dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 43.3%, a fat level of 43.3% and estimated carbohydrates of about 6%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 41.9% and a mean fat level of 44.6%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 3.9% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 107%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a significant 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 95% Canned Dog Food
Wellness CORE 95% is a grain-free canned dog food using a significant amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein.
However, it is worth noting that the lower rating of 2.5 stars in this range is due to the high fat-to-protein ratio. With lower fat content, all of these recipes would have been 5 stars. We highly recommend this range for working or highly active dogs. If you give this particular formula to pets and less active dogs, we recommend you monitor their weight regularly to ensure they remain their ideal size.
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 95% Dog Food
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A Final Word
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