Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
WholeHearted Grain Free product range consists of 16 recipes with ratings varying from 4 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 5 stars.
Real meat or fish is listed as the first ingredient, combined with omega fatty acids, probiotics and vitamins.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Recipes have been formulated by veterinarians and nutritionists
- Formulated without corn, soy, wheat, or grains
Cons
- Less widespread availability than other brands
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 |
|---|---|---|
| WholeHearted Grain Free All Life Stages Beef & Pea | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain Free All Life Stages Salmon and Pea | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain Free All Life Stages Chicken and Pea | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain Free All Life Stages Lamb and Lentil | 5 | A |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Beef and Pea | 4.5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Chicken and Pea | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Healthy Skin and Coat Care Pea and Salmon | 4.5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Chicken and Pea Puppy | 5 | A |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Large Breed Beef and Pea | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Chicken Senior | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Healthy Benefits Weight Control Lamb and Pea | 4.5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free All Breed Beef & Pea Puppy | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Large Breed Chicken and Pea | 4.5 | U |
| WholeHearted Large Breed Beef & Pea Puppy | 4.5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Salmon and Pea | 3.5 | A |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Beef and Pea | 3.5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
WholeHearted Senior Chicken was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
WholeHearted Senior Chicken
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken meal, peas, pea flour, lentils, flaxseed, tomato pomace, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural flavor, salt, psyllium seed husk, ginger, choline chloride, glucosamine hydrochloride, dried chicory root, chondroitin sulfate, l-carnitine, yucca schidigera extract, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, dried lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid (preservative), vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 27% | 10% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 30% | 11% | 51% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 28% | 25% | 47% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% 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 account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The fourth ingredient is pea flour, a powder made from roasted yellow peas. Pea flour contains as much as 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient includes lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The sixth 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 seventh ingredient is tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
The eighth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The ninth ingredient is natural flavors. Natural flavors doesn’t give us much information about the particular ingredients included in this dog food for flavoring purposes.
We’re pleased that the flavorings used are natural, but more details are required to give any further information about these natural flavoring ingredients. Flavorings are used to make the foods more appealing and tasty for our dogs.
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 four notable exceptions…
First chicory root. Chicory 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 used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
In addition, we note the inclusion of dried fermentation products in this recipe. Fermentation products are typically added as probiotics to aid with digestion.
Next, glucosamine, which is included in dog food as a joint support. Glucosamine regulates the synthesis of collagen in cartilage and may provide mild anti-inflammatory effects, it may also contribute to the creation of cartilage building blocks (glycoaminoglycans and proteoglycans).
However, despite some evidence that a combination of glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulphate nutraceuticals improves symptoms associated with joint disease in dogs and cats, strong clinical evidence of efficacy is lacking, and these compounds are understudied (Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine, 2010).
In summary, although further research is needed to confirm the effect of glucosamine in dog foods, we see the addition of Glucosamine in this product as a positive addition.
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, WholeHearted Chicken Senior looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 31%, a fat level of 12% and estimated carbohydrates of about 43.7%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 30% and a mean fat level of 16.9%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 40% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.
Near-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
When you consider the protein-boosting effect of the lentils and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable 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.
What do pet parents think?
Our Rating of WholeHearted Grain Free Dry Dog Food
WholeHearted Grain Free is a dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
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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