Wilderness Wolf Creek Stew High-Protein & Grain-Free Hearty Beef in Gravy Wet Dog Food, 12.5-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Wolf Creek Stew High-Protein & Grain-Free Hearty Beef in Gravy Wet Dog Food is a wet food with beef as its primary protein.
This food has a strong protein profile, with beef as the main ingredient, which means good biological value. It also includes chicken liver and dried egg product, adding diverse, highly bioavailable protein sources.
The biggest concern is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. Also, there isn't a declared source of omega-3s like fish oil or algae oil.
Good fit for dogs who enjoy a beef-rich wet food. Less ideal if you require AAFCO verification for nutritional completeness.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) . Good fit for active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Beef anchors position 1, with 2 pulse-family ingredients in the top 15 (peas at position 7, pea fiber at position 12), plus chicken liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor).
Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM concerns ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.
Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.
Research informing this analysis
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 53/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 22.5 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The ceiling on this score is 59, set because the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement isn't disclosed on the retailer page (so our methodology can't verify the formula meets adult, growth, or all-life-stages standards). The cap isn't the binding constraint here. Fat quality would also need to improve to reach the next band.
Strong protein profile with beef as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.
- Lowest fat quality in Blue Buffalo's lineup (4/16)
- Top 4% for protein quality in wet foods (22.5/27)
- Bottom 1% for carb quality in Blue Buffalo's lineup (8/16)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
Similar dog foods worth considering
Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.
Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew Hearty Beef Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
Scores 7 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Blue Buffalo Blue's Country Chicken Stew Grain-Free Canned Dog Food, 12.5-oz, case of 12
$3.75/lb vs your seed's $4.16/lb (10% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 47%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalbeef
Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2beef broth
Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3water
Just water. Counted on the label of any wet or fresh food. The number tells you the moisture content.
- 4protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7legumepeas
Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →
Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 10protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12fiberpea fiber
Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.
Position 12. Trace inclusion. Below the level associated with the FDA's DCM-pattern concerns.
- 13mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 14sodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 15othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 16mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 17caramel color
Artificial coloring made by heating sugars. Cosmetic. Some forms contain trace 4-MEI, a compound the IARC lists as possibly carcinogenic.
- 18mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20zinc amino acid chelate
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 21iron amino acid chelate
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 22fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
- 23vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 24copper amino acid chelate
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 25manganese amino acid chelate
Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
Showing first 25 of 38. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
25 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.