Complete Health Petite Entrees Adult Small Breed Sampler Variety Pack Grain-Free Wet Dog Food, 3-oz cup, case of 6
Graded by The Sniff System
Wellness Complete Health Petite Entrees Adult Small Breed Sampler Variety Pack is a grain-free wet food built around chicken and turkey, designed for adult small breed dogs.
Chicken and turkey are the primary proteins, with chicken providing solid amino acid coverage. The inclusion of chicken liver and eggs adds diverse, high-quality protein sources. It's formulated for adult maintenance, which is a good baseline.
This food lacks a declared omega-3 source. It also contains carrageenan, a thickener that some studies link to gastrointestinal inflammation, and guar gum, an emulsifier with emerging data on microbiome effects.
Good fit for adult small breed dogs. Less ideal if your dog has IBD or you prefer foods without carrageenan or guar gum.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and similar moderately active toy breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Working in its favor: explicitly formulated for small-breed dogs. Chicken broth anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus chicken liver at position 9 (a natural taurine precursor). The FDA's 2019 investigation update on diet-associated DCM included 13 reported cases in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, making them one of the top 15 most frequently reported breeds at that time (FDA, 2019) .
Looking at this for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels or Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 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, 2022epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
- FDA, 2019cardiac · diet composition· cited in 3 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Middle-of-pack grade. 45/100 (C) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+17.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage. What we'd flag for vet discussion: fat quality (-8 points). No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
Reasonable protein quality. chicken delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.
No declared omega-3 source. Fish oil, salmon oil, and algae oil all absent.
Contains carrageenan. Plausible rodent colitis mechanism, no direct canine clinical evidence at food-grade levels. Concern elevated for dogs with IBD..
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Lowest fat quality in Wellness's lineup (4/16)
- Bottom quartile for carb quality in Wellness's lineup (9/16)
- Bottom quartile for overall Sniff Score in Wellness's lineup (45/100)
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.
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Small Breed Mini Meals Beef & Chicken Pate Dog Food Pouches, 3-oz, case of 12
Scores 12 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Small Breed Mini Meals Chicken Pate Dog Food Pouches, 3-oz, case of 12
$10.61/lb vs your seed's $13.32/lb (20% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Controversial ingredients · 1
- carrageenanSeaweed-derived thickener; some studies link it to gastrointestinal inflammation. Most common in wet foods but appears in some kibble gravies.
Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 44%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2water sufficient for processing
The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.
- 3protein animalchicken
Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 6green beans
Real vegetable. Fiber and a small amount of vitamins. Often used in weight-management formulas because it bulks up a meal without adding calories.
- 7white sweet potatoes
- 8othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 9protein 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 9. Functional organ inclusion. Adds amino acids and micronutrients even at smaller weight.
- 10eggs
Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label by amino acid score.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 12mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 13mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 14fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.
- 15fiberxanthan gum
Thickener common in wet food and gravies. Same emulsifier-microbiome conversation as guar gum, not a clear flag. See why →
Position 15: trace fiber inclusion.
- 16sodium carbonate
pH buffer used in food processing. Functional, no quality signal.
- 17mineralmagnesium sulfate
Source of magnesium, a required mineral. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 18vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 19thiamine hydrochloride
- 20vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 21vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 22vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 23vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 24vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 25vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
Showing first 25 of 176. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.