Skip to main content
snıff
Wellness CORE Healthy Weight Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey & Chicken Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag
Wellness

CORE Healthy Weight Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey & Chicken Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.08/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Wellness CORE Healthy Weight Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey & Chicken Dry Dog Food is a dry food with turkey and chicken as its primary proteins.

This formula has a strong protein profile, with turkey as the first ingredient, providing high biological value. It also includes quality fat sources like chicken fat and salmon oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The use of named fresh meat paired with same-species meal is a solid approach for dry food.

The recipe contains high legume stacking, with multiple pulse-family ingredients like lentils and peas in the top 15. This pattern has been discussed in relation to canine dilated cardiomyopathy, though the formula is mitigated.

Good fit for adult dogs who need weight management. Less ideal if your dog has a heart condition or a sensitivity to legumes.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers navigating weight management. At 372 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 8% (above the catalog median, supports satiety), and the product name signals a weight-management design. The landmark 14-year Purina Lifespan Study on 48 Labrador Retrievers demonstrated that dogs fed 25% fewer calories lived a median of 1.8 years longer and delayed the onset of chronic diseases. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2023 survey, 59% of dogs in the United States were classified as overweight or obese by their veterinary healthcare professional, representing an estimated 55 million dogs  (APOP, 2023) .

Looking at this for adult Labrador Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers with weight management ? 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

Methodology

The Sniff System grades this product against 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.

Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.

Why this score

Sniff scored this formula 71/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+22 points): Strong protein profile with turkey as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. The biggest detractor was controversial-ingredient penalty (-2 points): Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10. The gap to A-tier is small (4.0 points). Trimming controversial-ingredient penalty would likely close it.

What lifted the score

Strong protein profile with turkey as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.

STACK
What pulled it down

Contains high legume stacking. Multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. Mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Bottom 1% for carb quality in Wellness's lineup (8/16)
  • Top 10% for crude fiber in grain-free dry kibbles (8.9% DMB)
  • Bottom 3% for DMB fat in grain-free dry kibbles (11.1%)

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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Wellness CORE+ Small Breed Original Turkey & Chicken Recipe
Wellness

Wellness CORE+ Small Breed Original Turkey & Chicken Recipe

82

Scores 11 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Wellness Complete Health Healthy Weight Adult Wholesome Grains Natural Chicken & Peas Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag
Wellness

Wellness Complete Health Healthy Weight Adult Wholesome Grains Natural Chicken & Peas Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag

72

$2.69/lb vs your seed's $3.08/lb (13% less) at a comparable score.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 37% ⓘ
Protein
33%
min (as fed)
Fat
10%
min (as fed)
Fiber
8%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

53 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    turkey

    Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey. See why →

    Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.

  3. 3
    chicken meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →

    Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  4. 4
    lentils

    Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →

    Position 4. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.

  5. 5
    peas

    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 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.

  6. 6
    dried ground potatoes
  7. 7
    pea fiber

    Insoluble fiber from peas. Doesn't carry the protein-inflation concern of pea protein. Mostly there for stool quality.

    Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  8. 8
    dried plain beet pulp

    Beet fiber, with the sugar removed. Long unfairly maligned. It's a real soluble fiber that supports stool quality. See why →

    Position 8: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.

  9. 9
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

    Position 9: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  10. 10
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →

    Position 10: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  11. 11
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  12. 12
    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

    Position 12. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.

  13. 13
    dried chicory root

    Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.

    Position 13: trace fiber inclusion.

  14. 14
    taurine

    Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.

  15. 15
    vitamin e supplement

    Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.

  16. 16
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  17. 17
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  18. 18
    broccoli

    Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.

  19. 19
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

  20. 20
    parsley

    Real herb. Trace amount of vitamins K and C. The dose in kibble is small, mostly there for label appeal.

  21. 21
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  22. 22
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  23. 23
    kale

    Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.

  24. 24
    l-carnitine

    Amino acid derivative that helps the body convert fat into energy. Common in weight-management formulas.

  25. 25
    mixed tocopherols added to preserve freshness

    Natural vitamin E used as a preservative. The good kind of antioxidant on a label. See why →

Showing first 25 of 53. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.