CORE Small Breed Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey & Chicken Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Wellness CORE Small Breed Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey & Chicken is a dry food for adult small breed dogs, featuring turkey and chicken as its main protein sources.
This formula has a strong protein profile, with turkey as the first ingredient, offering high biological value. It also includes quality fat sources like chicken fat and salmon oil, which provides beneficial EPA and DHA. The combination of fresh meat and same-species meal creates a solid foundation for the food's protein content.
While there are no flagged ingredients, lentils and peas appear relatively high in the ingredient list. This is a common pattern in grain-free foods that some owners prefer to monitor.
Good fit for adult small breed dogs. Less ideal if you prefer foods without multiple legumes high in the ingredient list.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Frenchies have notoriously sensitive GI tracts plus a tendency toward obesity given their low activity needs. Limited-ingredient formulas with moderate calorie density tend to fit them well. Strong fit for lower-energy small companion breeds like French Bulldogs, Bulldogs, and Boston Terriers navigating a sensitive stomach. Turkey leads at position 1, with dried plain beet pulp (prebiotic fiber) at position 8 on the deck. What to watch: multiple protein sources stacked (harder to isolate triggers).
Looking at this for adult French Bulldogs or French Bulldogs with a sensitive stomach ? 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.
- NRC, 2006digestibility · fiber· cited in 2 claims
- AAFCO, 2024zinc
- Swanson et al., 2002prebiotics
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 73/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 22 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with turkey as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. Secondary contribution comes from fat quality (+12 points). Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). The 2-point gap to the A-tier line is concentrated in carbohydrate quality (8 of 16 possible). Full carbohydrate quality requires whole-grain or single-source carbohydrates with a declared fermentable fiber.
Strong protein profile with turkey as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Bottom 1% for carb quality in Wellness's lineup (8/16)
- Top 5% for DMB protein in dry kibbles (40.0%)
- Top quartile for protein quality in Wellness's lineup (21.8/27)
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+ Small Breed Original Turkey & Chicken Recipe
Scores 9 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Wellness CORE Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey & Chicken Dry Dog Food, 26-lb bag
$3.08/lb vs your seed's $4.00/lb (23% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalturkey
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.
- 2protein animalturkey 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.
- 3protein animalchicken 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.
- 4dried ground potatoes
- 5legumelentils
Same concern as peas. Affordable plant protein, but when they pile up in the top 5 ingredients, it's a flag. See why →
Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 6legumepeas
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 6. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 7fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 8dried 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.
- 9fatflaxseed
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.
- 10othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 11fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 11. Moderate marine-oil inclusion. Supplements EPA/DHA without being the primary fat.
- 12fiberdried chicory root
Natural prebiotic. Feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The same compound (inulin) used in human gut-health products.
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 13supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 14supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 15vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 16vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
- 17vegetablebroccoli
Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.
- 18vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
- 19supplementparsley
Real herb. Trace amount of vitamins K and C. The dose in kibble is small, mostly there for label appeal.
- 20fruitapples
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
- 21fruitblueberries
Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.
- 22vegetablekale
Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.
- 23supplementspearmint
- 24mixed tocopherols added to preserve freshness
Natural vitamin E used as a preservative. The good kind of antioxidant on a label. See why →
- 25vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
Showing first 25 of 52. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.