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Wholesomes Chicken Meal & Potatoes Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 35-lb bag
Wholesomes

Chicken Meal & Potatoes Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 35-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry $1.41/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Wholesomes Chicken Meal & Potatoes Formula is a grain-free dry food for dogs, with chicken meal as its primary protein source.

This formula includes dried egg in the top 10 ingredients, which adds diverse, high-bioavailability protein to the recipe.

A significant watch item is the lack of an AAFCO statement, which means its nutritional completeness is unverified. The formula also contains high legume stacking, with peas and chickpeas both appearing high on the ingredient list.

Good fit for dogs whose owners prefer a grain-free diet with chicken. Less ideal if you prioritize an AAFCO statement or want to limit legumes.

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

Who this is for

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. Good fit for adult Labrador Retrievers navigating weight management. At 365 kcal/cup this formula runs on the moderate side, with crude fiber at 5% (above the catalog median, supports satiety). 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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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

At 54/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from ingredient diversity, worth 5 points to the final number: Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein. 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. AAFCO compliance would also need to improve to reach the next band.

What lifted the score

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK
What pulled it down

Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

CAP why?

No AAFCO statement. Nutritional completeness unverified.

ACF

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
  • Lowest carb quality in Wholesomes's lineup (8/16)
  • Bottom quartile for crude fiber in Wholesomes's lineup (5.6% DMB)
  • Bottom quartile for DMB protein in grain-free dry kibbles (26.7%)

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
Wholesomes Puppy Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food, 16.5-lb bag
Wholesomes

Wholesomes Puppy Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food, 16.5-lb bag

69

Scores 15 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Wholesomes with Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Wholesomes

Wholesomes with Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag

56

$1.30/lb vs your seed's $1.41/lb (8% 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: 27% ⓘ
Protein
24%
min (as fed)
Fat
14%
min (as fed)
Fiber
5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

46 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken meal

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

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

  2. 2
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

    Position 2: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.

  3. 3
    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 3. Pulse-family ingredient this high in the deck is a notable build choice. When stacked with other pulses in the top 10, matches the formulation pattern the FDA flagged in its diet-associated DCM investigation.

  4. 4
    chickpeas

    Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

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

  5. 5
    chicken fat

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

    Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.

  6. 6
    pea fiber

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

    Position 6. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  7. 7
    flaxseed

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

    Position 7: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.

  8. 8
    natural flavors

    Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.

  9. 9
    dried egg

    Whole eggs. The highest-quality protein on any ingredient label, by amino acid score.

    Position 9: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.

  10. 10
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  11. 11
    apples

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

    Position 11: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  12. 12
    blueberries

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

    Position 12: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  13. 13
    cranberries

    Often added with a urinary-tract-support marketing angle. Real cranberry compounds help in concentrate form, but kibble doses are small.

    Position 13: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  14. 14
    carrots

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

    Position 14: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  15. 15
    spinach

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

    Position 15: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  16. 16
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  17. 17
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  18. 18
    choline chloride

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

  19. 19
    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

  20. 20
    l-lysine

    Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.

  21. 21
    taurine

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

  22. 22
    yucca schidigera extract

    Plant extract added to reduce stool odor. Functional, not nutritional. Fine in trace amounts.

  23. 23
    l-carnitine

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

  24. 24
    beta-carotene
  25. 25
    vitamin a supplement

    Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.

Showing first 25 of 46. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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