CORE Tiny Tasters Pate Tuna & Salmon Recipe
Graded by The Sniff System
Wellness CORE Tiny Tasters Pate Tuna & Salmon Recipe is a wet pate food featuring tuna and salmon.
This pate offers good protein quality, with tuna providing solid amino acid coverage. The inclusion of named fish like tuna and salmon also contributes to a diverse, highly bioavailable protein profile.
This recipe contains menadione, a synthetic vitamin K3. It's banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns, though permitted in pet food. Also, guar gum is present, an emulsifier with some emerging microbiome data.
Good fit for dogs who enjoy a fish-based pate. Less ideal if you prefer foods without synthetic vitamin K or emulsifiers.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Tuna anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus added taurine at position 14. 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) .
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 49/100, landing in C-tier (acceptable-with-notes). The biggest contributor was protein quality (+15.5 points): Reasonable protein quality. tuna delivers solid amino acid coverage. The biggest detractor was controversial-ingredient penalty (-5 points): Contains menadione. Banned for human OTC use but tolerated at AAFCO-permitted levels in pet food. The only AAFCO-permitted vitamin K source. To reach B-tier, this formula would need to gain about 11 points, most likely through controversial-ingredient penalty.
Reasonable protein quality. tuna delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
AAFCO formulation inferred from declared not stated. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.
Contains menadione. Banned for human OTC use but tolerated at AAFCO-permitted levels in pet food. The only AAFCO-permitted vitamin K source..
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
- Top 10% for DMB protein in Wellness's lineup (54.5%)
- Bottom quartile for crude fiber in Wellness's lineup (4.5% DMB)
- Bottom quartile for carb quality in Wellness's lineup (9/16)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
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Controversial ingredients · 1
- menadioneSynthetic vitamin K3. Banned in human supplements due to toxicity concerns at high doses. Permitted in pet food but premium brands use natural vitamin K alternatives.
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 55%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1tuna
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2fish broth
- 3water sufficient for processing
The regulatory phrase for cooking water in wet food. Has no nutritional implication, just labeling formality.
- 4protein animalsalmon
Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.
Position 4: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 5fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 5: secondary fat. Often where marine oils sit when present alongside a primary land-animal fat.
- 6tapioca starch
Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.
- 7othernatural flavors
Same as natural flavor. Usually hydrolyzed liver or broth, adds palatability.
- 8mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 9fiberlocust bean gum
Thickener from carob seed. Generally well-tolerated. Less controversial than carrageenan or guar gum.
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 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.
- 12mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 13sodium carbonate
pH buffer used in food processing. Functional, no quality signal.
- 14supplementtaurine
Amino acid critical for heart health. Especially important in grain-free or pulse-heavy formulas where natural taurine precursors run thin.
- 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.
- 16vitaminvitamin e supplement
Required nutrient and a natural antioxidant. Often pulls double duty as a preservative.
- 17thiamine hydrochloride
- 18vitaminniacin supplement
B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.
- 19vitaminvitamin a supplement
Vitamin A in stable, standardized form. Required for vision, immune function, and growth.
- 20vitaminpyridoxine hydrochloride
B vitamin (B6). Essential for protein metabolism. Standard inclusion in complete formulas.
- 21vitamind-calcium pantothenate
B vitamin (B5). Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 22vitaminriboflavin supplement
B vitamin (B2). Required in complete dog foods. The standardized form ensures consistent dosing.
- 23vitaminfolic acid
B vitamin (B9), essential for cell function. Standard in complete dog foods.
- 24vitaminvitamin d3 supplement
The active form of vitamin D dogs need. Required for calcium absorption and bone health.
- 25vitaminbiotin
B vitamin that supports skin and coat health. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
Showing first 25 of 35. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.