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Wellness CORE Small Breed Healthy Weight Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag
Wellness

CORE Small Breed Healthy Weight Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $4.00/lb

Wellness CORE Small Breed Healthy Weight Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey Dry Dog Food, 12-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 71/100 (B) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Strong protein profile with turkey as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this 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

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

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 38% ⓘ
Protein
34%
min (as fed)
Fat
13%
min (as fed)
Fiber
7.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

54 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    turkey

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

  2. 2
    turkey meal

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

  3. 3
    chicken meal

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

  4. 4
    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 →

  5. 5
    lentils

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

  6. 6
    dried plain beet pulp

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

  7. 7
    pea fiber

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

  8. 8
    flaxseed

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

  9. 9
    dried ground potatoes
  10. 10
    chicken fat

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

  11. 11
    natural flavor

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

  12. 12
    dried chicory root

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

  13. 13
    salmon oil

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

  14. 14
    vitamin e supplement

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

  15. 15
    taurine

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

  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
    spearmint

Showing first 25 of 54. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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