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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

Wholesomes Chicken Meal & Potatoes Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 35-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 54/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Score capped at 59 due to no AAFCO statement.

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

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

STACK

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

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: 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.

  2. 2
    potato

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

  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 →

  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 →

  5. 5
    chicken fat

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

  6. 6
    pea fiber

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

  7. 7
    flaxseed

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

  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.

  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.

  12. 12
    blueberries

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

  13. 13
    cranberries

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

  14. 14
    carrots

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

  15. 15
    spinach

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

  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.