Company HQ
- Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Parent company
Sourcing and Manufacturing
- United States
Type of food
PROS
- High protein content
- Affordable
- Wellness makes a diverse range of foods for various ages, sizes, and lifestyles
- All recipes are free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
CONS
- Some recipes contain plant-based protein
- The brand has been previously recalled
Wellness Dog Food Review
Introduction
Wellness is a reputable pet food brand known for its natural, high-quality recipes. Wellness was founded in 1997 and offers a variety of product lines for dogs and cats.
In this review, we’ll cover Wellness’ key products, ingredients, recall history, reviews, and feeding guide for their dog foods.
Overview of Wellness Pet Food
Wellness is made by WellPet LLC, based in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Their mission is to provide all-natural, safe pet food backed by science and research.
Wellness controls all steps of their manufacturing process, from sourcing to production. Their formulas are free from corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors/preservatives, or by-products.
Wellness aims to offer premium nutrition tailored to dogs’ biology and stage of life. Their recipes are formulated by PhD animal nutritionists and veterinarians.
Pros of Wellness Dog Food
Here are some of the most notable advantages of Wellness brand dog food:
- Made in the USA facilities
- Strict quality and safety protocols
- Variety of formulas for different health needs
- Grain-inclusive and grain-free recipes
- Limited ingredient formulas for allergies
- Meat-rich, high protein content
- No artificial additives or fillers
Cons of Wellness Dog Food
A few potential downsides to note:
- Premium pricing, especially for large dogs
- Recalls in brand history
- Some dogs may dislike taste or texture
- Higher calorie density can cause weight gain if overfed
- Limited selection of canned/wet foods
So while among the pricier brands, Wellness is packed with premium nutrition.
Wellness Product Lines
Wellness offers an expansive product selection across three main categories.
Dry Foods
Wellness has over a dozen grain-free and grain-inclusive dry food recipes for puppies to seniors including:
- Simple Limited Ingredient
- Complete Health
- Core Raw Rev
- Small Breed Complete Health
There are formulas tailored for skin/coat, digestion, joints, weight control, allergies, and more. Most are high in meat protein with added fruits and vegetables.
Wet Foods
For canned food, Wellness has a smaller range of grain-free Core and Complete Health wet recipes in patés, stews, and slices. These offer supplemental hydration and flavor.
Treats
Wellness makes a variety of all natural training treats and dental chews. These include baked biscuits, jerky sticks, meat bars, and freeze-dried treats in flavors like chicken, duck, lamb, salmon, and turkey.
This offers something for every dog’s preferences. Wellness also sells food toppers and mixers.
Ingredient Analysis
When analyzing Wellness’ ingredients lists, all of their formulas emphasize quality animal proteins followed by nutrient-dense fruits, veggies, grains, and supplements.
Primary Meat/Fish Ingredients
Wellness uses premium proteins like:
- Deboned Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Turkey Meal
- Salmon Meal
- Whitefish Meal
- Lamb Meal
- Duck Meal
- Bison
They avoid unspecified meat meals.
Fruits and Vegetables
Wellness includes antioxidant-rich produce like:
- Sweet Potatoes
- Carrots
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Peas
Grains and Carbohydrates
Whole grains like oatmeal, barley, and brown rice provide fiber and carbs. Some recipes are grain-free with tapioca, chickpeas, lentils, or potatoes instead.
Supplements
Key supplements include:
- Flaxseed
- Salmon Oil
- Yucca
- Glucosamine
- Chondroitin
- Probiotics
- Vitamins/minerals
These support skin, coat, joints, digestion, and other areas of health. Wellness avoids artificial additives.
Recall History
Like most brands, Wellness has had some voluntary recalls over the years:
Melamine Recall
In 2007, Wellness was affected by the widespread melamine contamination and recalled some wet cat foods out of caution. Tests found only trace levels below the FDA’s limits.
Wellness stated no dogs foods were impacted. They enhanced quality control protocols after this incident.
Salmonella Recall
In February 2017, Wellness recalled a limited batch of their canned dog food due to potential salmonella contamination. No illnesses were reported.
Wellness took steps to identify and resolve the source of the problem. Since then, there have been no further recalls.
While concerning, Wellness addressed both situations responsibly and strengthened their safety procedures. Their quality standards are now excellent.
Wellness Dog Food Reviews
Reviews of Wellness dog food are very positive overall. Many dogs seem to love the taste and do well on these natural formulas.
Positive Feedback
- Improved digestive health, energy, skin, and coat
- Helps resolve itching and allergies
- Aids in weight loss/maintenance
- Smaller stool volume from good digestibility
- Picky dogs seem to enjoy the flavor
- Good customer service
Negative Feedback
- Expensive, especially for large dogs
- Some dogs dislike the taste/smell
- Possible quality issues with canned items
- Caused diarrhea or gas in some sensitive dogs
- High calorie density
Talk to your vet to see if a premium natural brand like Wellness could be a good option for your dog.
Feeding Guide
Follow these tips when transitioning your dog to Wellness dog food:
Feeding Amount Guidelines
Wellness provides a feeding calculator on their site. Feed adult dogs about 1 cup per 20 lbs body weight daily, divided into 2-3 meals. Adjust according to age, activity level, and weight goals.
Transitioning Tips
Gradually mix in the new food over 5-7 days while decreasing old food. Take transition slowly if any digestive upset.
Storage and Handling
Discard any uneaten wet food after 15 minutes. Keep dry food in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate opened wet food. Use within 6 weeks after opening.
Monitor your dog’s condition and stool health closely when changing foods. Adjust or transition back if any issues arise.
Conclusion
Wellness offers a varied selection of high-quality natural dog foods featuring premium proteins, superfoods, and thoughtful formulations. Their rigorous standards result in nutritionally balanced diets free from artificial additives. Though expensive, Wellness provides complete daily nutrition tailored to your dog’s needs and preferences. Talk to your vet to determine if their cleaner approach could benefit your pup.
Brand Overview
Wellness pet foods were first introduced in the 1990s. Since then, the company’s line has expanded to include a vast variety of dry and wet foods for cats and dogs. Wellness offers grain-free options as well as grain-inclusive recipes.
How Much Does Wellness Dog Food Cost
We’ve compared Wellness dog food price to the other dog food brands in our database.
Wellness Dry Dog Food Price Comparison
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per lb | $3.89 | $3.68 | +6% |
| Price per 100 kcal | $0.24 | $0.34 | -30% |
| Price per day | $0.14 | $0.20 | -30% |
Wellness Dry Dog Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.
Wellness Wet Dog Food Price Comparison
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per oz | $0.42 | $0.41 | +2% |
| Price per 100 kcal | $1.46 | $1.52 | -4% |
| Price per day | $0.87 | $0.91 | -4% |
Wellness Wet Dog Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.
Wellness Dry Senior Dog Food Price Comparison
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per lb | $3.89 | $3.81 | +2% |
| Price per 100 kcal | $0.25 | $0.32 | -23% |
| Price per day | $0.15 | $0.19 | -21% |
Wellness Dry Senior Dog Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.
Wellness Dry Puppy Food Price Comparison
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per lb | $3.90 | $3.84 | +2% |
| Price per 100 kcal | $0.23 | $0.23 | -1% |
| Price per day | $0.14 | $0.14 | 0% |
Wellness Dry Puppy Food is priced within the average market price for dog food.
Wellness Wet Puppy Food Price Comparison
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per oz | $0.27 | $0.31 | -13% |
| Price per 100 kcal | $0.74 | $1.01 | -27% |
| Price per day | $0.44 | $0.61 | -28% |
Wellness Wet Puppy Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.
Wellness Wet Senior Dog Food Price Comparison
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per oz | $0.29 | $0.32 | -9% |
| Price per 100 kcal | $1.13 | $1.25 | -10% |
| Price per day | $0.68 | $0.75 | -9% |
Wellness Wet Senior Dog Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.
Wellness Dehydrated Dog Food Price Comparison
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per lb | $14.25 | $15.05 | -5% |
| Price per 100 kcal | $0.84 | $0.82 | +2% |
| Price per day | $0.50 | $0.49 | +2% |
Wellness Dehydrated Dog Food is priced above the average market price for dog food.
Wellness Wet Frozen Dog Food Price Comparison
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per lb | $9.71 | $10.65 | -9% |
| Price per 100 kcal | $2.24 | $1.72 | +30% |
| Price per day | $1.34 | $1.03 | +30% |
Wellness Wet Frozen Dog Food is priced above the average market price for dog food.
Wellness Nutrient Profile Comparison
We’ve compared Wellness dog food recipes nutrient profile to the other dog food brands in our database.
Dry Dog Food
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM Protein | 34.28% | 30.01% | +14% |
| DM Fat | 15.11% | 15.86% | -5% |
| DM Fiber | 5.87% | 5.48% | +7% |
| DM Carb | 44.74% | 47.73% | -6% |
Wet Dog Food
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM Protein | 42.73% | 42.98% | -1% |
| DM Fat | 22.94% | 22.28% | +3% |
| DM Fiber | 5.30% | 7.39% | -28% |
| DM Carb | 29.04% | 26.26% | +11% |
Dry Senior Dog Food
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM Protein | 29.26% | 28.44% | +3% |
| DM Fat | 12.59% | 13.38% | -6% |
| DM Fiber | 5.28% | 5.48% | -4% |
| DM Carb | 52.87% | 51.94% | +2% |
Dry Puppy Food
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM Protein | 37.67% | 32.35% | +16% |
| DM Fat | 18.72% | 17.94% | +4% |
| DM Fiber | 5.25% | 4.66% | +13% |
| DM Carb | 38.36% | 44.25% | -13% |
Wet Puppy Food
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM Protein | 45.46% | 42.84% | +6% |
| DM Fat | 28.41% | 27.27% | +4% |
| DM Fiber | 4.55% | 7.01% | -35% |
| DM Carb | 21.59% | 22.55% | -4% |
Wet Senior Dog Food
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM Protein | 31.82% | 34.07% | -7% |
| DM Fat | 13.64% | 19.57% | -30% |
| DM Fiber | 13.64% | 9.47% | +44% |
| DM Carb | 40.91% | 36.52% | +12% |
Dehydrated Dog Food
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM Protein | 38.75% | 31.80% | +22% |
| DM Fat | 26.25% | 18.46% | +42% |
| DM Fiber | 3.75% | 5.44% | -31% |
| DM Carb | 31.25% | 42.08% | -26% |
Wet Frozen Dog Food
| Brand Avg | Market Avg | % From the Avg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DM Protein | 40.50% | 41.52% | -2% |
| DM Fat | 15.00% | 23.50% | -36% |
| DM Fiber | 4.00% | 5.59% | -28% |
| DM Carb | 40.50% | 28.41% | +43% |
Recall History
The following list (if present) shows all dog food recalls related to Wellness Dog Food Review since 2011. If no recalls are listed, no recall events have been reported.
Wellness – Canned Cat Food (02/28/2011). Read FDA Report.
Wellness – Dog Food (05/04/2012). Read FDA Report.
Wellness – Dog Food (10/31/2012). Read FDA Report.
Wellness – Cat Food (02/10/2017). Read FDA Report.
Wellness – Dog Food (03/18/2017). Read FDA Report.
Wellness – Beef Topper for Dogs (02/08/2018). Read FDA Report.
FAQs
Is Wellness a good dog food brand?
Yes, Wellness is highly rated as a premium natural dog food with high-quality ingredients and stringent standards. But individual dogs may vary.
Is Wellness grain-free dog food?
Wellness offers both grain-inclusive and grain-free recipes to choose from. Both can be healthy options.
Where is Wellness dog food manufactured?
Wellness is made in company-owned facilities in Indiana, Minnesota and the Netherlands under strict quality control protocols.
Does Wellness test for lead?
Yes, Wellness tests all batches of ingredients and finished products to ensure they contain less than 1 part per million detectable lead.
What dogs foods does Wellness offer?
Wellness offers dry kibble, canned/wet foods, baked treats, dental chews, freeze-dried mixes, and supplements for puppies to seniors.
