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Wholesomes Dog Food Review (Dry)

Wholesomes Dog Food Review (Dry)

By Mike Sagman

Updated: February 29, 2024

The Wholesomes product line includes the 10 dry dog foods listed below.

Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Wholesomes Chicken Meal and Rice was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The second ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The third ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, theyre rich in natural fiber.

However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The next ingredient is rice bran, a healthy by-product of milling whole grain rice. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer of the grain containing starch, protein, fat as well as vitamins and minerals.

The fifth ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesnt sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The sixth ingredient is beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.

Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.

We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.

The seventh ingredient is rice. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word rice doesnt tell us much, its impossible to judge the quality of this item.

The eighth item is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided theyve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this Wholesomes product.

With 3 notable exceptions

First, we find no mention of probiotics, friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing to help with digestion.

Next, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.

And lastly, this food includes chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Wholesomes Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 27%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 50%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and a mean fat level of 16%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 50% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

Which means this Wholesomes product line contains

Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And near-average carbohydrates when compared to other dry kibbles.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a dry product containing a notable amount of meat.

Wholesomes Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Wholesomes through April 2024.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Wholesomes Grain-Inclusive Dog Food

Wholesomes is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a notable amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.

ADVANCED SENSITIVE SUPPORT WHOLESOME GRAINS SALMON & OATMEAL FORMULA

INGREDIENTS

Salmon (Source of Omega 3), Salmon Meal, Oatmeal, Ground White Rice, Pumpkin, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Ground Brown Rice, Flax Seed, Avocado, Dried Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavor, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Calcium Phosphate, Dried Chicory Root, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Kelp Meal, Avocado Oil, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, a-Tocopherol Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), L- Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Selenium Yeast, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium Iodate), Yucca Shidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Pineapple Stem, Papaya Extract, Dehydrated Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Bifidobacterium Thermophilum Fermentation Product, Dehydrated Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

AAFCO NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY STATEMENTAvoDerm Advanced Sensitive Support Wholesome Grains Salmon & Oatmeal dog food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Maintenance.

DAILY FEEDING GUIDELINES

AvoDerm Natural dog food is slow-cooked to ensure your dog receives optimum nutrition from high-quality ingredients. Adjust feeding for optimal body weight. AvoDerm Natural dog food is naturally formulated to be complete and balanced with added vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients for proper maintenance for adult dogs.

Adult feeding:

3 10lbs: 1/4 to 3/4 Cup/Day

10 20lbs: 3/4 to 1 1/4 Cups/Day

20 50lbs: 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 Cups/Day

50 80lbs: 2 1/2 3 1/2 Cups/Day

Dogs 80lbs+ should be fed 3 cups per day plus an additional cup for every 10lbsover 80 lbs.

The chart above is only a guideline.