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In The Kibble
My dogs
BRAND

Wellness

Owned by Wellness Pet CompanySince 1997Burlington, MA

RECIPES REVIEWED
118
AVG PROTEIN, DM, KIBBLE
34.0%
AVG STARCH, KIBBLE
35%
FDA RECALLS
2
LINES
CORE 76 Complete Health 38
THE LINES

Wellness Lines, Reviewed

2 lines

Wellness sells dog food in two lines, Complete Health (38 recipes) and CORE (76 recipes). Each comes as kibble, wet food and toppers, and both lean mostly on chicken, turkey and fish. Comparing kibble with kibble, CORE averages 32.6% protein and 32.4% estimated starch as fed, while Complete Health averages 26.7% protein and 39.9% starch. The catalog kibble average is 26.9% protein and 37.4% starch.

Grain is the other big split. Complete Health is mostly grained: 6 of its 23 kibbles are grain free, and its kibbles are sold for toy, small and large breeds as well as puppies and seniors. CORE leans grain free, with 25 of 44 kibbles and 13 of 15 wet recipes made without grain. Its wet food averages 10.2% protein against 7.9% for Complete Health wet food, and its 17 toppers average 23.7% protein.

CORE

44 kibble · 15 wet food · 17 toppers
Protein
32.6%
Fat
13.8%
Starch
32.4%
Kcal / cup
418

Average kibble, as fed

Wellness CORE spans 76 recipes across kibble, wet food and toppers, built mostly on chicken, turkey and fish with grain-free and grain-inclusive versions. Its kibbles average 32.6% protein and 32.4% estimated starch, against 26.9% and 37.4% for the average kibble we track.

A good fit for: Owners wanting kibble above the 26.9% catalog protein average; Small breed puppies, via a kibble at 510 kcal per cup

Read the CORE review

Complete Health

23 kibble · 10 wet food · 5 toppers
Protein
26.7%
Fat
12.7%
Starch
39.9%
Kcal / cup
412

Average kibble, as fed

Wellness Complete Health is a 38-recipe line of kibble, wet food and toppers built mostly on chicken, turkey and fish. What sets it apart is breadth: its 23 kibbles cover puppies, seniors, toy, small and large breeds, in both grained and grain free versions.

A good fit for: Owners wanting kibble sold for toy, small or large breeds; Puppies, with Grain-Free For Puppy listing 32 percent protein

Read the Complete Health review
WHICH LINE FITS

Choosing Between The Wellness Lines

  • Kibble sold for toy, small or large breeds: Complete Health
  • Grained kibble, some recipes without peas or lentils: Complete Health
  • Kibble with more protein and less estimated starch: CORE
  • A small breed puppy kibble at 510 kcal per cup: CORE
  • Wet food that is mostly grain free: CORE
  • Toppers to add protein, some reaching 60% protein: CORE

All recipes

118 foods matched · newest first
Wellness Complete Health 38 recipes · See all
DEEP DIVE

Inside The Wellness Range

Across 118 recipes we review

Protein runs higher than the average kibble we review (34.0% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).

Starch is lower than average, at 35% of the food as fed.

99% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).

58% of recipes are grain-free.

NUTRITION

How The Range Measures Up

this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,205 foods we review

Protein, dry matter 34% 23% to 42%
15%site avg 30%50%
Fat, dry matter 15% 9% to 20%
5%site avg 18%30%
Starch, as fed 35% 24% to 48%
10%site avg 37%60%
Kcal per cup 416 334 to 510
250site avg 395600

Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out

INGREDIENTS

What Goes In The Bowl

Chicken 57% 56%
Turkey 38% 20%
Fish 35% 34%
Beef 14% 20%
Lamb 13% 14%
Egg 11% 31%
Pork 6% 11%

Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.

Ingredients Some Owners Avoid

By-products 0% 13%
Artificial colors 0% 1%
Chemical preservatives 0% 9%
Corn 0% 15%
Wheat 0% 13%
Soy 0% 10%

These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.

LIFE STAGE
  • Adult72
  • All Life Stages27
  • Puppy10
  • Senior6
BREED SIZE
  • All Breeds111
  • Small Breed17
  • Large Breed7
SPECIAL DIETS
  • Grain-free (no wheat, corn, rice, barley or oats)68
  • Limited Ingredient6
Wellness Core RawRev Wholesome Grains Puppy Food Formula + 100% Raw Turkey Dry Dog Food MOST PROTEIN Wellness Core RawRev Wholesome Grains Puppy Food Formula + 100% Raw Turkey Dry Dog Food 42.2% dry matter Wellness Core Small Breed Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food LEAST STARCH Wellness Core Small Breed Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food 24% as fed Wellness Complete Health Beef & Barley Dry Dog Food FEWEST CALORIES Wellness Complete Health Beef & Barley Dry Dog Food 334 kcal per cup
THE COMPANY

About Wellness

Owner
Wellness Pet Company
Ownership
Subsidiary of a private company
Founded
1997
Headquarters
Burlington, MA

Who Makes It

Wellness is a dog and cat food brand made by Wellness Pet Company, which also owns WHIMZEES, Old Mother Hubbard, Holistic Select, Sojos and Eagle Pack. Its dog food lines include Complete Health and CORE, and the company says its recipes use natural, protein-forward ingredients. Wellness Pet Company is owned by the private equity firm Clearlake Capital. 1, 2

Where It Is Made

Wellness Pet Company sold its Mishawaka, Indiana dry food plant to Belgium's United Petfood in 2024 and moved that production to its Decatur, Arkansas plant. In September 2026 United Petfood agreed to acquire the Decatur plant as well, and the two companies signed a long-term supply agreement. The company lists its own remaining plants in South St. Paul, Minnesota (raw food) and Veendam, the Netherlands. 3, 4, 5

History

The Wellness brand launched dog recipes in 1997 under Old Mother Hubbard, a Massachusetts company that dates to 1926. Berwind Corporation bought the business in 2008 and merged it with Eagle Pack to form WellPet LLC. Clearlake Capital bought WellPet in November 2020, and it was later renamed Wellness Pet Company. 1

Worth Knowing

In March 2017 WellPet voluntarily recalled a limited amount of one canned dog topper recipe because of potentially elevated levels of naturally occurring beef thyroid hormone. 6

  1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellness_Pet_Company
  2. wellnesspet.com/2026/03/24/wellness-pet-company-unveils-expansive-portfolio-of-protein-forward-cat-and-dog-innovations-at-global-pet-expo-2026
  3. unitedpetfood.eu/en/news/united-petfood-enters-the-us-market-with-purchase-of-a-wellness-pet-facility-in-indiana
  4. unitedpetfood.eu/en/news/united-petfood-expands-north-american-footprint
  5. wellnesspet.com/locations
  6. fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/wellpet-voluntarily-recalls-limited-amount-one-recipe-canned-topper-dogs-due-potential-elevated

Researched from the sources above. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

RECALL HISTORY // WELLNESS

2 FDA Recalls On Record

MAR 17, 2017
CONTAINS BEEF THYROID HORMONE

Beef Topper for Dogs

MAY 7, 2012
POTENTIAL SALMONELLA

Wellness Complete Health Super5Mix Large Breed Puppy dry dog food (made by Diamond)

See the recall log

NEWS & PRESS

What Wellness Has Announced

SEP 25, 2026
CORPORATE United Petfood expands North American footprint with new facility acquisition

United Petfood signed an agreement to acquire Wellness Pet Company’s dry pet food production facility in Decatur, Arkansas, alongside a long-term supply agreement. The article does not name specific dog food products. Pet Food Processing

SEP 22, 2026
CORPORATE United Petfood expands North American footprint

United Petfood agreed to acquire Wellness Pet Company's dry pet food plant in Decatur, Arkansas. The two companies also signed a long-term supply agreement. United Petfood

JUN 15, 2026
NEWS Research Finds More Than 80% of Dogs Lost Weight in 10 Weeks or Less with Wellness CORE Healthy Weight Recipes While Maintaining Lean Mass

The company announced study results it says support its CORE Healthy Weight, CORE Small Breed Healthy Weight and CORE+ Healthy Weight dry dog foods. Wellness Pet Company

MAR 24, 2026
NEW PRODUCT Wellness Pet Company Unveils Expansive Portfolio of Protein-Forward Cat and Dog Innovations at Global Pet Expo 2026

Wellness showed Complete Health+ kibble with freeze-dried pieces, Protein Bowls and a WHIMZEES XL box at Global Pet Expo 2026. Wellness Pet Company

JAN 8, 2026
NEW PRODUCT Wellness Pet Company Introduces Wellness Protein Bowls to Elevate Mealtime

Wellness launched Protein Bowls, shelf-stable wet food pouches for adult dogs in eight recipes. They launched first at PetSmart, with a wider national rollout planned for April 2026. Wellness Pet Company

OCT 24, 2025
NEWS Wellness Pet Company Champions Wellbeing with New Brand Identity and National Campaign: Feed Well. Be Well.

Wellness Pet Company announced a new brand identity and a national marketing campaign called Feed Well. Be Well. Wellness Pet Company

MAR 25, 2025
NEW PRODUCT Wellness Pet Introduces New Lineup of Customized Nutrition at Global Pet Expo 2025

Wellness introduced CORE+ Sensitive Skin & Stomach and Complete Health Sensitive Skin & Stomach dry dog foods made with salmon and pre-, pro- and postbiotics. PR Newswire

JUN 6, 2024
CORPORATE United Petfood enters the US market with purchase of a Wellness Pet facility in Indiana

United Petfood bought Wellness Pet Company's Mishawaka, Indiana plant, and Wellness shifted that production to its Decatur, Arkansas facility. United Petfood

All Wellness news →

HEAD TO HEAD

Wellness Compared With Other Brands

Wellness vs Blue Buffalo Merrick vs Wellness Wellness vs Hill's Wellness vs Nutro Wellness vs Fromm
LINE VS LINE

Wellness Lines Compared

Wellness CORE vs Wellness Complete Health

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