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Wellness CORE Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Lamb Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
Wellness

CORE Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Lamb Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.54/lb

Wellness CORE Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Lamb Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 55/100 (C) with Fair evidence. 1 controversial ingredient flagged. Primary concern: contains high legume stacking. multiple pulse-family ingredients in top 15. mitigated by taurine supplementation or organ meat (natural taurine precursor) in top 10...

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.

STACK

AAFCO formulation inferred from declared adult maintenance. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.

ACF

Premium micronutrient forms such as chelated minerals or natural vitamin E.

MNI

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
14%
min (as fed)
Fiber
6%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

49 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    lamb

    Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.

  2. 2
    lamb meal

    Lamb cooked down to a dry concentrate. Per pound, more protein than fresh lamb.

  3. 3
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  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
    chickpeas

    Also called garbanzo beans. Affordable plant protein source, part of the legume stack the FDA examined in its heart-disease investigation. 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
    canola oil

    Plant oil. Some omega-3 from the parent plant, though dogs absorb it less efficiently than fish-derived omega-3. Fine in moderation.

  8. 8
    flaxseed

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

  9. 9
    natural flavor

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

  10. 10
    dried chicory root

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

  11. 11
    taurine

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

  12. 12
    vitamin e supplement

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

  13. 13
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  14. 14
    spinach

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

  15. 15
    broccoli

    Real vegetable. Adds fiber and some antioxidants. Fine in the small amounts used in kibble.

  16. 16
    carrots

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

  17. 17
    parsley

    Real herb. Trace amount of vitamins K and C. The dose in kibble is small, mostly there for label appeal.

  18. 18
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  19. 19
    blueberries

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

  20. 20
    kale

    Leafy green with antioxidants and fiber. Small dose in kibble, but it's not just for marketing.

  21. 21
    mixed tocopherols added to preserve freshness

    Natural vitamin E used as a preservative. The good kind of antioxidant on a label.

  22. 22
    niacin supplement

    B vitamin (B3). Required in complete dog foods, added as a supplement to standardize the dose.

  23. 23
    zinc proteinate

    Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.

  24. 24
    ferrous sulfate

    Inorganic iron. Standard mineral source. Iron proteinate is the gentler, better-absorbed premium form.

  25. 25
    zinc sulfate

    Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.

Showing first 25 of 49. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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