Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Wellness Core RawRev product range is made up of three recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Wellness Core RawRev Puppy Original | 5 | U |
| Wellness Core RawRev Wholesome Grains Puppy | 5 | U |
| Wellness Core RawRev Healthy Weight | 5 | U |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Wellness Core RawRev Puppy Original was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Wellness Core RawRev Puppy Original
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, lentils, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tomato pomace, ground flaxseed, dried ground potatoes, turkey liver, turkey hearts, natural chicken flavor, salmon oil, salt, potassium chloride, taurine, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, spinach, broccoli, carrots, parsley, apples, blueberries, kale, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols added to preserve freshness, zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, niacin, iron proteinate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, manganese sulfate, d-calcium pantothenate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement, chicory root extract, yucca shidigera extract, calcium iodate, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, rosemary extract, green tea extract, spearmint extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 38% | 17% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 42% | 19% | 31% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 36% | 39% | 26% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the 1o essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
The third ingredient is turkey meal. Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.
The fourth ingredient is lentils. Lentils are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient lists peas, which are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re 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 sixth ingredient is chicken fat, which 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 also high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The seventh ingredient is tomato pomace. Tomato pomace is a controversial ingredient, a by-product remaining after processing tomatoes into juice, soup and ketchup.
Many praise tomato pomace for its high fiber and nutrient content, while others scorn it as an inexpensive pet food filler.
Just the same, there’s probably not enough tomato pomace here to make much of a difference.
The eighth ingredient is flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve 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 Wellness product.
With five notable exceptions…
First, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
Next, we find salmon oil, which is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
In addition, chicory root is rich in inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
Next, this recipe includes 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 contains 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, Wellness Core RawRev Dog Food appears to be an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 42.2%, a fat level of 18.9% and estimated carbohydrates of about 30.9%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 41.1% and a mean fat level of 16.3%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 34.6% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 39%.
Which means this Wellness product line contains…
Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, lentils and flaxseed, this recipe has a profile of a product containing a significant amount of meat.
Wellness Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Wellness through December 2024.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Wellness Core RawRev Dry Dog Food
Wellness Core RawRev includes both grain-free and grain-inclusive dry dog foods that use a generous amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Compare Wellness Core RawRev Dog Food
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A Final Word
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