Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
WholeHearted Grain Free Canned product range is made up of 24 recipes with ratings varying from 4 to 5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 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 |
|---|---|---|
| WholeHearted Grain Free Puppy Chicken and Vegetable Recipe | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Adult Chicken and Vegetable Recipe | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Adult Easy Digest Boiled Chicken Dinner | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Adult Beef and Vegetable Recipe | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Skin & Coat Care Turkey Recipe | 4 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Adult Chicken Dinner | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Beef and Vegetable Recipe Puppy | 5 | G/M |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Adult Lamb and Chicken Dinner | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Adult Beef and Chicken Dinner | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Adult Turkey and Sweet Potato Recipe | 5 | U |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Small Breed Chicken & Veggies Cuts in Gravy Puppy | 5 | A |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Adult Chicken and Duck Dinner | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Adult Chicken and Salmon Dinner | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Adult Chicken and Whitefish Dinner | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Chicken and Duck Dinner Adult | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Adult Chicken and Fish Recipe | 4.5 | U |
| WholeHearted Easy Digestion Chicken Recipe | 4.5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Chicken and Salmon Dinner Adult | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Beef and Chicken Dinner Adult | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Small Breed Lamb and Veggies Cuts in Gravy | 4.5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Chicken Dinner Adult | 5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Small Breed Beef & Veggies Cuts in Gravy | 4.5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain-Free Small Breed Chicken & Veggies Cuts in Gravy | 4.5 | M |
| WholeHearted Grain Free Small Breed Lamb and Chicken Dinner | 5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
WholeHearted Grain Free Adult Easy Digestion Boiled Chicken Dinner was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
WholeHearted Grain Free Adult Easy Digestion Boiled Chicken Dinner
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken broth, water, carrots, pumpkin, tapioca starch, sunflower oil, calcium sulfate, salt, guar gum, sodium acid pyrophosphate, fructooligosaccharides, tuna oil, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, zinc oxide, reduced iron, sodium selenite, manganese sulfate, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A supplement, copper amino acid complex, niacin supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, beta-carotene, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 8% | 2% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 53% | 13% | 25% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 48% | 29% | 23% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. 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 ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.
The next ingredient is water, which adds nothing but moisture to this food. Water is a routine finding in most canned dog foods.
The fourth ingredient includes carrots, which are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient lists pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient is tapioca starch, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract made from the root of the cassava plant.
The seventh ingredient is sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.
Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.
There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.
The eighth ingredient is calcium sulfate, a source of supplemental calcium.
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 Petco product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, this product includes tuna oil. Fish oil 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, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.
In addition, 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, with the exception of copper, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, WholeHearted Grain Free Adult Easy Digestion Boiled Chicken Dinner looks like an above-average wet dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 53.3%, a fat level of 13.3% and estimated carbohydrates of about 25.3%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 43.5% and a mean fat level of 25.3%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25.2% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 54%.
Which means this WholeHearted product line contains…
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical wet dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a significant amount of meat.
WholeHearted Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to WholeHearted through December 2024.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of WholeHearted Grain Free Dog Food
WholeHearted Grain Free is a moisture-rich dog food using a significant amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the product line 5 stars.
Compare WholeHearted Dog Food
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A Final Word
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