Wholehearted Dog Food Reviews
Table of Contents
Wholehearted is not your everyday dog food brand. They don’t have their own big website but they sell in stores and on Amazon. In fact, Wholehearted dog food recipes are just a Petco brand. That means that you can easily find this food anywhere there is a Petco and that are more than 1500 stores in the United States.
The challenge with Wholehearted dog food recipes is that there just isn’t a ton of information out there about this brand as a whole. It’s so often just paired in as part of Petco. This makes it hard to figure out the brand as a whole or the history and quality of the brand.
Wholehearted dog food does have a lot of great options and they are commended for being an overall healthy choice for dog foods. To find more out, take a look at this complete Wholehearted dog food review.
About Wholehearted Dog Food Review
Wholehearted dog food first started production in 2016. They’ve only been around for about 6 years but so far they have done well. It is a private label brand that is sold by Petco. Their lime of products pulls together grain-free options, dry dog food, and even wet or canned if your dog prefers canned food.
While it’s hard to find a lot of details about the brand itself or its history, you can find what the brand does for success. The brand makes both dog and cat food options. They also make dog treats and toppers for pet foods. This gives you an extensive variety of choices to determine what you need for your pet.
What we find is there simply isn’t that much transparency from the brand. They do package their items in the United States but we don’t know where the ingredients are sourced from. The brand does advertise that they use real animal food as the first ingredient so the meat that makes up the initial food is real and that’s great quality.
One neat thing about Wholehearted dog food is that you can choose to sign up for a membership service. It’s an annual fee that isn’t too high and with that fee, you can automatically save 25% every single time you buy this brand. If you buy quite a bit of food, this might be worth the $29 fee.
This dog food stands out primarily for its choice of ingredients. They take a stance on overall health and while you can’t find a lot of information, the pet food appears to be well-made and reliable for the health of our pets.
Wholehearted Dog Food History
Understanding the history of this brand is the more challenging element. We know they have a slight bit of history. While they are fairly new in the market, they have been around since 2016. In that time, they haven’t had any massive issues or negative feedback. There are no recalls on their record so far. All of these point to a solid brand.
Most people just want to know more about the story behind the brand and you really can’t find that here. Petco developed this private label in an effort to remain competitive in the industry. Other pet food stores were coming out with their own brands so it simply made sense for Petco to do the same.
The formula was developed in house. Petco used a variety of nutrition advisors and took innovation at its word to create a quality pet food that you can depend on. It’s affordable and reliable. They have solutions for just about any dietary needs, digestive health, and different breeds as well.
One thing that Wholehearted made clear was that they really wanted to give dog owners and dogs that are picky about their options something reliable and affordable. They designed the food with the concept in mind. That’s why you find more than 50 choices overall.
Where is Wholehearted Dog Food Made?
One thing that many customers appreciate is when a formula is made in the United States. Wholehearted delivers on this demand. They manufacture and package the product in their plants within the United States.
However, what some might find questionable is where the ingredients come from. Wholehearted does market their food as the ingredients being “globally sourced”. We can tell from their ingredients that the quality of ingredients is considered. However, if the source matters to you, we don’t have that information to work with.
The brand packages in the USA and produces in the USA but there is nothing that clarifies what ingredients are sourced from where.
We recommend turning your eye to the actual ingredients. There is no mystery meat or ingredient and this still tells us a lot about overall quality.
Wholehearted Dog Food Cost
One of the philosophies behind Wholehearted dog food was to create a high quality dog food that was affordable to dog owners (or cat owners). This is why you see clear ingredients but you don’t see astronomical prices.
One thing about the best dog food recipes is that they typically can be incredibly expensive. We totally understand quality ingredients cost more. We get that but it doesn’t mean that you should have to pay more for dog foods than you do for your own groceries, right?
There is a broad range of foods to choose from. Depending on whether you want canned food or a specific recipe, this can affect the overall dog food range cost. Canned foods range from $3-$20, depending on your selection.
The dry dog food range goes from $11-$60. The prices depend on the type of dog food that you choose to go with, the recipe or formula you select, and the size of the bag as well. When you compare it to others in the market, this is remarkably more affordable than most.
Wholehearted Dry Dog Food Ingredient Quality
In the end, it’s the quality of ingredients that really determines the quality of the food, right? Whether you’re looking for something grain free or you want high animal protein, these are things you pay attention to. The quality of puppy food for all life stages should be important.
Different recipes and formulas will have different ingredients but let’s take a closer look at the basic ingredient setup for Wholehearted foods. Remember each dog food might vary slightly but this will give you a general idea.
Animal Protein
The first ingredient in every single option is real meat. So the life stages beef has real beef, the chicken and pea recipe has real chicken, and so on. This is one of the most important standards. And you want to see it as the first ingredient. This means there is more of this ingredient than the meat meal that will likely follow in the recipe.
In the chicken recipe, the chicken meal comes right after the chicken. Some meal is totally acceptable. In fact, you won’t find many dog foods that have no meal.
Grain or Grain Alternative
A well-balanced meal will contain grains of some sort in most cases. Of course, there are also grain free dog foods. When you remove the grains, you need to be able to supplement that nutritional element. Sweet potatoes are common here for a grain free dog food.
You might see brown rice, rice bran, or similar items in the grain varieties. Look for whole grain on the grain side for the best health. For grain fulfillment, this dry dog food uses either brown rice, some rice bran, or sweet potatoes.
Fiber
Fiber is an important part of any dog food recipe. Wholehearted took this and made sure it was delivered. They found a good balance for fiber without going overboard. They focused a lot on balance in their ingredient list.
They have ingredients like chickpeas, peas, pea flour, lentils, flaxseed, and more to fulfill fiber needs.
Additional Minerals
Finally, vitamins and minerals are another essential elements. You should always look for indicators of vitamins and minerals. Wholehearted dog food has these too. You see things like iron, zinc, Vitamin A, potassium, Vitamin B, biotin, and other similar nutrients that every dog needs to ascertain from their pet food.
Top Wholehearted Dog Food Recipes
This brand has a multitude of options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for life stages or perhaps that grain free methodology, Wholehearted dog food delivers. You just need to determine the right fit for your needs.
We’ve picked out some of their top options to share with you here. Let’s take a look.
Wholehearted Grain Free Dry Dog Food
First up is the fan-favorite grain free line. This pet food is a popular choice from the brand. They ultimately have several choices in this line. It includes all life stages beef, all life stages chicken, and all life stages salmon recipes. Obviously, these are all grain free. They use things like pea flour or sweet potato additions to substantiate the filler there for health.
This is one of Wholehearted most popular lines and it’s highly-rated by people that have tried it out so that gives you some slight indication of the overall quality of the line. Grain free is great if you simply want to avoid grain. Grain free is also useful for pets that perhaps have sensitivity.
The Wholehearted grain free dog food line is sweet and simple. The three flavors mentioned earlier all draw in peas and pea flour to create the perfect combination. It can be used as puppy food or for adult dogs because it is designed for all life stages.
The Wholehearted grain free salmon option is great if your dog perhaps has any type of sensitivity to chicken or beef or maybe needs a leaner meal.
The Wholehearted grain free food lines support up to 30% protein and it’s good for active dogs as well as inactive dogs.
Wholehearted Brown Rice Recipe Series
While grain free dog food is great for many reasons, those dog owners who want grains or don’t need grain free might consider a brown rice recipe dog food instead. These are all life stages as well so you can use them as puppy food or adult dog food as well.
The brown rice supports energy needs as well as digestive health. And this grain recipe is a traditional brown rice recipe. They use healthy grains rather than wheat, soy, or corn. Those are what you want to stay away from. It’s why so many people go grain free. However, a brown rice recipe supports those dietary needs with quality like brown rice rather than forcing grain free.
You will also find there is no brewer’s rice here. The supplements to the grain field include pearled barley or rice bran instead. The protein still remains on point with up to 24% protein. It’s supported by whole grains.
This variety comes in a few different flavor options as well. You will find that the brown rice recipe is a great choice. It’s a grain inclusive formula specialized to total health with whole grains, animal fat, omega fatty acids, pea protein, and more.
Wholehearted Limited Ingredient Dog Food
Next up is a limited ingredient variety. It’s packed with canine probiotics and is a favored choice in Wholehearted recipes because it is both simple and functional. These Wholehearted recipes have options like salmon that have hearty salmon and salmon meal with just a select few ingredients. The packages for dry food spout 6 key ingredients. Salmon and salmon meals are likely categorized together.
You won’t find combinations of meat or meat meals as they focus on a single animal protein. They also don’t use potato or soy in the formula. It’s all aimed at primary canine probiotics and supporting healthy digestive health through Wholehearted recipes.
High quality animal protein, plant based protein, and essential amino acids come together to support pets with heavy food allergies or health needs. Dog parents can rest assured their pups aren’t getting any extra junk that isn’t 100% focused on health and digestion.
This is another Wholehearted grain free recipe because of the limited ingredients for pet owners. You won’t find whole grain rice on any of these. This one doesn’t even have pea protein but it does have canola oil.
Wholehearted Healthy Benefits
Pet parents looking for a specific food to support specific needs might go for this option. These are also Wholehearted grain free recipes. The formulas are designed for large breed dogs, small dogs, adult dogs, or even dry puppy food. The intention behind these is the potential health benefits with a focus.
Related: Best
They are packed with omega fatty acids among other things. There are several health focuses to choose from for pet parents of all kinds. Choose a formula to support heart health, weight control, digestion, or skin & coat.
These recipes do not have whole grains and they are very carefully formulated for the need selected. Most of these recipes use salmon and fish meal rather than chicken fat or meat along those lines. This is because is the fatty acids of fish that really support many of these extraneous needs.
Of course, they also look closely at the Omegas, fatty acids, and canine probiotics with this dog food brand.
Wholehearted Dog Food High Performance
Finally, if you have a dog with extra-high energy needs, a high performance dog food is a must. Hunting dogs, dogs that race or perform, show dogs, they all have very active lifestyles. They need the proper nutrition to support that lifestyle and the everyday chicken and pea puppy recipe simply isn’t going to cut it.
These choices don’t have a pea recipe at all like the grain free or traditional pea recipe additions from other lines.
Instead, they focus on high levels of protein and high levels of carbs. Of course, those are supported by grains in the dog food as well as valuable nutrition for their joints and muscles. These are designed for high protein and lean muscle so you will see a combination of about 30% protein and 20% fat, supplemented by additional nutrients in the dog food.
Alternatives to Wholehearted
If Wholehearted dog food doesn’t seem like the right food or you’re struggling to find your favorite option available, there are some other choices you can try. Take a look at these alternatives.
Supreme Source Turkey Meal & Sweet Potato
The first alternative comes from Supreme Source. While they use meal rather than real meat as their first ingredient, the overall quality and price are similar. The meal is also a wholesome meal rather than a mystery meal so it is acceptable for quality in this case.
They also use super seaweed, paired with things like sweet potato, peas, and chickpeas. It’s a valuable source of protein with no grains. The focus is solely on balanced nutrition with health in mind.
True Acres Farmhouse Blend
This alternative is slightly more expensive than Wholehearted but it’s a good choice. Farmhouse Blend dog food pulls together beef and vegetables to support a healthy lifestyle with robust meals. They use fiber to support digestion and add valuable vitamins for the immune system too. The first ingredient is beef. This does have corn in it so that might be a concern for some.
Simply Six
Simply Six is another good alternative. This dog food range makes a good change to the overall diet. They use a limited ingredient formula with things like a lamb, brown rice, and pea recipe. The term Simply Six has to do with the choice to use 6 primary ingredients.
This food is slightly more expensive than Wholehearted but considering the limited ingredient approach, it’s more affordable than a lot of choices out there.
Where to Buy Wholehearted Food
Wholehearted food isn’t out there at every pet store like a lot of popular dog food options. That’s because it’s a Petco brand. You will mostly only find it at Petco. Of course, you might find some varieties on Amazon but they do not carry every line. This is a brand you also will likely not find on Chewy either.
Petco does have a store locator option if you want to try to find a store near you. You can also order from Petco online and get it shipped directly to you. This might make it easier for many different pet parents out there.
In addition to the dog food, you will find dog treats, dog toppers, cat food, cat treats, and cat toppers. You will also find wet fat food or wet dog food available in most of the lines too. You just need to make a decision on the best fit for you and your pup.
Petco does have more than 1500 stores throughout the United States and Canada.
Wholehearted Dog Food Recalls
The Wholehearted dog food review reveals that the brand has only been around for about 6 years. That isn’t a ton of time but it is enough time that they could have faced recalls. To date, the brand has not had any recalls of any kind. There have been no self-declared recalls or any required ones.
To our knowledge, there have never been reasons for suspicion of any type of struggle or contamination. In fact, this dog food is highly-rated across the board for pretty much all of the lines. Not only are they recall free but they also deliver in terms of quality with no recalls in their history.
While they could eventually face a recall, the fact that they haven’t so far is reassuring on its own level for anyone feeding their dog this food. It’s wholesome and it’s safe!
Wrapping Up
Overall, the Wholehearted dog food review reveals a steadily reliable brand. While you can’t really find much about the history or ideas behind the creation of the brand, you see the quality in the small areas. While understanding the brand or the company does matter, knowing that the quality is consistent is really the most important part of choosing a dog food.
We see a reliable food solution for our pets that you don’t get from every brand. We see choice ingredients paired with things like thoughtful nutrition. We see foods that are designed to be versatile for all life stages as well as all health needs.
You have a variety of choices and they all deliver the same end note – consistent quality. Whether you prefer to avoid grains, just need steady nutrition, or want to cater to a specific health need, you can do that with Wholehearted. Try out the dog food and then you can pick up cat food for your other furry friends later on.
While it’s not 100% perfect in every capacity, it’s an all-around reliable choice.
