NB – the following Wellness CORE dog food review has been really very willingly reviewed by #BlueTheRottweiler. We were gifted the bag of food – all opinions Blue’s own, obviously, because dog’s can’t lie.
Unless you have a dog, you don’t think pet food differs much. You’re probably aware it can be wet or dry, and you’ve seen it’s in different flavours in the supermarket. But basically, dog food’s dog food, right?
And then you get a puppy.
And all of a sudden a whole WORLD opens up before you…
Oh, the decisions. I never ever thought I would find myself spending twenty minutes in a Pets At Home aisle, dithering as I walked up and down examining the ingredients list on the dog food sacks.
Because once we moved Blue off the puppy food (as Rottweilers are classed as a ‘giant’ breed, their first year of nutrition is really important for the development of their joints and limbs; we played it safe and opted for the correctly designed ‘puppy-food-for-giant-breeds’. Once she’d stopped growing we knew we could switch to other types) we had a shoppers dilemma. Which was best? Through trial and error we soon found that some really disagreed with her, and some didn’t seem to stop her hunger, and some really made her coat smell (you know, that horrible wet-dog-greasy-stink that makes you want to wash your hands when you’ve stroked them?). And some just made her fart. A lot.
And it wasn’t about the cost – we found cheaper ones were often better for her system than some of the more expensive ones. What we did find was that it was important to check the cereal content; the lower the cereal ratio, the better she liked it. And just as importantly, it liked her (#NoDogFarts).
So when Wellness Pet Food got in touch to ask if she’d like to try out their range of CORE food (she has a bit of an Instagram following you see…), we cautiously agreed. I mean she’s not one to turn down a free meal, but we were dubious of the consequences.
But then I read the blurb – and discovered that Wellness CORE dog food is completely grain free! Huzzah!
So that should mean no stinky fur, and no stinky evenings as her tale lovingly wafts the stench-gas in our direction.
Wellness CORE dog food’s unique, grain-free recipe supports and nurtures your pet’s inside – their nutritional philosophy is rooted in the belief that pets love and thrive on hearty animal proteins. Which pretty much makes perfect sense – I’m not sure I’ve ever heard David Attenborough narrating a pack of wolves hunting down a field of wheat…
Filled with ingredients like turkey and whitefish, Wellness CORE dog food is a protein-packed food – they just take out the fluff your dog will never miss. It’s free of grain and un-natural additives, but full of meaty protein; fresh meat is the first ingredient, and it’s 48-54% protein ingredients.
We feed Blue purely on dried food, one bowl once a day. The first thing we noticed was that the CORE pieces are small – she’s used to bigger chunks, and I wasn’t sure this would last two seconds. But actually, chasing them round the bowl took her longer, and made her eat slower, which is a Good Thing.
For her size (38kg) the recommended portion of Wellness CORE dog food is 400g, which when we weighed it out is the same as usual; two beakers full (when you have a large dog, it’s easiest to buy the food in bag sacks. The first time you feed that brand, weigh out the exact dose required and see how many scoops/cups/useful scooping implement that is. Then all you need to do is scoop out that same dose each day, rather than weighing all the time). That means the 1.8kg bag will last her four days – yes, that’s what you get for having a big dog. You get big cuddles, but they eat big amounts of food…
The biggest question was whether she’d like it… Well, that was actually the silly question. She’s a Rottweiler. They’re not known for their fussy nature. Look at that face – fierce concentration on the location of that bowl at all times, combined with barely-contained glee at its contents. The invisibility of her tail in this picture shows you how fast it was moving.
More to the point for us was whether it would like her?
I’m pleased to report she’s glossy and shiny, and isn’t scavenging for food by lunchtime next day. She still smells nice (including her back end), and her breath is less dog-breathy than usual too.
I’d say you win, Wellness!
The Wellness CORE dog food range is available from Pets At Home and come sin four diet options; Original, Ocean, Reduced Fat or Small Breed. The 1.8kg bag we had is currently at an introductory rate of £10 (usual price £12.99), and for owners of giant hairy elephants like us there’s a larger 10kg currently on for £40 (usual price will be £49.99).
