What's actually in Wellness Puppy?
We analyzed Wellness Complete Health Puppy Deboned Chicken, Oatmeal & Salmon Meal Recipe. The first five ingredients are deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas, sorghum, and chicken fat.
Deboned chicken (fresh, ~80% moisture) anchors the wet-weight protein contribution. Chicken meal in position two is the real protein-density driver — concentrated rendered chicken delivers roughly 3× the post-cooking protein of fresh chicken. The chicken + chicken meal pair is a rubric-positive signal.
Peas (position three) is the most-flagged ingredient for ingredient purists. While the title says "Oatmeal & Salmon Meal," peas precede oatmeal in the actual ingredient list. Peas carry fiber and some plant protein, but their position ahead of sorghum means they are a meaningful caloric contributor, not a trace ingredient.
Sorghum (position four) is the primary grain. Sorghum is a gluten-free whole grain with a lower glycemic index than rice or corn, and it is commonly preferred in holistic formulations. It contributes slow-release energy and is well-tolerated by most puppies.
Salmon meal sits in position nine. This is the DHA source — salmon meal is concentrated marine protein carrying long-chain omega-3s (EPA + DHA) that puppies need during the 0-12 month brain and retinal development window. Salmon oil also appears (position 11) for additional omega-3 contribution. Shop on Amazon →
The good stuff
Salmon meal + salmon oil combination is exceptional for DHA delivery. Most puppy formulas use either fish oil alone or salmon meal alone — Wellness layers both, which meaningfully raises the omega-3 fatty acid contribution. For neurological development, this is a measurable benefit over single-source alternatives.
Breadth of vegetable and fruit inclusions. Spinach, broccoli, carrots, parsley, apples, blueberries, and kale are not just marketing language — they appear in the ingredient deck in amounts sufficient to contribute meaningful micronutrient diversity. Most premium competitors stop at 2-3 botanicals; Wellness's seven-botanical blend is among the broadest in the category.
Three-strain probiotic blend (Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis) supports microbiome development during the 0-6 month gut colonization window. Combined with dried chicory root (prebiotic fiber), the gut-support stack is legitimate.
Supplemental taurine is listed in the ingredient deck. Given pea's prominent position (#3), the taurine inclusion is responsible formulation — grain-inclusive-but-pea-forward formulas still carry some of the DCM investigation's concern mechanism, and taurine supplementation mitigates it directly.
No corn, no wheat, no soy, no meat by-products. No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives (chicken fat is preserved with mixed tocopherols). Green tea extract, rosemary extract, and spearmint add natural antioxidant polyphenols.
The not-so-good stuff
Peas in position three. While not inherently problematic, pea-forward positioning means the formula is more carbohydrate-and-legume-weighted than a chicken-first-and-second-with-oats-as-third formulation would be. Ingredient purists would prefer sorghum or oatmeal at position three and peas further down.
Dried plain beet pulp (position six). Beet pulp is a common, inexpensive fiber source — nutritionally neutral for most dogs but ingredient purists flag it as a filler-adjacent inclusion. Its placement in position six is earlier than in most premium competitors.
Single all-breed SKU within this specific Wellness Complete Health Puppy recipe. Wellness publishes a Large Breed Complete Health Puppy variant (deboned chicken + brown rice + salmon meal) and a Small Breed Complete Health Puppy variant (deboned turkey + oatmeal + salmon meal). Giant-breed puppies (projected adult weight 100+ lb) need the Large Breed Puppy variant, not this all-breed formulation. Toy-breed puppies may do better on the Small Breed variant for kibble-size reasons.
How it compares
Wellness Complete Health Puppy's B/78 score ties Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy (B/78), Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy (B/78), Merrick Healthy Grains Puppy (B/78), Nutro Wholesome Essentials Puppy (B/78), and Canidae PURE Puppy (B/78).
Against top-tier A/90 puppies (Fromm Gold Puppy, Orijen Puppy, Acana Puppy, Nulo Puppy), Wellness trails by 12 points. Against budget competitors, Wellness outscores Iams Smart Puppy (B/75) by 3, Eukanuba Puppy Medium Breed (B/75) by 3, Hill's Science Diet Puppy (C/58) by 20, and Purina Puppy Chow (D/39) by 39 points.
For the head-to-head vs Wellness's adult Complete Health line, see our Wellness Puppy vs Wellness Complete Health comparison. Adult Complete Health scores four points higher (B/82) because of its tighter chicken+oatmeal+barley stack and broader vegetable contribution — Puppy prioritizes DHA and life-stage nutrition in exchange.
Who should choose Wellness Puppy over Wellness adult
Wellness Complete Health Puppy is the right choice during the 0-12 month developmental window for puppies whose owners value a holistic premium brand with broad antioxidant vegetable inclusion and strong DHA delivery (salmon meal + salmon oil). The sorghum-based grain stack is gentle on sensitive-grain puppies without going fully grain-free. At 12 months transition to Wellness Complete Health Adult (B/82). Giant-breed puppies should use Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Puppy (deboned chicken + brown rice) instead of this formulation. Toy-breed puppies may prefer the Small Breed variant for kibble-size reasons. For owners who would otherwise choose Blue Buffalo Puppy or Merrick Puppy, Wellness is the more botanically-broad alternative at similar pricing.
The bottom line
Wellness Complete Health Puppy earns a B grade (78/100) from KibbleIQ. Chicken-first protein, chicken meal density, salmon meal + salmon oil DHA, sorghum grain base, seven-botanical vegetable antioxidant blend, supplemental taurine, and a three-strain probiotic make this a discipline-forward holistic puppy formula. Peas in position three and beet pulp in position six are the meaningful ingredient-purist concerns, and giant-breed puppies need the dedicated Large Breed variant. For owners committed to the holistic premium category, Wellness Puppy is a credible, broadly-formulated choice. Shop on Amazon →