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The short answer: Base Wellness CORE wins by 12 points (A/90 vs B/78). The 12-point gap between a base formula and its line variant is unusual — line variants typically score within a few points of the base. The structural reason: base CORE leads with deboned chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal at positions 1–3 (three named animal proteins in the top three), while the Air-Dried variant leads with deboned turkey and deboned chicken followed by chickpeas, peas, gelatin, and vegetable glycerin at positions 3–6. The air-dried format-quality benefit is real but doesn’t override the rubric deductions for the more legume-and-binding-agent-heavy carbohydrate base.

The scores

Wellness CORE Air-Dried Tender Bites Air-Dried Original Turkey & Chicken: B (78/100) — Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chickpeas, Peas, Gelatin.

Wellness CORE Original Grain-Free Turkey & Chicken: A (90/100) — Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Potatoes.

How the ingredients compare

The top-five ingredients reveal the formulation split between these two brands:

Wellness CORE Air-Dried: Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chickpeas, Peas, Gelatin

Wellness CORE: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Potatoes

The 12-point gap (Wellness CORE wins by 12 points) shows where the v15 rubric weights ingredient breadth, protein density, and supplement depth differently.

Where Wellness CORE Air-Dried pulls ahead

Air-dried production method: Low-heat air-drying preserves more nutrition than the 220–250°F extrusion process the base kibble uses. Heat-sensitive vitamins (B-complex, vitamin C) and some protein structures stay more intact. For owners who weigh production method heavily, the Air-Dried variant is the format-quality upgrade even though the ingredient panel scores lower. Shop on Amazon →

Higher fat density: Air-Dried runs 21% crude fat minimum vs base CORE’s 16% — ~30% higher fat for caloric density. For active or working dogs needing concentrated energy, this is the relevant macronutrient difference.

Higher moisture for palatability: Air-Dried runs 20% moisture vs base kibble’s 10% — gives the tender-bite texture that some picky eaters prefer over crunchy kibble. For dogs that reject standard extruded kibble texture, this is the use case.

Where Wellness CORE holds its own

Three named animal proteins in the top three positions: Deboned chicken at #1, chicken meal at #2, turkey meal at #3 — the textbook A-tier protein lead. Air-Dried leads with deboned turkey and deboned chicken (two animal proteins in the top two) but chickpeas at #3 displaces a third meat meal. Shop on Amazon →

Lower legume density in primary positions: Peas at #4 and potatoes at #5 in base CORE. Air-Dried has chickpeas at #3 and peas at #4 — chickpeas in the primary supporting position. Both formulas carry FDA-DCM-watchlist structure, but the Air-Dried variant pushes the legumes one position higher.

Lower price point: Base CORE Original kibble prices roughly 50–65% below the Air-Dried variant per pound. For owners feeding a single formula long-term, this is a meaningful annual-cost difference. Many owners use Air-Dried as a topper rather than as standalone feed for this reason.

The bottom line

Base Wellness CORE Original and Wellness CORE Tender Bites Air-Dried are the same brand’s answer to two different feeding contexts. Base CORE earns A/90 with three named animal proteins in the top three (deboned chicken + chicken meal + turkey meal) and lower-position legume inclusion at standard kibble pricing. Air-Dried earns B/78 with the same chicken-and-turkey lead but chickpea-and-pea displacement of a third meat meal, gelatin and vegetable glycerin as air-dried-specific binders, and meaningful 3–5× price premium. For owners who want the rubric-cleanest version of the Wellness CORE formula, base CORE. For owners who specifically want air-dried format or higher-fat density, Air-Dried.