The scores
Wholehearted: B (77/100) - Above average. Double chicken protein base with added superfoods, but heavy pea reliance drags the score.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection: B (78/100) - Above average. Deboned chicken and chicken meal lead, backed by quality whole grains and LifeSource Bits.
How the ingredients compare
The top five ingredients reveal the key difference:
Wholehearted: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Pea Starch, Pea Protein
Blue Buffalo: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley
Both formulas start the same way - chicken and chicken meal in positions one and two. That's a strong animal protein foundation that outperforms most of their competition. But positions 3 through 5 tell two very different stories. Blue Buffalo fills those slots with three distinct whole grains, each bringing fiber, B vitamins, and slow-release energy. Wholehearted fills them with three forms of the same plant: peas.
Splitting peas into peas, pea starch, and pea protein lets each one appear lower on the ingredient list than if they were combined. Add them together and total pea content likely rivals or exceeds the chicken. That's the kind of ingredient-list engineering that costs Wholehearted a point.
Where Blue Buffalo pulls ahead
Grain quality: Brown rice, oatmeal, and barley are three different whole grains with complementary nutritional profiles. They digest well, provide sustained energy, and don't raise the health questions that grain-free formulas currently face. It's a straightforward, time-tested approach to carbohydrates in dog food.
DCM risk profile: The FDA's ongoing investigation into a potential link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs centers on formulas heavy in peas and legumes. Wholehearted's three pea ingredients in positions 3-5 put it squarely in the category being studied. The research isn't conclusive, but Blue Buffalo's grain-inclusive formula sidesteps this concern entirely.
LifeSource Bits: Blue Buffalo's cold-formed antioxidant kibble pieces add a supplemental vitamin and mineral blend that Wholehearted doesn't match. Whether this is a meaningful health advantage or marketing differentiation is debatable, but it's an extra that Blue Buffalo offers. Shop on Amazon →
Where Wholehearted holds its own
The double chicken protein base is just as strong as Blue Buffalo's. Chicken and chicken meal in positions one and two means animal protein is doing the heavy lifting, not plants - despite the pea loading further down. Wholehearted also adds taurine as a supplement, which is a responsible move for a grain-free formula given the DCM research. Not all grain-free brands do this proactively.
Wholehearted includes flaxseed for omega-3s, dried chicory root as a prebiotic fiber source, and a superfood blend with blueberries and raspberries. These are the same types of functional ingredients you see in Blue Buffalo and other premium formulas, which is impressive for a Petco house brand.
Price is also a factor. Wholehearted typically runs $5-10 less than Blue Buffalo for comparable bag sizes, and you can pick it up during any Petco trip without needing a warehouse membership. For Petco shoppers who want a solid food without paying premium-brand prices, Wholehearted delivers real value. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
A single point separates these two, but the reason for that point matters. Blue Buffalo's whole-grain formula (brown rice, oatmeal, barley) is nutritionally sound and avoids the DCM questions surrounding grain-free diets. Wholehearted's triple pea loading (peas, pea starch, pea protein) is the formula's biggest weakness and the reason it sits one point lower. Both are genuinely good B-grade foods with strong protein foundations. If you're shopping at Petco, Wholehearted is a solid choice that won't let your dog down. But if you're choosing between these two specifically, Blue Buffalo's grain-inclusive approach has fewer question marks. Read our full reviews of Wholehearted and Blue Buffalo for the complete breakdown.