If you want to know right away:
I chose Blue Buffalo as the winner in the Wellness vs Blue Buffalo comparison.
If you are curious about the comparisons and details, be sure to read through my article.
If you are looking for the most suitable dog food for your puppy, you may face some difficulties. There are plenty of choices on the market and it’s easy to run into a product that doesn’t meet the needs of your pets. In my current article, I am looking for an answer to a question. Wellness vs Blue Buffalo. Which one is better?
Both brands offer a number of options, meaning you’re sure to find the right one for your own dog as well. Of course, I will not compare all the products of both companies. Instead, I selected three high-quality foods from both brands. For small, medium, and large breeds. These dog foods are:
For small breeds:
For medium breeds:
For large breeds:
More about each product
Blue Buffalo Freedom Small Breed Dry Dog Food
Key features:
- Contains real meat as the first ingredient
- Grain-free and contains omega-3 and omega-6
- Small kibbles for small breeds
- Antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins promote health
- No by-product meals, corn, soy, and artificial ingredients
Wellness Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food
Key features:
- Suitable for small dogs
- Small kibble sizes
- Contains Vitamins
- Four protein sources
- Contains Chondroitin Sulfate
Blue Buffalo Natural Adult Dry Dog Food
Key features:
- Contains real meat as the first ingredient
- Grain-free and contains omega-3 and omega-6
- Suitable for small and medium breeds
- Antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins promote health
- No by-product meals, corn, soy, and artificial ingredients
Wellness Natural Pet Food
Key features:
- Deboned chicken as the protein source
- Great nutritional support
- Reduce the stool odor
- Contains Chondroitin Sulfate for joint health
- Complex carbohydrates
Blue Buffalo Natural Large Breed Dry Dog Food
Key features:
- Contains real meat as the first ingredient
- Grain-free and contains omega-3 and omega-6
- Suitable for large breeds
- Antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins promote health
- No by-product meals, corn, soy, and artificial ingredients
Wellness Natural Large Breed Dry Dog Food
Key features:
- Promotes healthy joints
- Reduce the stool odor
- Contains mixed tocopherols
- Real meat as the first ingredient
- Moderate fat content and optimal protein levels
What about the history of Wellness and Blue Buffalo?
When I look at pet food, I usually start with its history. From this, I can learn a great deal of information that can be important in making a decision. In many cases, the company’s history shows, for example, whether they treat dogs, cats, and other pets in the same positive way as owners.
Although Wellness and Blue Buffalo are not very old brands, they are both growing in popularity. Wellness has many excellent dishes. One of the best of these is their weight management formula. I recommend this mostly for small breeds. Blue Buffalo also has many types of food. One of my favorites from them is the formula for old dogs.
Wellness
Wellness is a young brand in the pet food industry. Their first dog food was launched in 1997. Since 2000, they have been making food for cats too. Wellness products are available all over the world. The food is of good quality and is made in Mishawaka, Indiana.
At the time, the brand was created by animal nutrition experts, food scientists, and veterinarians. Their goal was to produce a pet food that contained the finest natural ingredients without artificial flavors, preservatives and chemicals. It promotes health and well-being.
Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo is an even younger company than Wellness. It was founded in Connecticut in 2012 by the Bishop family. The family had a dog that unfortunately died of cancer. They were inspired by this sad story.
With the help of a great veterinarian and an animal nutritionist, they have developed dog food that provides solutions to many health problems. The recipe contained only natural ingredients. The makers made sure that the nutrients were in a balanced ratio.
One of the main slogans of Blue Buffalo is: love them like family, feed them like family. This is absolutely evident in their recipes. Their products are of impeccable quality and the primary ingredient in almost all food is real meat. This is the reason for the popularity of this brand. Today, Blue Buffalo is compared to the largest pet food brands.
Blue Buffalo vs Other Dog Food Brands
Most experts consider Blue Buffalo to be a very high-quality and competitive brand. So it’s no coincidence that it is often compared to many other dog food brands. Below you will find my Blue Buffalo comparison articles:
- Blue Buffalo vs Blue Wilderness
- Natural Balance vs Blue Buffalo
- Taste of the Wild vs Blue Buffalo
- Purina Pro Plan vs Blue Buffalo
- Kirkland vs Blue Buffalo
- Purina vs Blue Buffalo
- Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo
- Blue Buffalo vs Science Diet
The nutritional value of the two brands
When it comes to our puppies, the most important thing is to feed them the best quality food possible. But how do you know exactly which foods are good and which are bad? Instead of the nutrient content, we need to pay attention to the quality of the ingredients.
So if two products contain 25% protein, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re just as good. This is because one of them may contain meat by-products with the same protein content.
Take a look at the first few ingredients listed for the products you want to compare. If these are whole-food ingredients, you’re on the right track.
The pet food market is strictly regulated. Nevertheless, you may want to look in detail at the recipes and their scientific background. If in doubt about your choice, you may want to ask your veterinarian for an opinion.
The table below compares the macronutrient and caloric content of the most popular Wellness and Blue Buffalo products.
| Blue Buffalo Small Breed | Wellness Small Breed | Blue Buffalo Medium Breed | Wellness Medium Breed | Blue Buffalo Large Breed | Wellness Large Breed | |
| Protein | 26% | 28% | 24% | 24% | 22% | 26% |
| Fats | 15% | 16% | 14% | 12% | 12% | 12% |
| Fiber | 5% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Kcal/Cup | 380 | 331 | 373 | 329 | 357 | 309 |
I compared the protein, fat, and fiber content of these dog foods. And why are these three nutrients so important? You can find out below.
Protein
Surely you know that protein is perhaps the most important nutrient in any diet. It allows the body to build muscle and other body tissues. It also plays a role in hair and skin growth. In addition, it helps create vital hormones and enzymes.
The body of dogs (and all other living things) creates the necessary proteins from amino acids. This is a complex process that requires 22 different amino acids for dogs. About half of this must be obtained from food.
Therefore, it is clearly important that sufficient sources of protein appear in the diet. These will supply your puppy with the right type and amount of amino acids. Protein deficiency can cause serious illness. Examples include growth retardation, skin diseases, enzyme deficiencies, and so on.
From this point of view, Wellness is the better dog food. There are two products on the list that have higher protein content compared to rival Blue Buffalo. Wellness’s protein sources are great. Your dog will love deboned turkey, chicken meal, and salmon meal. Meat by-products are not among the ingredients at all.
Fat
Many people today still think that fat is unhealthy and causes obesity. Of course, this has some basis in reality, as fats contain far more calories than other macronutrients. Nevertheless, good fat sources are an important part of a good diet. They provide energy and delicious taste. However, they are important for the absorption of a lot of vitamins.
The best sources of fat are chicken or pork fat, fish oil, or sunflower oil for example. An average dog’s diet should include 10-15% fat. With enough exercise, this amount should not be a problem.
You can see from the table that there is not much difference between the products of the two brands in terms of fat content. Therefore, based on this, neither Wellness nor Blue Buffalo can be declared a winner. Both have optimal fat content with great quality sources.
Fiber
Fibers have a number of positive health effects. Proper digestion is essential without dietary fiber. It absorbs water from the colon, thus preventing diarrhea. It also stabilizes stool. So if your dog has loose stools, you may want to check the fiber content of your food.
In addition, the fibers also cause a feeling of fullness, so they can also help with weight management. Your dog will eat fewer calories without being hungry.
The Blue Buffalo products in the table contain a little more fiber. Therefore, in this respect, they are better.
Flavors of the products
Like us humans, dogs can get bored of tastes. Even though your pooch loves one type of food, if he has been eating the same thing for months, his enthusiasm may pass. In this case, you may want to try another recipe. It is important to mention that you need to make sure that the transition to the other flavored food is gradual. This will avoid stomach problems.
Popular flavors of Wellness dog foods:
- Chicken and turkey
- Tuna, Beef, and carrots
- Salmon and herring
- Turkey and duck
Popular flavors of Blue Buffalo dog foods:
- Chicken,Duck,Beef, and Turkey
- Meaty Morsels in tasty Gravy
- Chicken and Trout flaked entree
As you can see, Wellness and Blue Buffalo also have a variety of flavors to offer. Because of this, both brands are equally good in this regard.
Cost
If you have already bought many different types of dog food, then you know for sure that the prices of products from different brands can be very different. It depends on a lot of things like food type, brand, quality, etc. However, you should definitely know that a high price does not always mean high quality.
It is best to choose products that meet your dog’s dietary requirements. Then choose the product that best fits your budget.
As the current price of the products changes many times, I did not make a price table. On the other hand, it can be said that Blue Buffalo products usually come out cheaper per calorie.
Pros and cons of Wellness
Pros
- High quality and natural ingredients
- Grain-free options available
- Available options for sensitive stomachs
Cons
- Not the best for puppies
- Could be more flavor choices
Pros and cons of Blue Buffalo
Pros
- Natural and organic
- Popular brand
- Nutritious
Cons
- Varying kibble sizes
- More suitable for large dogs
Frequently asked questions about Wellness vs. Blue Buffalo
Do these brands offer grain-free options?
Yes, for both brands you will find an option that is grain-free. If you want to make sure of this, be sure to read the product descriptions.
How do I decide which brand to choose? Wellness vs Blue Buffalo?
To do this, you must first know the individual needs of your puppy. Both brands produce high quality dog food. Therefore, small differences in the above comparisons may help you decide. If you are unsure of your decision, consult your veterinarian.
Do Wellness and Blue Buffalo use meat by-products?
Both brands state that they avoid using meat by-products in the manufacture of their products.
Finding the best diet for your dog is not easy. You have to consider several aspects, e.g., activity, breed, age, health condition, etc. If you want to make the best decision possible, check out my comprehensive guide on how to choose the best dog food.
Summary
As you can see, this comparison was a well-balanced race. Both companies are deservedly popular in the pet food industry. The recipes are of high quality and varied. Protein sources are real meats in all cases, and you don’t have to worry about your puppy eating meat by-products. You can satisfy the needs of every dog with Wellness and Blue Buffalo products.
It’s important to understand that there is no dog food that is just as good for all breeds. Therefore, be sure to consider the characteristics and needs of your dog before making a decision.
However, in this article, I choose Blue Buffalo as the winner. Since there is no problem with any of the two brand’s products in terms of quality, I decided to choose based on the average cost per calorie.
