In this comparison article for Dr. Tim's vs WholeHearted, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Dr. Tim's and WholeHearted, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.
Throughout this WholeHearted vs Dr. Tim's comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Dr. Tim's Review Page or WholeHearted Review Page.
Guaranteed Analysis: WholeHearted vs. Dr. Tim's
According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.
Dr. Tim's Dog Food vs. WholeHearted Dog Food
Dry Dog Food
Dr. Tim's
WholeHearted
Crude Protein
34.5%
29.1%
Crude Fat
19.8%
15.6%
Crude Fiber
4.8%
5.6%
Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food
Dogs require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Twelve of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining ten are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these ten essential amino acids.
There is a relatively large difference between the protein content of Dr. Tim's and WholeHearted. On average, WholeHearted dry dog food recipes contain 5.45% less protein than Dr. Tim's recipes.
Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food
Fats are an absolutely vital component of a balanced canine diet. Not only do fats provide energy, but they also serve important roles in the normal development and function of your dog's body. For example, fats help dogs produce prostaglandins, which reduce inflammation among many other significant functions.
WholeHearted dry recipes contain 4.19% less fat than Dr. Tim's dry recipes. This difference in fat content is a notable difference between Dr. Tim's and WholeHearted.
There is a relatively insignificant difference between the crude fiber content of the two brands.
Dr. Tim's Cat Food vs. WholeHearted Cat Food
Dry Cat Food
Dr. Tim's
WholeHearted
Crude Protein
41.1%
36.7%
Crude Fat
24.4%
15.9%
Crude Fiber
3.6%
5.2%
Wet/Canned Cat Food
Dr. Tim's
WholeHearted
Crude Protein
40.9%
57.0%
Crude Fat
22.7%
17.1%
Crude Fiber
4.5%
7.5%
Crude Protein Comparison For Cat Food
Cats require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Eleven of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining eleven are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these eleven essential amino acids.
The table shows that WholeHearted provides far less protein than Dr. Tim's. The difference in protein content is roughly 4.44%. In addition, WholeHearted wet cat foods also provide more protein than Dr. Tim's wet foods.
Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food
There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):
Fats help with the digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
Reduce inflammation associated with arthritis
Slow the growth of yeast infections
Prevent or reduce the likelihood of certain heart problems.
Aid in the development of the retina and visual cortex.
The comparison table above shows that Dr. Tim's dry cat foods provide significantly more fat than WholeHearted. More specifically, Dr. Tim's guarantees at least 8.59% more fat. For wet cat foods, Dr. Tim's provides more fat (about 5.66% more).
Both brands provide roughly the same amount of crude fiber. For wet cat foods, WholeHearted typically provides a little more fiber (about 2.92% more).
Dr. Tim's Pet Food Ingredients vs. WholeHearted Pet Food Ingredients
Dr. Tim's and WholeHearted both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:
Powdered Cellulose
Powdered Cellulose
Powdered cellulose is produced from minuscule pieces of wood pulp and plant fibers. Other than its fiber content, powdered cellulose lacks any nutritional contribution.
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Dr. Tim's.
Corn Flour
Corn Flour
Corn flour a ground cereal grain which provides a modest amount of vitamins, minerals, and plant based protein. It also happens to be one of the most controversial ingredients in pet food.
Proponents of corn claim that corn is highly digestible and an excellent source of protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids.
Opponents however believe that positive claims in regards to corn are either half-truths or completely false, we'll discuss a few of the opposing arguments.
In regards to digestibility, the claims of "highly digestible" are only true if corn is processed into a meal or flour and subsequently cooked. In regards to the protein contribution, we must note that corn is a plant based protein which does not contain all of the necessary amino acids required by pets to sustain life. Therefore substituting corn for meat is an unsuitable substitution and actually degrades the overall protein quality of the product.
Finally, we'll discuss the claims about vitamins and minerals in corn. Although corn does provide many vitamins and minerals, it not necessarily an exceptional ingredient in this regards. There are many other ingredients which are more complete and biologically appropriate. Therefore the usage of corn as the primary ingredient in pet food should certainly warrant further questioning.
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by WholeHearted.
Beet Pulp
Beet Pulp
Beet pulp is the by-product which remains once sugar has been extracted from sugar beets. The primary contribution of beet pulp is dietary fiber.
We'd also like to note that beet pulp is fairly controversial in pet food. Proponents claim that beet pulp can promote intestinal health and regulate blood sugar. However, opponents claim that beet pulp is an inexpensive filler.
Canola Oil
Canola Oil
Canola oil is a plant-derived oil from the seeds of canola plants. Although fat is an essential component of any diet, canola oil is controversial in pet food. Proponents claim that canola oil provides a better fat profile in comparison to other plant based oils. However, opponents claim that canola oil is typically produced with genetically modified rapeseed and that rapeseed oil has multiple adverse health affects.
Iron Oxide
Iron Oxide
Iron oxide is an FDA approved natural food coloring agent. It's commonly found in rusting metal and provides a reddish-brown color.
We believe food colorants are unnecessary ingredients in pet food. Other than potential harm, food colorants do not provide any nutritional value. These type of ingredients are used only to make the food look appealing to humans.
Pea Protein
Pea Protein
Pea protein is produced by removing the starchy parts of peas. Pea protein is considered controversial because it provides a substantial plant based protein boost. This boost is undesirable because plant based protein is typically lower in biological value when compared to meat based proteins.
Caramel Color
Caramel Color
Caramel color is a concentrated form of caramel, a natural food colorant. Caramel color has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals. Since our pets do not care about food color, caramel color is an unnecessary addition with possible health risks.
Tomato Pomace
Tomato Pomace
Tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato manufacturing. It's considered a controversial ingredient because many people believe it is an inexpensive low quality filler. However, tomato pomace provides a notable amount of dietary fiber, B vitamins, Lycopene, and vitamin A. Although it is a very inexpensive ingredient, it is not nutritionally empty.
Dried Tomato Pomace
Dried Tomato Pomace
Dried tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato manufacturing. It's considered a controversial ingredient because many people believe it is an inexpensive low quality filler. However, tomato pomace provides a notable amount of dietary fiber, B vitamins, Lycopene, and vitamin A. Although it is a very inexpensive ingredient, it is not nutritionally empty.
Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
Canola oil is a plant-derived oil from the seeds of canola plants. Although fat is an essential component of any diet, canola oil is controversial in pet food. Proponents claim that canola oil provides a better fat profile in comparison to other plant based oils. However, opponents claim that canola oil is typically produced with genetically modified rapeseed and that rapeseed oil has multiple adverse health affects.
We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.
Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by WholeHearted.
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex
Menadione sodium bisulfite complex is a synthetic version of vitamin K that has been linked to many health concerns. Research has suggested possible toxic reactions in liver cells and red blood cells among other serious problems. In fact, one large chemical supplier warns, "The substance is toxic to kidneys, lungs, liver, mucous membranes. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage."
Product Safety: Recall History of Dr. Tim's & WholeHearted?
According to our records, neither brand has issued any product recalls. Therefore, consumers have no reason to question the safety of Dr. Tim's or WholeHearted pet food products.
Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!
Where To Buy Dr. Tim's Pet Foods
You can purchase Dr. Tim's pet foods from the following stores:
24 Recipes In-Stock Today
18 Recipes In-Stock Today
Where To Buy WholeHearted Pet Foods
You can purchase WholeHearted pet food products from these retailers:
Type Of Pet Foods Available
Product
Dr. Tim's
WholeHearted
Dry Dog Food
11 Recipes
22 Recipes
Wet Dog Food
None
21 Recipes
Dog Treats
1 Treats
18 Treats
Dry Cat Food
1 Recipes
11 Recipes
Wet Cat Food
1 Recipes
17 Recipes
Cat Treats
None
14 Treats
Top Rated Dr. Tim's Recipes
Dog Food
Dr. Tim's Dry Dog Food Fusion Ultra Athlete Dog Formula