Wainwrights Information
Wainwrights is a large UK-based pet food brand that, according to our research, has been available to pet owners since at least 2006.
Wainwrights is sold exclusively by Pets At Home, which has a large retail and online presence in the UK pet market and is well known to UK consumers nationwide.
Being a Pets At Home brand makes Wainwrights the sister brand of some other popular UK pet food brands like Ava.
Because Wainwrights is an exclusive store brand, it is not available from other large online pet food websites like Zooplus or Amazon.
It appears that some of Wainwrights’ products are developed and manufactured in the UK, and they proudly state this on their packaging and their website.
You can see an example of this below where it shows the recipe is “UK made”.
However, it also appears that some other Wainwright products are not produced in the UK and do not include the same visible packaging.
While we aren’t sure where these recipes are produced instead of the UK, we believe they may be from a country in the European Union.
In addition to their manufacturing locations being somewhat unclear, it is not clear whether all of their ingredients are sourced from within the UK, the EU, or if some are sourced from further afield, such as outside the EU.
Many consumers avoid or are seriously concerned about ingredients sourced from countries like China and believe they may be unsafe.
It is also worth noting that Wainwrights was originally a grain-inclusive brand until 2011, which is when they first released their grain-free range.
The timing of this grain-free product release follows the trend of most other large pet food brands as consumer taste shifted.
Wainwrights Product Range
Dog Food
Wainwrights is one of the biggest players for dog food in the UK and, as a consequence, has a huge product range of dry dog food products.
This range includes recipes that are grain-free or grain-inclusive to appeal to both sides of the argument. Also, there are specialty recipes available for different age ranges and niches, such as puppies, large breed dogs, and senior dogs.
However, Wainwrights doesn’t just produce dry dog food and also has a massive range of wet/canned dog food products.
This wet food range also includes many specialized recipes such as grain-inclusive recipes, grain-free recipes, recipes for puppies and senior dogs, and some niche recipes for those dogs with health issues like Joint and Mobility problems.
Cat Food
While Wainwright’s cat food range is also large when compared to other cat food brands, it is nowhere near as large as the dog food range, which is massive.
The range consists of the typical mix of dry cat food and wet/canned cat food recipes with a variety of meat and fish ingredients at their core.
This range includes a mix of grain-free recipes, grain-inclusive recipes, and some age-specific formulas such as those for kittens and senior cats.
However, Wainwright’s cat food range does have fewer specialty recipes than the dog food range, but this is fairly typical.
Wainwrights Nutrition
Dog Food
The nutrition provided by Wainwright’s dog food is varied but is generally average to above average when compared to comparable brands.
Unfortunately, many of Wainwright’s recipes have considerably large portions of carbohydrates rather than generous portions of protein and fat.
However, a considerable portion of carbohydrates is not terrible and is suitable for most dogs, especially those that are not very active.
Below is an example of the nutrition provided by a Wainwrights grain-free dry dog food recipe.
As you can see, the protein and fat proportion make up over half of the overall nutrition; however, the carbohydrate content is still significant at 47%.
If you are interested in learning more about canine nutrition, we highly recommend checking out our Dog Food Guide. In this guide, we go in-depth on many topics, including nutrition, dog food types, and how dog food recalls work.
Cat Food
The nutrition offered by Wainwright’s cat food is similar to its dog food range and varies significantly. Some recipes provide below-average nutrition compared to the industry average, while others provide nutrition that could be perceived as above-average.
It goes without saying that the wet/canned recipes from Wainwrights tend to offer more favorable nutrition, higher in protein and fat, which is an industry-wide trait.
Below is an example of the nutrition provided by a Wainwrights wet cat food recipe.
As you can see, the protein and fat proportion makes up 95% of the recipe’s nutritional value, with carbohydrates being just 5%.
It is incredibly important that cats consume a diet that focuses strongly on meat and fish ingredients. This focus is as cats are obligate carnivores and do not thrive or cope well on a diet high in plant-based ingredients.
You can learn more about what obligate carnivore means and about the topic of feline nutrition in our Cat Food Guide.
Wainwrights Ingredients
High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Duck
- Salmon
- Whitefish
- Lamb
Wainwrights use a small selection of high-quality meat and fish ingredients in its recipes compared to some other brands.
However, all of these are ideal inclusions in a dog or cat’s diet and can provide high-quality protein and fat to fuel growth, repair, and activity.
Most of these ingredients are industry favorites and are used by hundreds of brands because of their low cost and easy availability.
However, while Wainwrights is typical for using ingredients like Chicken and Turkey, they are quite unusual because they do not use some of the other most common meat ingredients, such as Beef.
Why they choose not to use these ingredients in their recipes is not known at this time, but it is notable.
Other Notable Ingredients
Wainwrights use a few grain ingredients in their recipes, including Brown Rice and Barley. Grains can be extremely controversial additions to dog food recipes which is one of the reasons that grain-free food has seen so much growth.
While many dog owners refuse to buy dog food with grains, the recent links between high levels of legumes in dog food and an increased rate of canine heart disease has caused the popularity of grains to undergo some resurgence.
Brown Rice is considered by many to be one of the best grain ingredients used in dog food as it can provide significant nutritional content outside of its carbohydrate portion such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
If you are interested in learning more about Barley, you can check out our article Barley In Dog Food, where we discuss the ingredient in much more depth.
Sadly, some Wainwrights recipes make use of vegetable by-products such as Pea Protein and Potato Protein.
These ingredients are not considered to be high-quality additions to pet food recipes and are often used to inflate the overall protein proportion in a dog food recipe without shelling out additional meat content.
While the protein found in these ingredients is still valuable, it is not as nutritionally complete as protein from animal sources.
If you would like to learn more about the technique of inflating overall protein proportions or the use of vegetable by-products, we’d highly encourage you to read our article – Ingredient Splitting in Pet Food – Exposed.
Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes are two starch ingredients that both feature in select Wainwrights recipes. Starch ingredients like these are incredibly dense sources of carbohydrates but also contain some other minor nutrition like fiber.
Due to them being such a dense source of carbohydrates, it means that their portion size must be controlled to ensure that the overall proportion of carbohydrates is not overwhelming.
Alfalfa is another common addition to dog food that is relatively unknown by many dog owners. It is also known as lucerne in the UK and is added to recipes to provide minor nutrition like vitamins and minerals.
As well as this nutritional content, some believe Alfalfa can provide other health benefits to dogs and cats, although this is far from proven.
If you’d like to learn more about Alfalfa, we discuss the ingredient in more depth in our article Alfalfa In Dog Food.
Beet Pulp is a feature of many dog food recipes, although most consumers do not realize this.
It is added to these recipes to provide soluble fiber to dog food which can be critical to many dogs and ensures they keep regular digestion and stools.
Beyond its fiber content, Beet Pulp provides very little nutrition (no protein or fat) and certainly does not contain sugar, despite what the name may suggest.
You can learn more about Beet Pulp, including how its made, in our article Dried Beet Pulp In Dog Food.
Wainwrights Animal Testing
We have very limited information on whether Wainwrights participates in animal testing or feeding trials. Because of this, we can not be certain that they do not participate at this time.
Many pet food brands, especially smaller ones, avoid disclosing information related to animal testing because of the fear of customer backlash.
However, on the flip side, many experts in the space are concerned that some brands are not doing sufficient testing for their recipes, and they may not be suitable for long-term consumption.
We strongly believe that invasive or laboratory-style testing on animals is a cruel and outdated practice and one which we hope will see a significant decline or elimination.
Wainwrights Recalls
Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), Wainwrights has never issued any recalls within the UK for its products and is, therefore, a recall-free brand pet food brand.
Given that Wainwrights is a longstanding pet food brand in the UK, having been launched in 2006, this is a positive indicator of its safety and quality procedures.
We strongly hope that Wainwrights can continue this recall-free record in the years to come by upholding its safety standards and continually improving its processes.
Despite this recall-free record, we always recommend all pet owners are vigilant of any future recalls of any pet food brand to ensure their pet remains healthy and safe.
Best of Wainwrights
Complete Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey Review
While they utilize different meat and fish ingredients, Wainwright’s dry dog food recipes tend to be extremely similar in their use of plant-based ingredients, and the overall nutrition offered, and the above recipe is no different.
The recipe focuses on a single meat ingredient in Turkey, and it is an excellent choice for the job.
Turkey is a staple of the pet food industry and can provide ample high-quality protein and fat to fuel a dog’s activity, growth, and maintenance.
The recipe then includes a portion of Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes as its core plant-based ingredients. These starch ingredients act as a dense source of carbohydrates and fiber, but thankfully the portion size used is reasonable.
Lastly, the recipe also uses some other minor ingredients like Beet Pulp, Linseed, and Alfalfa.
These minor ingredients are used by many pet food brands and can help boost the levels of fiber, as well as several beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Complete Grain Free Adult Wet Dog Food Lamb And Vegetables Review
Wet dog food is an excellent treat to provide to dogs who usually consume a diet of only dry dog food.
The above Lamb-focused wet dog food recipe from Wainwrights could be an option if you wish to do this.
It contains 72% Lamb which is an impressive proportion and ensures that the recipe provides an excellent proportion of protein and fat, which is far above average when compared to most other wet dog food recipes.
Lamb is often more flavorsome than some other meats used in dog food like Chicken and Turkey, which could make it extremely appealing and enticing.
The recipe then uses small portions of vegetable ingredients like Sweet Potatoes, Peas, and Carrots.
These plant-based ingredients are industry regulars and provide a modest proportion of carbohydrates as well as helping to hold the Lamb together in a consistent texture and appearance.
Complete Grain Free Adult Dry Cat Food Salmon Review
While there isn’t as much variety in Wainwright’s dry cat food range as their dry dog food range, there are some appealing recipes that should be considered.
The above recipe is one of these, and it uses Salmon as its core ingredient, with over 50% of the recipe being Salmon-based ingredients.
We are big fans of Salmon and its use in dog food recipes and believe it to be a high-quality fish ingredient.
It is one of the best sources of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which many believe can provide several health benefits to cats, including an improvement in the condition of their fur.
The recipe then uses a mix of starch ingredients like Potatoes and Sweet Potato, which provide a modest portion of carbohydrates.
While this proportion of carbohydrates could be lower (to align with a cat’s natural obligate carnivore diet), it is not as large as many other comparable brands and should not be the cause of too much concern.
Complete Adult Wet Cat Food Chicken And Tuna Mixed Review
The above box from Wainwrights provides cats a mix of different wet recipes, including Chicken and Tuna recipes.
This is extremely appealing to many cats as it provides them with much-needed variety in their diet as well as a consistent supply.
The recipes in this box have a reasonably large portion of their core ingredient present (Chicken or Tuna).
This considerable portion ensures that the recipes contain an appropriate portion of protein and fat to align with cats’ obligate carnivore diet.
The recipes then use a tiny portion of select vegetable ingredients such as Peas and Carrots to provide carbohydrates and bind the food together in a consistent texture and shape.
Wainwrights Featured Articles
Wainwrights are not currently featured in any of our articles.
Wainwrights Full Product Range
Dog Food
Dry Dog Food
Complete Grain Free Mature Dry Dog Food Turkey
Complete Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey
Complete Grain Free Dry Puppy Food Turkey
Complete Grain Free Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey
Complete Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Lamb
Complete Grain Free Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Lamb
Complete Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Fish
Complete Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food Duck
Grain Free Adult Complete Dry Dog Food Lamb and Vegetables
Grain Free Adult Complete Dry Dog Food Turkey and Vegetables
Mature Grain Free Complete Dry Dog Food Turkey and Vegetable
Puppy Grain Free Complete Dry Food with Turkey and Vegetable
Complete Grain Free Adult Light Dry Dog Food Turkey And Veg
Complete Grain Free Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey And Veg
Complete Grain Free Adult Light Dry Dog Food Turkey And Veg
Grain Free Adult Complete Dry Dog Food White Fish and Vegetables
Adult Grain Free Complete Dry Dog Food Duck and Vegetable
Adult Gently Baked Skin And Coat Dog Food
Adult Gently Baked Digestion And Wind Dog Food
Adult Gently Baked Turkey & Potato Dog Food
Adult Gently Baked Calm And Relax Dog Food
Adult Gently Baked Joint And Mobility Dog Food
Adult Small Breed Complete Dry Dog Food Lamb And Rice
Complete Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Lamb And Rice
Complete Adult Dry Dog Food Lamb And Rice
Complete Dry Puppy Food Lamb And Rice
Complete Mature Dry Dog Food Lamb And Rice
Complete Adult Dry Dog Food Duck And Rice
Complete Dry Puppy Food Duck And Rice
Complete Mature Dry Dog Food Duck And Rice
Complete Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Duck And Rice
Complete Adult Dry Dog Food Salmon, Potato, And Rice
Complete Adult Light Dry Dog Food Salmon, Potato, And Rice
Complete Dry Puppy Food Salmon, Potato, And Rice
Complete Mature Dry Dog Food Salmon, Potato, And Rice
Complete Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Salmon, Potato, And Rice
Complete Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Adult Light Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Dry Puppy Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Mature Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Large Breed Dry Puppy Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Large Breed Mature Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Small Breed Adult Light Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Small Breed Mature Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Working Adult Dry Dog Food Turkey And Rice With Oats
Wet Dog Food
Complete Grain Free Adult Wet Dog Food Turkey, Duck And Lamb
Complete Grain Free Mature Wet Dog Food Turkey, Duck, And Lamb
Complete Grain Free Tuna With Sweet Potato Adult Dog Food
Complete Grain Free Chicken With Sweet Potato Adult Dog Food
Complete Grain Free Adult Wet Dog Food Turkey And Vegetables
Complete Grain Free Adult Wet Dog Food Lamb And Vegetables
Complete Grain Free Adult Wet Dog Food White Fish And Vegetables
Complete Grain Free Wet Puppy Food Turkey And Vegetables
Complete Grain Free Mature Wet Dog Food Turkey And Vegetables
Complete Grain Free Adult Wet Dog Food Duck And Vegetables
Christmas Delicious Duck Banquet Adult Wet Dog Food
Tempting Turkey Christmas Dinner Adult Wet Dog Food
Complete Simply Made Digestion And Wind Adult Wet Dog Food Lamb
Complete Simply Made Calm And Relax Adult Wet Dog Food Turkey
Complete Simply Made Skin And Coat Adult Wet Dog Food Salmon
Complete Simply Made Joint And Mobility Adult Wet Dog Food Salmon
Hale And Hearty Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Chicken
Hale And Hearty Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Duck
Hale And Hearty Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Turkey
Complete Mature Wet Dog Food Turkey, Duck, And Lamb
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Turkey, Duck, And Lamb
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Chicken, Rice, And Veg
Complete Mature Wet Dog Food Chicken, Rice, And Veg
Complete Wet Puppy Food Chicken, Rice, And Veg
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Turkey
Complete Mature Wet Dog Food Turkey
Complete Adult Light Wet Dog Food Turkey
Complete Wet Puppy Food Turkey
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Wet Puppy Food Turkey and Rice
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Lamb With Rice And Veg
Complete Wet Puppy Food Lamb With Rice And Veg
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Salmon With Potato
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Lamb And Rice
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Salmon
Complete Mature Wet Dog Food Tuna With Rice And Veg
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Tuna With Rice And Veg
Complete Wet Puppy Food Tuna With Rice And Veg
Complete Adult Wet Dog Food Duck And Rice
Complete Wet Puppy Food Duck With Rice
Cat Food
Dry Cat Food
Complete Adult Dry Cat Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Mature Dry Cat Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Dry Kitten Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Adult Light Dry Cat Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Indoor Adult Dry Cat food Turkey And Rice
Complete Large Breed Adult Dry Cat Food Turkey And Rice
Complete Adult Dry At Food Fish And Rice
Complete Dry Kitten Food Fish And Rice
Complete Mature Dry Cat Food Fish And Rice
Complete Adult Dry Cat Food Duck and Rice
Complete Adult Dry Cat Food Lamb And Rice
Complete Grain Free Adult Dry Cat Food Turkey
Complete Grain Free Adult Dry Cat Food Salmon
Wet Cat Food
Complete Adult Wet Cat Food Tuna With Veg
Complete Wet Kitten Food Tuna With Veg
Complete Mature Wet Cat Food Tuna With Veg
Complete Adult Light Wet Cat Food Tuna With Veg
Complete Adult Wet Cat Food Chicken And Tuna Mixed
Complete Wet Kitten Food Chicken And Tuna Mixed
Complete Mature Wet Cat Food Chicken And Tuna Mixed
Complete Wet Kitten Food Chicken With Veg
Complete Mature Wet Cat Food Chicken With Veg
Complete Adult Wet Cat Food Chicken With Veg
Complete Adult Light Wet Cat Food Chicken With Veg
Complete Grain Free Adult Wet Cat Food Tuna With Sweet Potato
Complete Grain Free Adult Wet Cat Food Chicken With Sweet Potato
I have a 7 yr old westie cross jack russell she’s been diabetic for nearly 4 yrs injecting her twice a day she was on wainwrights for the first 4yrs then put on hills wd dry dog food,do youhave a grain free for a diabetic dog?
I have used wainwrights for over 12 years completely trouble free. After lockdown when pets at home started to get stock back in I bought 3 bags of wainwrights working dog as I have 4 dogs. On opening it , it looked visibly different, smaller, different colour and lots of dust type crumb as if it had been crushed, so bad I had to sieve it. I used the first bag thought it was a 1 off , 2nd bag was the same, and my 4 dogs had upset stomachs, still didnt twig it was the food, I start the 3rd bag my dogs all have diarrhoea and the youngest is passing blood, the vet asked had I changed their food? Then it clicked the food seemed different, I rang pets at home not interested, went in store not interested, emailed customer services , asking had they changed how they made it, was it a dodgy batch, I was asked for a receipt which after weeks I hadnt got then was basically told tough luck we cant do anything. Ive used pets at home for years and never complained, I am shocked they have no interest in food that is causing my dogs to be ill, I basically was treated like dirt and dismissed. I had spent over £100 on the food as I always do, sent photos, to be dismissed and told we cant do anything!
Both our cats do not like Wainwright’s Perfect For Cats brand Tuna. Don’t know why. Will take them up on their 100% guarantee or return policy. Waste of money.
I bought 2x 1.5kg bags of Wainwright’s grain free duck with vegetables from Pets at Home 8 days ago. I noticed straight away whilst decanting the new bag into a container that the kibble looked different – each piece was bigger, thinner and paler in colour. The following day I fed my dog only the new kibble and he was very sick from early evening and through the night.
Despite the change in appearance, Pets at Home via Messenger told me that there’s been no recent change in ingredients (I didn’t clarify what they meant by recent)
Anyway, needless to say I returned the new bags to the store. This has left me in quite a predicament, as my dog has a plethora of allergies meaning he needs to be on grain free and can only have duck, rabbit or pork. Thus vastly reducing the available options! Ive had to put him on a wet food (duck) until i can find something suitable, but the sudden change has caused him to have diarrhoea. I will be recontacting PAH regarding the apparent change in ingredients/formula and will not be letting this go!
There’s an online thread with many comments from dog owners saying their dogs became very unwell in recent months from Wainwright’s.
My dog eats Wainwright’s veg chews ( tomato and peas) I always have trouble getting them from pet’s at home, who constantly run out of them for weeks on end.could anyone tell me what is going on, because the staff in pet’s at home don’t have a scooby doo?
I’ve been feeding my dog wainwrights wet trays for the last 5 years and she’s always done well in it and enjoyed it, however, out of the last 4 boxes I’ve bought (24 trays in each box) I’ve had to throw the whole lot away as there have been at least 4 if 5 trays in each box that have gone rancid! It appears they’ve changed the way they seal the trays and it simply isn’t working! Pets at home have refunded for the food but I’ve changed brands now as I’m terrified of missing a rancid tray and poisoning my dog!
My kitten had a diarrhoea while eating kitten-chicken with veg. I stopped giving him this wet food trying to find and eliminate a cause and I have to say that he straight away improved when he stopped eating it. Need to report it now as I can see it happened with a dog food as well.
Fed our kitten with Wainwrights tuna and veg kitten food today and discovered a 28mm sharp bone in the sachet. This food is produced in Thailand and QC of ingredients is clearly questionable. We value our kitten’s health too much to risk using this product again.
Our 9 month old puppy is on wainwright’s dry food. The kibble is soooo tiny. If it falls out of her bowl and she stands on it she cries out. Putting her off her eating. I have tried quite a few dog kibbles. Would be grateful if there was a larger kibble?
I accidentally bought a box of variety pack dog food. My two seemed to like it. HOWEVER I will not be buying any more due to the amount of waste plastic. Why are you not using RECYCLABLE tins ?
My puppy had a reaction to your turkey and brown rice puppy food. Not happy as i had to rush her to the vets.
Why is Wainwright’s light chicken with veg Tuna and veg produced in Thailand .
Why are you not using RECYCLABLE POUCHES .
why isn’t Wainwright’s produced in the UK
Wainwrights Grain Free variety pack, 24 trays.
A. Autumn last year, returned a box that contained several rancid trays, which had leaked through the cardboard onto the floor. Also noticed Increased variation in product quality.
B. This summer, table damaged by another leaking tray which oozed unnoticed from the box.
C. Today, thrown away a tray as contained a horrible green lump.
Further proof that Pets At Home is not what it was, as emphasized by high turnover of unmasked staff. What a shame.
I was appalled to see toys for dogs to pull around a hedgehog a rabbit a fox plus other actual animal and birds what does that teach a dog …it’s okay to attack other animals and sold in a pet shop what are you thinking not much clearly
i recently tried wainwrights turkey and vegtables for my 10 year old bichon, unfortunatley he suffered serious dioreaha for more than 5 days, we even had to sleep next to him as he couldn’t get outside quick enough so we had a few accidents in the home, the ingredients in this food should be urgently looked at and the side effects investigated as this is a common problem. we have since taken him off this food and returned him to his old food, this dried food should be banned or removed from stores until a full investigation is carried out. He is slowly recovering thankfully but after reading other reviews this is a common side effect.
Wainwrights Cat Food
My neighbour gave me a large bag of cat food as her two cats wouldn’t eat it. My cat ate it initially and now turns his nose up – and he usually loves his food. Back to purina for me
We got our first cat from a friend of a friend in November, we kept her inside as she hadn’t had any of her injections or been spayed, she came to us pregnant. I started to give her Wainrights Kitten wet and dry food as it’s supposed to contain more nutrients and be better quality than the felix she was eating. She was ok at first but since having her kittens 9 weeks ago she’s had serious diarrhea, 4 times a day. She just about makes it to the litter tray before it’s all coming out, in some cases spraying out of her. I took her to the vets who gave her medication which she instantly detects in her food and won’t eat. So she’s had no medication. I decided to stop giving her the wet food 1 week ago and there’s been a huge change. She’s back to going twice a day, it’s still a bit runny but nothing like before. 100% stopping Wainrights as soon as this batch is done.