Rating: 
Merrick canned dog food receives the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
The Merrick product line lists 24 canned dog foods… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
Because Merrick makes available different products at different times of the year, it’s difficult for us to accurately report which dog foods are grain free. So, be sure to check the labels while shipping.
- Merrick Wingaling
- Merrick Little Italy
- Merrick Turducken
- Merrick Brauts-n-Tots
- Merrick Camfire Trout Feast
- Merrick Cowboy Cookout
- Merrick French Country Cafe
- Merrick Grammy’s Pot Pie
- Merrick Harvest Moon
- Merrick Puppy Plate
- Merrick Senior Medley
- Merrick Smothered Comfort
- Merrick Wild Buffalo Grill
- Merrick Wilderness Blend
- Merrick Working Dog Stew
- Merrick Autumn Leaf’t Overs
- Merrick Gameday Tailgate
- Merrick Susie’s Shepherd Pie
- Merrick Homecoming Holiday
- Merrick Venison Holiday Stew
- Merrick New Zealand Summer
- Merrick Mediterranean Banquet
- Merrick Thanksgiving Day Dinner
- Merrick Burger Pie and Sweetie Fries
Merrick Cowboy Cookout Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Merrick Cowboy Cookout
Canned Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Beef, beef broth, beef liver, fresh sweet potatoes, fresh carrots, fresh green beans, fresh granny smith apples, potato starch-modified, beef meal, egg, dried blueberry, olive oil, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, natural caramel color, flax seed oil (for omega-3), Yucca schidigera extract, choline chloride, salt, lecithin, zinc amino acid complex, mixed tocopherols, iron amino acid complex, vitamin E supplement, manganese amino acid complex, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A acetate, copper amino acid complex, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin D3 supplement, niacin, riboflavin supplement, biotin, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, thiamine mononitrate, sodium selenite
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 4% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 47% | 21% | 24% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 39% | 42% | 19% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
Beef is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second item is beef broth. Broths are nutritionally worthless. But because they add moisture to a dog food they are a common finding in many canned products.
The third ingredient is beef liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, beef liver is a beneficial component.
The fourth ingredient mentions sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.
The fifth ingredient mentions carrots. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
Green beans and apples are natural sources of vitamins and minerals.
The eighth item lists potato starch. Potato starch is a gluten-free carbohydrate used here more for its thickening properties than its nutritional value.
The ninth ingredient is beef meal. Beef meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh beef.
The tenth ingredient includes egg… a desirable addition. Eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With two notable exceptions…
First, we note the inclusion here of flax seed oil… one of the best non-fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids… essential to a dog’s life.
And lastly, this food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Merrick Canned Dog Food
The Bottom Line
This may not just be a good dog food. But an important one, too. Merrick canned dog food is a certified2 low glycemic product making it a serious candidate for feeding a diabetic dog.
And judging by its ingredients alone, this canned product line appears to be an excellent dog food.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 47%, a fat level of 21% and estimated carbohydrates of about 24%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 44% and a mean fat level of 23%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25% for the overall product line.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical canned dog food.
With no sign of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a wet food containing a significant amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Merrick canned dog food is a meat-based wet product using an abundance of assorted meats from named species as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
Those looking for a quality kibble from the same company may wish to check out our review of Merrick dry dog food.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in a specific health benefit for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
02/05/2010 Original review
09/12/2010 Review updated
09/12/2010 Last Update
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
- Glycemic Research Institute ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.