Merrick Dog Food (Dry)

Rating:

Merrick Dry Dog Food earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.

Currently, the Merrick Dog Food product line lists seven kibbles… each designed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

• Merrick Turducken
• Merrick Puppy Plate
• Merrick Senior Medley
• Merrick Cowboy Cookout
• Merrick Wilderness Blend
• Merrick Grammy’s Pot Pie
• Merrick Campfire Trout Feast

Merrick Wilderness Blend Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

The first ingredient in this product is buffalo. Raw buffalo contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just 20% of its original weight.

To reflect its lighter mass, this item should more accurately occupy a lower position on the list.

Which brings us to salmon and lamb meals… the second and third (and most likely) the dominant meat ingredients in this food.

Salmon and lamb meals are both considered meat concentrates and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh salmon and lamb respectively.

Unfortunately, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meals.

But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.

We find no public assurances from the company this product is ethoxyquin-free.

Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, we would expect to find at least a trace of ethoxyquin in this product.

The fourth ingredient is listed as ground rice. Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s difficult to judge the quality of this item.

The fifth ingredient is oatmeal… a whole-grain product made from coarsely ground oats. Oatmeal is naturally rich in fiber, B-vitamins and is (unlike many other grains) mostly gluten-free.

The sixth ingredient lists barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. Unlike grains with a higher glycemic index (like rice), barley can help support stable blood sugar levels in dogs.

The seventh ingredient is beef fat. Beef fat (or tallow) is most likely obtained from rendering beef… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Although it may not sound very appetizing, beef fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The eighth ingredient mentions barley again. We’re not sure why this item is listed again.

The ninth ingredient is venison. Venison is another protein-rich meat ingredient.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other healthy items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to have much of an effect on the overall quality of this product.

The manufacturer appears to have added back some of the “good” bacteria lost during the cooking process. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.

This dog food also contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to amino acids. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are generally found in better dog foods.

Merrick Dry Dog Food… the Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Merrick Dry Dog Foods looks to be of excellent quality.

But ingredient quality by itself does not tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before we determine a final rating.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 27%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 50%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 27% and an average fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest an overall carbohydrate content of 50% for the full product line.

Average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.

With no evidence of any plant-based protein concentrates, this is the profile of a kibble containing a moderate amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Merrick Dry Dog Food is primarily a grain-based kibble using only a moderate amount of meat as its main source of animal protein… thus earning the brand four stars.

Highly recommended.

Those looking for a quality wet food from the same company may wish to check out our review of Merrick Canned Dog Food.

A Final Word

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 brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

02/05/2010 Original review
06/28/2010 Review updated (new recipe)

Tagged as: adult, all life stages, dry, maintenance, puppy, senior