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In The Kibble
My dogs
BRAND

Merrick

Owned by Nestlé Purina PetCareSince 1988Hereford, Texas

RECIPES REVIEWED
64
AVG PROTEIN, DM
37.6%
AVG STARCH
31%
FDA RECALLS
1
LINES
Grain Free 17 Backcountry 16 Healthy Grains 10 Lil' Plates 9 Full Source 6 Limited Ingredient Diet 5 Backcountry Raw Infused 1

All recipes

64 foods matched · newest first
DEEP DIVE

Inside The Merrick Range

Across 64 recipes we review

Protein runs higher than the average food we review (37.6% vs 31.9% on a dry matter basis).

Starch is lower than average, at 31% of the food as fed.

100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (91% across the site).

67% of recipes are grain-free.

NUTRITION

How The Range Measures Up

this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 1,774 foods we review

Protein, dry matter 38% 26% to 100%
15%site avg 32%50%
Fat, dry matter 17% 0% to 20%
5%site avg 16%30%
Starch, as fed 31% 0% to 42%
10%site avg 34%60%
Kcal per cup 391 20 to 488
250site avg 390600

Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out

INGREDIENTS

What Goes In The Bowl

Chicken 66% 58%
Fish 58% 43%
Turkey 39% 23%
Lamb 28% 16%
Beef 27% 14%
Egg 19% 31%
Pork 14% 10%

Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.

Ingredients Some Owners Avoid

By-products 0% 14%
Artificial colors 0% 2%
Chemical preservatives 52% 12%
Corn 0% 20%
Wheat 0% 15%
Soy 0% 11%

These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.

LIFE STAGE
  • Adult49
  • Puppy7
  • All Life Stages5
  • Senior3
BREED SIZE
  • All Breeds63
  • Small Breed11
  • Large Breed2
SPECIAL DIETS
  • Grain-free (no wheat, corn, rice, barley or oats)43
  • Limited Ingredient5
Merrick Grain-Free Turkey Bone Broth Dog Food Topper MOST PROTEIN Merrick Grain-Free Turkey Bone Broth Dog Food Topper 100.0% dry matter Merrick Grain-Free Chicken Bone Broth Dog Food Topper LEAST STARCH Merrick Grain-Free Chicken Bone Broth Dog Food Topper 0% as fed Merrick Grain-Free Beef Bone Broth Dog Food Topper FEWEST CALORIES Merrick Grain-Free Beef Bone Broth Dog Food Topper 20 kcal per cup
THE COMPANY

About Merrick

Owner
Nestlé Purina PetCare
Ownership
Subsidiary of a public company
Founded
1988
Headquarters
Hereford, Texas

Who Makes It

Merrick is a dog and cat food brand that is part of the Nestlé Purina family of brands. It sells dry food, wet food and treats under lines such as Backcountry, Healthy Grains, Grain Free, Limited Ingredient Diet, Full Source and Lil' Plates. The company says its recipes use real, whole-food ingredients and no artificial preservatives, and that its dry dog recipes contain omega fatty acids plus glucosamine and chondroitin. 1, 2, 3

Where It Is Made

Merrick says its dog food and treats are made in facilities in the USA and Iceland. The company says it still develops and tests recipes in the founder's original kitchen in Hereford, Texas. AllAmerican.org reports that Merrick makes its dog food in its own kitchens in Hereford and at other sites in Texas and Illinois. 2, 1, 4

History

Garth Merrick started the company in 1988 in his family kitchen in Hereford, Texas, cooking food for his own dog. Nestlé Purina PetCare bought Merrick Pet Care in 2015 and said at the time that it planned no changes to Merrick's management or operations. 1, 5, 6

Worth Knowing

Merrick's recalls have all involved dog treats, not dog food. In 2010 the company expanded a recall of its Beef Filet Squares and Texas Hold'ems treats to all lots because of possible Salmonella contamination. In 2018 it voluntarily recalled some Backcountry beef treats because they might contain elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone. 7, 8

  1. merrickpetcare.com/about
  2. merrickpetcare.com/faqs/dogs
  3. petsmart.com/featured-brands/merrick
  4. allamerican.org/investigation/merrick
  5. dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-news/nestle-purina-merrick-buyout
  6. newscenter.purina.com/Merrick
  7. petfoodindustry.com/news-newsletters/pet-food-news/article/15453971/merrick-pet-care-expands-dog-treat-recall-to-include-all-lots
  8. dogster.com/dog-nutrition/merrick-dog-food-review

Researched from the sources above. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

RECALL HISTORY // MERRICK

1 FDA Recall On Record

MAR 27, 2020
INGREDIENT LEVEL

‎Beef dog treat varieties

See the recall log

NO LONGER SOLD

14 Discontinued Recipes

We keep reviews of discontinued recipes online, each with suggested replacements, because bags stay on shelves and in pantries for months.

Keep In The Know,
Know What's In The Bowl

Dog food guidance, ingredient deep dives, and nutrition news worth knowing.