Merrick dog food

Merrick Dog Food Review

Merrick dog food products are formulated based on the company’s mission statement “comfort for the soul”. The Merrick Pet Foods, Inc. is a family-owned business that started out as a manufacturer of natural dog treats. Merrick claims that all their products have undergone a very simple process to ensure that the nutrients are retained as much as possible without the addition of artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors.

It was only in 2003 that Merrick started a dry dog food line originally composed of six different formulas. They have added one dry dog food formula to the six original ones. Merrick’s existing dry dog food gourmets include Campfire Trout Feast, Cowboy Cookout, Grammy’s Pot Pie, Puppy Plate, Senior Medley, Turducken, and Wilderness Blend. All these formulas have been tailored to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles required for all life stages.

We recommend Merrick’s dog foods and believe that they produce some of the highest quality formulas available. While it is an expensive option, we believe that that quality warrants the higher price.

The main ingredients of Merrick dog food products contain a major protein source that combines fresh or raw meat with a specific meat concentrate. A Merrick dog food formula may contain one or two of the following meat sources—buffalo, chicken, trout, beef, salmon meal, lamb meal, turkey meal, chicken meal, and pork meal.

In formulating their rations, they paired up a raw meat source with a specific meat concentrate to maintain the protein levels of the dog food. Fresh meat sources such as buffalo, chicken, beef, or trout contain high levels (approximately 80%) of water which evaporates upon processing leaving only a fraction of the original raw ingredient. Meat meals are considered meat concentrates that contain almost 300% protein than raw meat sources. It is good to note that the meat meals used Merrick dog food products are specified and not like some dog food products that use generic meat meals. Sources of ingredients are very important in order to determine the quality of the dog food.

The fish meals are said to be ethoxyquin-free.  Ethoxyquin is considered a dangerous food additive. Trout and fish meals contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which are essential in many physiological processes of the body and to maintain healthy hair coats.

The carbohydrate component of Merrick’s dog food formulas is comprised of pearled barley, oat meal, and ground rice.  These are whole grains which are also excellent sources of fiber and B-vitamins. Oatmeal is made from coarsely ground oats and is mostly gluten-free. Gluten-rich ingredients in dog food have been linked to allergies in dogs.

Probiotics have been added to infuse beneficial microorganisms into the dog food. Chelated minerals are also present for easy absorption and utilization of essential amino acids.

Customer Reviews

Many dog owners like the fact that Merrick dog food products do not contain common food allergens such as corn, wheat or soy. There are many dog owners who shifted their dogs’ diet to Merrick to alleviate and/or get rid of food-based allergies.

Most negative feedbacks are centered on digestive disturbances that a dog may have when switching dog food brands. Some owners reported their dogs having loose stools and emitting foul-smelling gas. This is especially true for dogs with sensitive digestive systems.

We strongly support Merrick dog food and believe that this is one of the better dog food brands for your dog. Their updated formulas are a welcomed improvement and the company continues on a great path.

Merrick Dog Food Reviews

Merrick dog food formulas:

• Merrick Grammys Pot Pie dog food – Updated Formula and Review (10/29/10)
• Merrick Wilderness dog food – Updated Formula and Review (10/29/10)
• Merrick Puppy Plate dog food – Updated Formula and Review (10/29/10)
• Merrick Senior Medley dog food – Updated Formula and Review (10/29/10)
• Merrick Turduken dog food
• Merrick Campfire trout dog food
• Merrick Cowboy Cook Out dog food

Merrick Dog Food Consumer Rating