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Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food Puppy Recipe, 12-lb bag
Merrick

Classic Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food Puppy Recipe, 12-lb bag

Evidence Fair
dry growth $4.17/lb

Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food Puppy Recipe, 12-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 78/100 (A) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 31% ⓘ
Protein
28%
min (as fed)
Fat
16%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
11%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

40 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    deboned chicken

    Real meat with the bones removed before grinding. The cleanest version of chicken on an ingredient label.

  2. 2
    chicken meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

  3. 3
    brown rice

    Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

  4. 4
    barley

    Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.

  5. 5
    oat meal

    Alternate spelling of oatmeal. Gentle whole grain, steady carb energy, soluble fiber.

  6. 6
    salmon meal

    Salmon cooked into a dry concentrate. Carries both protein and natural omega-3s in one ingredient.

  7. 7
    dried egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  8. 8
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

  9. 9
    canola meal
  10. 10
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  11. 11
    quinoa

    Pseudo-grain with a complete amino acid profile. Rare in dog food because it's expensive.

  12. 12
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey.

  13. 13
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

  14. 14
    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

  15. 15
    dried yeast

    Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.

  16. 16
    miscanthus grass

    Perennial grass used as a fiber source. Replaces cellulose in some recipes. Functional but unremarkable.

  17. 17
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  18. 18
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  19. 19
    dehydrated alfalfa meal

    Dried alfalfa. Fiber and trace minerals. Not exciting but it's a real plant ingredient.

  20. 20
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  21. 21
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

  22. 22
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  23. 23
    iron amino acid complex

    Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  24. 24
    zinc amino acid complex

    Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.

  25. 25
    zinc sulfate

    Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.

Showing first 25 of 40. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.

AAFCO statement

Merrick Classic Puppy Recipe Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for growth.