Label analysisGrade CListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)

Merrick

Merrick Grain Free Healthy Weight

Calculate portions with this foodChoosing for your dog
Editor ingredient insight

Merrick Grain Free Healthy Weight starts with beef but includes chicken meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, turkey meal, and chicken fat.

It is worth considering for weight control with higher protein, not for poultry, pea, potato, or beef-only plans.

Fresh-meat leadFull ingredient check needed
Illustration of beef beside a dog-food bowl
Primary protein ingredient · Beef

01. NUTRIENT PROFILE

Key nutrients & mineral profile

As-fed basis
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 30%Fat 10%Other 60%Other includes moisture, ash and remaining components.
Position within the same processing type

Compare protein, fat and energy density in low, typical and high bands.

Protein positionHigher

This food is on the higher side for crude protein among extruded foods.

Fat positionLower

This food is on the lower side for crude fat among extruded foods.

Calorie densityLower

This food is on the lower side for calorie density among extruded foods. That alone does not make it a weight-management diet; check portion guidance, fat, and fiber together.

Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
CalciumNot disclosed
PhosphorusNot disclosed
Crude fiber5%
Omega-30.3%
Omega-61.6%

Undisclosed values are not treated as zero.

02. INGREDIENT QUALITY & DISCLOSURE

Disclosed ingredients & ingredient grade

The analysis uses the registered ingredients. Complete-panel coverage is not verified, so an unlisted ingredient cannot be assumed absent.

Listed ingredients

Read the listed ingredients below. Complete-panel coverage is not verified here; do not infer that an unlisted ingredient is absent.

Beef ingredient illustration
Primary protein ingredient · Beef
B4.5/6Ingredient gradeGood
Ingredient #1 · Deboned BeefTop
Fresh Meat
Ingredient #2 · Chicken MealUpper
Named Meal
Ingredient #3 · Sweet PotatoesUpper
Starchy Tuber
Ingredient #1Top

Deboned Beef

Deboned Beef is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.

Ingredient #2Upper

Chicken Meal

Chicken Meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.

Ingredient #3Upper

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes is a starchy tuber ingredient. It is not a grain, but it still reads mainly as a starch and energy source. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.

Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Deboned Beef — Primary positive ingredientsChicken Meal — Support positive ingredientsSweet Potatoes — Neutral ingredientsPotatoes — Neutral ingredientsPeas — Caution ingredientsTurkey Meal — Support positive ingredientsChicken Fat — Neutral ingredientsNatural Flavor — Support positive ingredientsMiscanthus Grass — Neutral ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsDried Yeast — Neutral ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsSalt — Neutral ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive ingredientsApples — Neutral ingredientsBlueberries — Neutral ingredientsMinerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Calcium Iodate) — Support positive ingredientsDL-Methionine — Neutral ingredientsTaurine — Support positive ingredientsVitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement) — Support positive ingredientsMixed Tocopherols for Freshness — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide

Whole plant protein source observed early

Animal protein · Deboned Beef (#1), Chicken Meal (#2), Turkey Meal (#6)

Plant protein · Peas (#5)

The protein number may include influence from whole plant ingredients.

This is not treated like processed protein boosting, but it is worth checking.

Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
TaurineHeart support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientGlucosamineJoint support ingredientChondroitinJoint support ingredient

03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG

What to consider before feeding

Deboned Beef, Chicken Meal supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.

Peas contribute plant protein alongside carbohydrates and fiber further down the ingredient list. Total crude protein is not a measure of meat-derived protein alone. Chicken Fat add fat and energy; fat content is a separate choice criterion from the protein sources.

Across the registered ingredients, multiple protein sources appear, including beef, chicken, turkey. If a protein must be excluded, any of these sources can change the decision; the first ingredient alone does not make this a single-protein diet.

What works well in this food

  • Crude protein is on the higher side.
  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
  • Crude fat does not run high, which helps the weight-management read.
  • Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.

Check before feeding

  • Whole plant protein sources can contribute to crude protein, so the animal-protein share still needs a closer read.
  • If higher energy density matters more, another option may fit better.
  • The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat, but the top profile turns to Sweet Potatoes by the third slot instead of staying fully animal-led.

When this food fits your dog

Among foods made the same way, protein is higher, fat is lower, and calorie density is lower. This combination is worth comparing when protein matters but a higher-calorie food is not the aim. High protein alone does not make it an active-dog-only food; judge weight changes against total daily calories.

Consider it first when

  • Weight-management priorities
  • Portion-control friendly shopping
  • Lower-calorie comparisons first

Choose another food first when

  • Higher energy density is the first priority
  • A stronger meat-first recipe matters more than calorie control

This is still a food-first read, so your own dog can reshuffle the final order later.

04. COMPARE FOODS

Smart chicken / beef alternatives

Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.

05. MANUFACTURING & DISCLOSURE

Manufacturer background & public information

Merrick background

Founded in 1988 in the United States.

Disclosure confidence C1

Detailed nutrition is visible, but not at a product-level traceability standard.

Recall information

This brand has multiple confirmed recall events, with the most recent public case here in 2018.

May 12, 2026

Final word

Interpret this for my dog

The food-first public score is only the starting point. Once your dog’s activity, weight goals, life stage, and health status are applied, the recommendation order and interpretation can change.

There is enough here to keep the food in comparison, but not enough to stop comparing yet.