Ingredient #1Top
Deboned Salmon
Deboned Salmon is a named fresh meat ingredient. The animal source is clearly identified. It reads as an top-tier protein source.
Label analysisGrade CListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)
Merrick
Merrick Grain Free Real Salmon & Sweet Potato
Editor ingredient insight
Merrick Grain Free Salmon & Sweet Potato uses salmon, salmon meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, whitefish meal, and potato protein.
It is worth considering for fish-tolerant dogs needing moderate calories, not for pea/potato avoidance or salmon-only goals.
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
01. NUTRIENT PROFILE
Key nutrients & mineral profile
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 30%Fat 14%Other 56%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 positionTypical
This food sits around the typical crude fat range among extruded foods.
Calorie densityTypical
This food sits around the typical calorie range among extruded foods. Check the feeding guide and weight trend alongside this comparison.
Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
CalciumNot disclosed
PhosphorusNot disclosed
Crude fiber3.5%
Omega-30.6%
Omega-62%
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.
Ingredient gradeGood
Ingredient #1 · Deboned SalmonTop
Fresh MeatIngredient #2 · Salmon MealUpper
Named MealIngredient #3 · Sweet PotatoesUpper
Starchy TuberIngredient #2Upper
Salmon Meal
Salmon 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 Salmon — Primary positive ingredientsSalmon Meal — Support positive ingredientsSweet Potatoes — Neutral ingredientsPotatoes — Neutral ingredientsPeas — Caution ingredientsWhitefish Meal — Support positive ingredientsPotato Protein — High-caution ingredientsPork Fat Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols — Neutral ingredientsNatural Flavor — Support positive ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsSunflower Oil — Neutral ingredientsMiscanthus Grass — Neutral ingredientsDried Yeast — Neutral ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsSalt — Neutral ingredientsApples — Neutral ingredientsBlueberries — Neutral ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive 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 B-12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement) — Support positive ingredientsPreserved With Mixed Tocopherols — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide
Processed plant protein after the top 3
Animal protein · Deboned Salmon (#1), Salmon Meal (#2), Whitefish Meal (#6)
Plant protein · Peas (#5), Potato Protein (#7)
The protein number includes processed plant protein support.
Even when it appears later, the protein number is read more conservatively.
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 Salmon, Salmon 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.
Potato Protein supplement plant protein further down the list, after the first three ingredients. The crude-protein figure includes both animal and plant contributions. Pork Fat Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols add fat and energy; fat content is a separate choice criterion from the protein sources.
Across the registered ingredients, multiple protein sources appear, including salmon, unspecified. Some protein sources are not fully identified, which limits choices that require excluding a specific protein.
What works well in this food
- The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
- Crude protein is on the higher side.
- Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.
Check before feeding
- Processed plant protein appears after the top 3, so some protein support is still built into the label number.
- 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.
- Public data is usable, but not at the highest-trust tier.
When this food fits your dog
Among foods made the same way, protein is higher, fat is typical, and calorie density is typical. 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
- Public-data-first comparison
- Baseline shortlist building
- Conservative first-pass screening
Choose another food first when
- You want a stronger ingredient-quality story first
- You need dog-specific fit instead of public-review screening
Plant-protein concentration remains the clearest trade-off here.
04. COMPARE FOODS
Smart salmon 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