Ingredient #1Top
Deboned Chicken
Deboned Chicken 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 Healthy Grains Puppy Chicken Brown Rice
Editor ingredient insight
Merrick Healthy Grains Puppy uses chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, grains, salmon meal, egg, chicken fat, and turkey meal.
It is worth considering for puppies that tolerate mixed proteins and grains, not for allergy troubleshooting.
Fresh-meat leadPlant booster present
01. NUTRIENT PROFILE
Key nutrients & mineral profile
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 28%Fat 16%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 positionTypical
This food sits around the typical crude protein range among extruded foods.
Fat positionHigher
This food is on the higher side for crude fat among extruded foods.
Calorie densityHigher
This food is on the higher side for calorie density among extruded foods. The same serving can provide more energy, so check portion guidance.
Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
CalciumNot disclosed
PhosphorusNot disclosed
Crude fiber3.5%
Omega-30.75%
Omega-62.6%
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.
Ingredient gradeGood
Ingredient #1 · Deboned ChickenTop
Fresh MeatIngredient #2 · Chicken MealUpper
Named MealIngredient #3 · Brown RiceUpper
Whole GrainIngredient #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
Brown Rice
Brown Rice is a whole or coarse grain ingredient. It usually plays more of a carbohydrate and fiber role than a core protein role. It reads as an upper-tier carb and fiber source.
Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Deboned Chicken — Primary positive ingredientsChicken Meal — Support positive ingredientsBrown Rice — Neutral ingredientsBarley — Neutral ingredientsOat Meal — Neutral ingredientsSalmon Meal — Support positive ingredientsDried Egg Product — Primary positive ingredientsChicken Fat — Neutral ingredientsCanola Meal — High-caution ingredientsNatural Flavor — Support positive ingredientsQuinoa — Neutral ingredientsTurkey Meal — Support positive ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsSalmon Oil — Support positive ingredientsDried Yeast — Neutral ingredientsMiscanthus Grass — Neutral ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsSalt — Neutral ingredientsDehydrated Alfalfa Meal — Neutral ingredientsApples — Neutral ingredientsCarrots — Neutral ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive ingredientsMinerals (Iron Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Zinc Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Proteinate, Cobalt Carbonate) — Support positive ingredientsTaurine — Support positive ingredientsMixed Tocopherols For Freshness — Neutral ingredientsYucca Schidigera Extract — Support positive ingredientsVitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Niacin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement) — Support positive ingredientsRosemary Extract — Neutral ingredientsDried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredientsDried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredientsDried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredientsDried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide
Processed plant protein after the top 3
Animal protein · Deboned Chicken (#1), Chicken Meal (#2), Salmon Meal (#6), Dried Egg Product (#7), Turkey Meal (#12)
Plant protein · Canola Meal (#9)
The protein number includes processed plant protein support.
Even when it appears later, the protein number is read more conservatively.
Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
Salmon oilSkin and joint support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientYucca extractStool odor support ingredientProbioticsGut 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 Chicken, Chicken Meal supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. Brown Rice, Barley supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.
Canola Meal supplement plant protein further down the list, after the first three ingredients. The crude-protein figure includes both animal and plant contributions. 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 chicken, salmon, egg, 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
- The first ingredient is a species-named fresh meat.
- Crude protein does not drop into a clearly low band.
- 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.
- Calcium and phosphorus are not disclosed, so growth-stage use would need an extra check.
- Higher calorie density can raise daily intake in a gram-for-gram switch. Weight reduction needs portions and treat calories to be adjusted together.
When this food fits your dog
Among foods made the same way, protein is typical, fat is higher, and calorie density is higher. This combination provides more energy per gram. Compare it when smaller portions need to supply calories, and adjust grams first for a dog prone to weight gain. Higher calories do not establish a higher animal-protein share.
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
High calorie density remains the clearest trade-off here.
04. COMPARE FOODS
Smart chicken 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