Label analysisGrade CListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)

Merrick

Merrick Healthy Grains Senior Chicken Brown Rice

Calculate portions with this foodChoosing for your dog
Editor ingredient insight

Merrick Healthy Grains Senior starts with chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oats, barley, turkey meal, and chicken fat.

It is worth considering for seniors needing muscle-supporting protein, not for stricter low-fat or protein-restricted plans.

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

01. NUTRIENT PROFILE

Key nutrients & mineral profile

As-fed basis
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 27%Fat 15%Other 58%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 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 fiber4%
Omega-30.3%
Omega-63%

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.

Chicken ingredient illustration
Primary protein ingredient · Chicken
B4.5/6Ingredient gradeGood
Ingredient #1 · Deboned ChickenTop
Fresh Meat
Ingredient #2 · Chicken MealUpper
Named Meal
Ingredient #3 · Brown RiceUpper
Whole Grain
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.

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

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 ingredientsOat Meal — Neutral ingredientsBarley — Neutral ingredientsTurkey Meal — Support positive ingredientsChicken Fat — Neutral ingredientsQuinoa — Neutral ingredientsNatural Flavor — Support positive ingredientsDried Yeast — Neutral ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsSalmon Oil — Support positive ingredientsMiscanthus Grass — Neutral ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsSalt — Neutral ingredientsApples — Neutral ingredientsCarrots — Neutral ingredientsSunflower Oil — Neutral ingredientsAlfalfa Meal — 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, Niacin, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, 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

Fresh meat is the first ingredient

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

Fresh meat leads the recipe and supplies animal protein, a useful choice point when you prioritize fresh-meat ingredients.

The complete ingredient panel has not been verified, so absence of plant-protein supplements is not confirmed.

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, Oat Meal supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.

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, 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

  • 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 typical, fat is typical, and calorie density is typical. Calorie density alone does not separate this into an active-dog or weight-management food. Consider protein exclusions and fat, then set portions for the dog’s weight and activity. Stable basic protein structure.

Consider it first when

  • Steady protein-first shopping
  • Choosing from named animal proteins
  • Balanced shortlist building

Choose another food first when

  • Weight control comes first
  • Fresh-meat-first premium quality matters most

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

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

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.