Label analysisGrade CListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)

Merrick

Merrick Lil Plates Small Breed Chicken Sweet Potato

Calculate portions with this foodChoosing for your dog
Editor ingredient insight

Merrick Lil Plates Small Breed Chicken starts with chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, and chicken fat.

It is worth considering for small active poultry-tolerant dogs, not for protein troubleshooting or potato/pea avoidance.

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 32%Fat 16%Other 52%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 positionHigher

This food is on the higher side for crude fat 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-30.3%
Omega-62.8%

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 · Turkey MealUpper
Named Meal
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

Turkey Meal

Turkey 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.

Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Deboned Chicken — Primary positive ingredientsChicken Meal — Support positive ingredientsTurkey Meal — Support positive ingredientsPotatoes — Neutral ingredientsSweet Potatoes — Neutral ingredientsPeas — Caution ingredientsChicken Fat — Neutral ingredientsNatural Flavor — Support positive ingredientsWhitefish Meal — Support positive ingredientsMiscanthus Grass — Neutral ingredientsDried Yeast — Neutral ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsSalt — Neutral ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive ingredientsApples — Neutral ingredientsSalmon Oil — Support positive 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 ingredientsSunflower Oil — 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 ingredientsMixed Tocopherols for freshness — Neutral ingredientsDried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product — Support positive ingredientsRosemary Extract — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide

Whole plant protein source observed early

Animal protein · Deboned Chicken (#1), Chicken Meal (#2), Turkey Meal (#3), Whitefish Meal (#9)

Plant protein · Peas (#6)

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
Salmon oilSkin and joint support ingredientTaurineHeart 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. Potatoes, Sweet 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 chicken, turkey, 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

  • Whole plant protein sources can contribute to crude protein, so the animal-protein share still needs a closer read.
  • High protein and weight management are separate questions. Judge weight control by daily calories from portions and treats.
  • 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 higher, 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. Fat is higher even though calories are not, so any fat restriction needs a separate assessment.

Consider it first when

  • Prioritizing protein without seeking higher calories
  • Dogs that already tolerate the disclosed animal proteins
  • Shoppers who want a meat-forward recipe

Choose another food first when

  • One of the disclosed animal proteins must be excluded
  • A lower-fat food is required

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

04. COMPARE FOODS

Smart chicken / turkey 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.