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Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Recipe + Grains with Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag
Merrick

Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Recipe + Grains with Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
freeze dried $5.60/lb

Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Puppy Recipe + Grains with Chicken & Salmon Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food, 10-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 78/100 (A) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.

PQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 31% ⓘ
Protein
28%
min (as fed)
Fat
16%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
11%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

28 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    deboned chicken

    Real meat with the bones removed before grinding. The cleanest version of chicken on an ingredient label.

  2. 2
    brown rice

    Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

  3. 3
    chicken meal

    Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken.

  4. 4
    barley

    Whole grain with a low glycemic profile and some soluble fiber. Easy on blood sugar.

  5. 5
    oat meal

    Alternate spelling of oatmeal. Gentle whole grain, steady carb energy, soluble fiber.

  6. 6
    turkey meal

    Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey.

  7. 7
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

  8. 8
    potato protein

    Concentrated potato protein. Like pea protein, it inflates the protein number without matching meat-quality amino acids.

  9. 9
    salmon

    Real fish meat. Natural source of omega-3s, which kibble usually has to add back from oil.

  10. 10
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  11. 11
    miscanthus grass

    Perennial grass used as a fiber source. Replaces cellulose in some recipes. Functional but unremarkable.

  12. 12
    dried yeast

    Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.

  13. 13
    chicken hearts and livers
  14. 14
    salmon oil

    Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.

  15. 15
    tapioca starch

    Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.

  16. 16
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  17. 17
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  18. 18
    choline chloride

    Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.

  19. 19
    zinc amino acid complex

    Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.

  20. 20
    iron amino acid complex

    Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  21. 21
    sodium selenite Flagged

    Inorganic selenium. Effective at AAFCO levels, no documented safety concern in dogs despite what some pet food blogs claim. Selenium yeast is a marginal upgrade, not a necessity. See why →

  22. 22
    manganese amino acid complex

    Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

  23. 23
    copper amino acid complex

    Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.

  24. 24
    calcium iodate

    Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.

  25. 25
    dl-methionine

    Essential amino acid. Often added when plant proteins dominate, since methionine is naturally lower in pulses than meat.

Showing first 25 of 28. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.