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Merrick Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Real Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe, 22-lb bag
Merrick

Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Real Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe, 22-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $3.54/lb

Merrick Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Real Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe, 22-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 70/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Strong protein profile with duck as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

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

PQI

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

FQI

AAFCO formulation inferred from declared not stated. Verbatim statement not published by retailer.

ACF

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: 38% ⓘ
Protein
34%
min (as fed)
Fat
17%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
11%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

41 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    duck

    Real meat. Often used as a novel protein for dogs with sensitivities to chicken or beef.

  2. 2
    chicken meal

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

  3. 3
    turkey meal

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

  4. 4
    sweet potato

    Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.

  5. 5
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

  6. 6
    peas

    Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  7. 7
    chicken fat

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

  8. 8
    fish meal

    Concentrated fish protein, usually whitefish, herring, or mackerel. Strong amino acid profile.

  9. 9
    potato protein

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

  10. 10
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

  11. 11
    pea protein

    Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.

  12. 12
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

  13. 13
    natural flavor

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

  14. 14
    dried yeast

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

  15. 15
    miscanthus grass

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

  16. 16
    sunflower oil

    Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.

  17. 17
    potassium chloride

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

  18. 18
    salt

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

  19. 19
    alfalfa meal

    Dried alfalfa. Real fiber and trace minerals. Functional plant ingredient.

  20. 20
    choline chloride

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

  21. 21
    apples

    Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.

  22. 22
    blueberries

    Antioxidants, real. But the amount in any kibble is too small to do much. Mostly marketing.

  23. 23
    iron amino acid complex

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

  24. 24
    zinc amino acid complex

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

  25. 25
    zinc sulfate

    Inorganic zinc. Effective at AAFCO doses but less well-absorbed than chelated forms like zinc proteinate.

Showing first 25 of 41. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

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