Merrick Backcountry Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food - Natural, Freeze Dried Raw Pieces, Beef & Lamb

Dry food for dogs · Adult · by Merrick

See the full breakdown in Beagly

What to watch for

• Peas Moderate risk
  Peas add plant protein, starch and fiber. The FDA has been investigating reports of heart disease (DCM) in dogs eating diets high in peas, lentils and other legumes, often grain-free. No cause has been proven, but it is worth knowing when legumes sit near the top of the list.
• Pea protein Moderate risk
  Protein extracted from peas, used to raise the protein number without more meat. The FDA has been investigating reports of heart disease (DCM) in dogs eating diets high in peas, lentils and other legumes, often grain-free. No cause has been proven, but it is worth knowing when legumes sit near the top of the list.
• Menadione sodium bisulfite complex Moderate risk
  A synthetic form of vitamin K (K3). EFSA concluded it is safe for dogs at the levels used in feed, but it is flagged as a precaution: it is a synthetic form not used in human supplements, and natural vitamin K1 is an alternative.
• Sweet potato Low risk
  A starchy root vegetable that supplies carbohydrate, fiber and beta-carotene. Potatoes and sweet potatoes were common in the grain-free diets reported in the FDA DCM investigation.
• Potatoes Low risk
  Cooked potato is a digestible starch used in many grain-free kibbles. Potatoes were common in diets reported in the FDA DCM investigation.
• Natural flavor Low risk
  Flavoring from natural sources. Normally safe, but the term can hide which animal or plant it came from, which matters for allergies.
• Potato protein Low risk
  Protein extracted from potatoes, used to raise the protein number in grain-free foods.
• Salt Low risk
  Salt supplies sodium and chloride, which dogs need. Pet foods use small amounts; high salt is mainly a concern for dogs with heart or kidney disease.

What it does well

• High protein 39.3%
  30% or more on a dry-matter basis.
• Named meat first
  First ingredient is beef.

Ingredients

Deboned Beef, Pork and Bone Meal, Salmon Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Peas, Pea Protein, Natural Flavor, Pork Fat, Potato Protein, Lamb, Sunflower Oil, Beef Liver, Flaxseed, Tapioca, Dried Yeast, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, MINERALS (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Calcium Iodate), DL-Methionine, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, VITAMINS (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement)

Guaranteed analysis

What the label cannot tell you

• Ingredient order is by weight before cooking; fresh meat counts water.
• Mineral levels are not printed on this label.
• We could not find the AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement for this product. Scan the bag to confirm it is complete and balanced.

Sizes and barcodes

• Merrick Backcountry Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food - Natural, Freeze Dried Raw Pieces, Beef & Lamb - 20 Lb UPC 022808370550
• Merrick Backcountry Grain Free Adult Dry Dog Food - Natural, Freeze Dried Raw Pieces, Beef & Lamb - 4 Lb UPC 022808370741

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• Acana Wholesome Grains Dry Food for Dogs - Sea to Stream 94/100 · Excellent
• Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Adult Medium & Maxi 94/100 · Excellent
• Wellness CORE+ High Protein With-Grain Adult Dry Dog Food - Turkey & Chicken 93/100 · Excellent
• Wellness CORE+ High Protein With-Grain Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food - Turkey 93/100 · Excellent
• Farmina N&D Prime Chicken & Pomegranate Adult Medium & Maxi 92/100 · Excellent

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Informational, not veterinary advice. The score is our opinion of a food, built from the facts on its label with our published method. No brand pays to rank higher. Recipes change: check the bag you have, or scan it in the app.

Score version 2026.11.6 · Page updated 2026-11-03