Merrick Lil' Plates Grain Free Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food - Natural, Chicken & Sweet Potato

Dry food for dogs · Puppy · by Merrick

See the full breakdown in Beagly

What to watch for

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Potato protein Low risk
  Protein extracted from potatoes, used to raise the protein number in grain-free foods.
• 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.
• Miscanthus grass Low risk
  An insoluble fiber from grass, used to add bulk. Safe, but provides no nutrients.

What it does well

• High protein 33.7%
  30% or more on a dry-matter basis.
• Named meat first
  First ingredient is deboned chicken.

Ingredients

>Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Pea Protein, Chicken Fat, Peas, Salmon Meal, Dried Egg Product, Potato Protein, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Miscanthus Grass, Dried Yeast, Salmon Oil, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Apples, Blueberries, MINERALS [Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Calcium Iodate], DL–Methionine, Sunflower Oil, Taurine, VITAMINS [Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B–12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B–3), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B–1), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B–5), Folic Acid (Vitamin B–9), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B–2), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B–6), Biotin (Vitamin B–7), Vitamin D–3 Supplement], Mixed Tocopherols For Freshness, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract

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 Lil' Plates Grain Free Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food - Natural, Chicken & Sweet Potato - 4 Lb UPC 022808260073
• Merrick Lil' Plates Grain Free Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food - Natural, Chicken & Sweet Potato - 12 Lb UPC 022808260103

Higher-scoring dry food for dogs

• 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

More from Merrick

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• Merrick Backcountry Prairie Chicken Jerky 80/100 · Excellent
• Merrick Kitchen Comforts Adult Wet Dog Food - Natural, Beef Tips & Rice 80/100 · Excellent
• Merrick Lil' Plates Grain Free Petite Pates Small Breed Adult Wet Dog Food - Natural, 3 oz - Beef 78/100 · Excellent
• Merrick Lil' Plates Grain Free Petite Pates Small Breed Adult Wet Dog Food - Natural, 3 oz - Chicken 78/100 · Excellent

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