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Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Raw Real Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a Freeze-Dried dog food made with feed grade ingredients, which are unfit for human consumption. It contains 16 synthetic additives (so it is not all-natural), it has 2 anti-nutrients including Dried Potatoes and Potato Protein (which may interfere with the absorption of essential nutrients), but has no other questionable ingredients. Many consider this food to be inconvenient, because it requires preparation, special handling, and careful clean-up.

Warning In June 2019, the FDA implicated Merrick's dog food in at least 10 cases of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (or DCM), a potentially fatal heart condition.

Read our article about Grain Free Foods And Heart Failure
Merrick
  • Air-Dried
  • Human Grade
  • All-Natural
  • No Anti-Nutrients
  • No Sketchy Ingredients
  • No Prep
  • No Handling Risk
  • No Clean-up
  • Freeze Dried
  • Feed Grade
  • 16 Synthetics
  • 2 Anti-Nutrients
  • No Sketchy Ingredients
  • Prep required
  • Pathogen Risk
  • Clean-up required
Detailed Comparison
Sundays Air-Dried Food for Dogs Human Grade Beef Recipe Merrick Backcountry Freeze-Dried Raw Real Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Dog Food
Family-owned Owned by Nestlé
Human Grade Feed Grade
Air-Dried Freeze Dried
No Anti-Nutrients
2 Anti-Nutrients:
Dried potatoes, Potato protein
All-Natural
16 Synthetics:
Potassium chloride, Minerals (zinc amino acid complex, Iron amino acid complex, Copper amino acid complex, Manganese amino acid complex, Sodium selenite, Calcium iodate), Vitamins (vitamin e supplement, Vitamin a supplement, Thiamine mononitrate, D-calcium pantothenate, Riboflavin supplement, Vitamin d3 supplement, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin b12
No Prep Required Prep Required
No Clean-up Required Clean-up Required
No Pathogen Risk Pathogen Risk
Ingredients:
USDA Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Bone, Pumpkin, Millet, Wild Salmon Oil, Sunflower Oil, Kale, Flaxseed, Zucchini, Sea Salt, Parsely, Kelp, Chicory Root, Turmeric, Mixed Tocopherols, Ginger, Selenium Yeast, Blueberries, Carrots, Apples, Tomatoes, Shiitake Mushrooms, Broccoli, Oranges, Cranberries, Spinach, Beets, Tart Cherries, Strawberries
Ingredients:
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Liver, Dried Potatoes, Potato Protein, Chicken Broth, Gelatin, Dried Kelp, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (a Preservative), Potassium Chloride, Apples, Carrots, Blueberries, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Chloride, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12.
* Please note that while we work to keep this information as up-to-date as possible, specific recipes and formulations may have changed since the time that the Comparison Tool was created.