Backcountry Raw Infused Grain-Free Large Breed Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food, 20-lb bag
Graded by The Sniff System
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Grain-Free Large Breed Recipe Freeze-Dried Dog Food is a freeze-dried food featuring deboned chicken, chicken, and turkey.
This food has a strong protein profile, starting with deboned chicken, which means high biological value for your dog. It also uses quality fat sources, including named fats and marine oil for EPA and DHA. Plus, the combination of fresh meat and same-species meal is a solid approach to protein delivery.
Nothing concerning in the deck.
Good fit for large breed dogs. Nothing serious working against it.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
Strong fit for adult German Shorthaired Pointers navigating hip and joint concerns. No glucosamine or chondroitin on the label, though caloric density (459 kcal/cup) runs rich for a mobility-limited dog. Elbow dysplasia prevalence in German Shorthaired Pointers is 0.8% based on 10,233 OFA evaluations through 2023. Over 98% of evaluated GSPs have normal elbows, making the condition uncommon for the breed (OFA) .
Looking at this for adult German Shorthaired Pointers or German Shorthaired Pointers with hip and joint concerns ? We are building dedicated pages for these combinations.
Auto-matched from this product's measurements (ingredients, life stage, calorie density) to a breed archetype. Not a substitute for vet input on your specific dog.
Research informing this analysis
MethodologyThe Sniff System grades this product against 5 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- OFAorthopedics · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
- APOP, 2023weight management
- Bhathal et al., 2017glucosamine
- Brooks et al., 2014weight management
- OFAorthopedics
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
Sniff scored this formula 71/100, landing in B-tier territory. The biggest contributor was protein quality (+21.5 points): Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. Also adding to the lift: fat quality (+12). Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). The 4-point gap to A-tier sits mostly in carbohydrate quality (8 of 16 possible). Full carbohydrate quality requires whole-grain or single-source carbohydrates with a declared fermentable fiber.
Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Named fresh meat paired with same-species meal, a strong extrusion architecture.
No negative drivers crossed our reporting threshold.
- Lowest crude fiber in Merrick's lineup (3.9% DMB)
- Top 10% for caloric density in grain-free freeze-dried foods (459 kcal/cup)
- Bottom 1% for carb quality in Merrick's lineup (8/16)
Computed against the rest of our catalog. Percentiles refresh on each catalog update.
Similar dog foods worth considering
Three lenses on products with formulation profiles similar to this one.
Wellness CORE+ with Freeze-Dried Pieces Adult Wholesome Grains High-Protein Natural Turkey & Chicken Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag
Scores 11 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Merrick Healthy Grains Raw-Coated Kibble Real Chicken + Brown Rice Recipe Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food, 22-lb bag
$3.64/lb vs your seed's $4.25/lb (14% less) at a comparable score.
Wellness CORE+ with Freeze-Dried Pieces Adult Grain-Free High-Protein Natural Turkey Dry Dog Food, 20-lb bag
Turkey instead of chicken, 5 points higher, different brand.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animaldeboned chicken
Real meat with the bones removed before grinding. The cleanest version of chicken on an ingredient label.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2protein animalchicken meal
Chicken with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh chicken. See why →
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3protein animalturkey meal
Turkey with the water cooked out. Per pound, packs more protein than fresh turkey. See why →
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4vegetablesweet potato
Complex carb with fiber and beta-carotene. Gentle on the stomach.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5legumepeas
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 →
Position 5. Within the FDA's top-5 DCM-pattern threshold. Especially notable if multiple pulses stack here.
- 6vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 6: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 7protein plantpea protein
Concentrated plant protein. Inflates the protein number on the label without matching the amino acid quality of meat.
Position 7. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 8fatchicken fat
Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid. See why →
Position 8: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 9othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 10protein animallamb
Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.
Position 10: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 11fibermiscanthus grass
Perennial grass used as a fiber source. Replaces cellulose in some recipes. Functional but unremarkable.
Position 11: trace fiber inclusion.
- 12dried yeast
Natural source of B vitamins and trace minerals. Adds a savory flavor that dogs respond well to.
- 13fatflaxseed
Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.
Position 13: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 14tapioca starch
Refined cassava starch, used as a binder. Easy to digest, low on nutrition.
- 15chicken livers
Position 15. Small organ inclusion. Functional but not a primary contributor to the protein profile.
- 16mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 17mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 18chicken hearts
- 19supplementcholine chloride
Essential nutrient for liver and brain function. Standard inclusion in complete dog foods.
- 20mineralzinc amino acid complex
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 21mineraliron amino acid complex
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 22mineralsodium 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 →
- 23mineralmanganese amino acid complex
Manganese bound to amino acids for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 24mineralcopper amino acid complex
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 25mineralcalcium iodate
Source of iodine for thyroid function. Functional, required in complete formulas.
Showing first 25 of 31. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.