Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Slow-Cooked BBQ Kansas City Style with Chopped Pork, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Merrick Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Slow-Cooked BBQ Kansas City Style with Chopped Pork is a wet food featuring pork and pork liver.
This formula offers reasonable protein quality, with pork providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources, like named fat and marine oil for EPA and DHA, along with quality carbohydrate sources that provide declared fiber.
The formula contains guar gum, which is a minor penalty in canned food due to emerging microbiome data. It also has added sugar, which isn't nutritionally justifiable in a complete dog diet.
Good fit for adult dogs who enjoy wet food. Less ideal if you prefer foods without added sugar or guar gum.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
In its 2022 update on diet-associated DCM, the FDA identified Golden Retrievers as the most reported breed, with 121 cases out of 1,382 total canine reports (8.8%) received between January 1, 2014, and November 1, 2022 (FDA, 2022) . Good fit for adult Golden Retrievers and similar active sporting breeds navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Pork anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15, plus pork liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor).
Looking at this for adult Golden Retrievers or Golden Retrievers with diet-associated DCM 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 3 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022cardiac · epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 5 claims
- FDA, 2019diet composition· cited in 2 claims
- NRC, 2006nutrient bioavailability
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 59/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 17.5 points to the final number: Reasonable protein quality. pork delivers solid amino acid coverage. Where it lost ground: controversial-ingredient penalty, costing 5 points. Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food. This formula sits 1.0 points below the B-tier line. The most direct lever is controversial-ingredient penalty.
Reasonable protein quality. pork delivers solid amino acid coverage.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..
Contains added sugar. Nutritionally unjustifiable in any complete dog diet..
- Lowest DMB fat in Merrick's lineup (8.3%)
- Bottom quartile for protein quality in Merrick's lineup (17.7/27)
- Bottom quartile for crude fiber in grain-free wet foods (5.6% DMB)
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.
Merrick Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Wilderness Blend, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Scores 8 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Merrick Grain-Free Real Texas Beef Dinner Canned Dog Food, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
$4.76/lb vs your seed's $5.14/lb (7% less) at a comparable score.
Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.
Wet and fresh foods contain more water than kibble (typically 65-78%). On a dry-matter basis, this food's protein content is roughly 44%, comparable to premium kibble (typically 30-45% DMB protein).
Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.
- 1protein animalpork
Real meat. Dense protein and fat, though less common in dog food than chicken or beef.
Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.
- 2beef broth
Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3vegetable broth
- 4protein animalpork liver
Organ meat. Dense in B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. Among the most nutritious ingredients on any label.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 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.
- 7vegetablecarrots
Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.
Position 7: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 8natural porcine flavor
- 9potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 10fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 10: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 11mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 12dried tomato
- 13mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 14fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 14: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 15fruit juice color
- 16sodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 17mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 18cane molasses
Added sugar from sugar cane. Used for palatability or texture. Dogs don't need added sugar.
- 19fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
- 20flaxseed oil
- 21natural smoke flavor
- 22mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 23mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 24mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 25cobalt proteinate
Cobalt bound to protein. Trace mineral needed for vitamin B12 synthesis, chelated form for better absorption.
Showing first 25 of 32. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
19 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.