Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Slow-Cooked BBQ Memphis Style with Glazed Chicken, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Merrick Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Slow-Cooked BBQ Memphis Style with Glazed Chicken is a wet food featuring deboned chicken as its primary protein.
This recipe includes quality fat sources, like marine oil, which provides beneficial EPA and DHA. It also uses quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber, and dried egg product adds diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
There are a couple of things to note, like the inclusion of guar gum, an emulsifier that carries a minor penalty in canned foods. Also, the recipe contains added sugar, which isn't nutritionally necessary in a complete dog diet.
Good fit for adult dogs who enjoy wet food with quality protein and fat sources. Less ideal if you prefer to avoid added sugars or emulsifiers.
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 active large sporting breeds, including the Golden Retriever, navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Deboned chicken anchors position 1, with zero pulses in the top 15.
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 If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.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 52/100, this formula lands mid-pack. The lift comes from fat quality, worth 12 points to the final number: Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source). 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. The path to B-tier is about 8 points; controversial-ingredient penalty is the structural lever.
Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).
Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.
Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.
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..
- Bottom 2% for DMB fat in Merrick's lineup (11.1%)
- Bottom 10% for protein quality in Merrick's lineup (13.6/27)
- Bottom 10% for overall Sniff Score in Merrick's lineup (52/100)
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 Chunky Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Carvers Delight Dinner, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Scores 11 points higher with a similar formulation profile.
Merrick Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Thanksgiving Day Dinner, 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 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.
- 2chicken broth
Real broth, adds flavor and moisture. Negligible nutrition on its own but tells you the recipe leans on real meat.
Position 2: co-primary protein. Two named animal proteins in the top 2 is a strong protein build.
- 3turkey broth
Real broth from named meat. Adds flavor and moisture, signals a recipe that leans on real meat.
Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 4vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 4: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 5vegetablespinach
Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.
Position 5: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 6dried egg product
Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 8potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 9fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 9: functional fiber for digestion or satiety.
- 10mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 11dried tomato
- 12fruit juice color
- 13fatsunflower oil
Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.
Position 13: trace fat. Below the level that materially shifts the fat profile.
- 14fatfish oil
Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.
Position 14. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 15sodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 16mineralcalcium carbonate
Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.
- 17mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 18natural smoke flavor
- 19mineralzinc proteinate
Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.
- 20mineraliron proteinate
Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 21mineralcopper proteinate
Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.
- 22cobalt proteinate
Cobalt bound to protein. Trace mineral needed for vitamin B12 synthesis, chelated form for better absorption.
- 23mineralmanganese proteinate
Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.
- 24mineralsodium 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 →
- 25mineralpotassium iodide
Source of iodine, an essential trace mineral for thyroid function. Required for AAFCO-complete formulas.
Showing first 25 of 29. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
22 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.