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Merrick Kitchen Comforts Lamb & Rice Wet Dog Food, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Merrick

Kitchen Comforts Lamb & Rice Wet Dog Food, 12.7-oz can, case of 12

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
wet $5.15/lb

Graded by The Sniff System

In plain English

Merrick Kitchen Comforts Lamb & Rice Wet Dog Food is a wet food featuring lamb and beef, formulated for adult dogs.

This recipe offers good protein quality from lamb and beef, providing solid amino acid coverage. It also includes quality fat sources, like marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. The carbohydrate sources are also good quality and provide declared fiber.

The formula contains guar gum, an emulsifier that receives a minor penalty in canned foods due to emerging, though not canine-specific, microbiome data.

Good fit for adult dogs who enjoy a wet food diet with lamb and beef.

Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.

Who this is for

Neutral fit for adult moderately active toy breeds like Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, and Shih Tzus. Lamb leads the deck at position 1, 44% DMB protein, 28% DMB fat.

Looking at this for adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels ? 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.

Why this score

Solid grade. 64/100 (B) reflects the structural fit of this formula against The Sniff System's eight scoring components. Protein quality did the heavy lifting (+18 points): Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage. What we'd flag for vet discussion: controversial-ingredient penalty (-5 points). Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food. A-tier is 11 points up. Controversial-ingredient penalty is where to find them.

What lifted the score

Reasonable protein quality. lamb delivers solid amino acid coverage.

PQI

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

Quality carbohydrate sources with declared fiber.

CQI
What pulled it down

Contains guar gum. Emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers; no canine clinical evidence. Minor penalty in canned food..

CIP
What sets this apart
  • Top 10% for DMB fat in Merrick's lineup (27.8%)
  • Top 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-inclusive wet foods (64/100)
  • Top quartile for crude fiber in Merrick's lineup (8.3% 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.

Better match
Higher score, similar formulation
Merrick Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Wilderness Blend, 12.7-oz can, case of 12
Merrick

Merrick Grain-Free Wet Dog Food Wilderness Blend, 12.7-oz can, case of 12

67

Scores 3 points higher with a similar formulation profile.

Best value
Lower price, comparable score
Eukanuba Adult with Lamb & Rice Canned Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12
Eukanuba

Eukanuba Adult with Lamb & Rice Canned Dog Food, 13.2-oz, case of 12

63

$3.26/lb vs your seed's $5.15/lb (37% less) at a comparable score.

Surfaced from a vector similarity search across 3,491 scored dog foods. How this works.

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 44% ⓘ
Protein
8%
min (as fed)
Fat
5%
min (as fed)
Fiber
1.5%
max (as fed)
Moisture
82%
max

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).

Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

34 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    lamb

    Real meat. Often used for dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities. Slightly higher fat content than chicken.

    Position 1: primary protein source. After cooking removes water, this may drop in proportional weight, but it anchors the recipe.

  2. 2
    beef 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.

  3. 3
    beef broth

    Real broth. Adds flavor and moisture, signals the recipe leans on real meat.

    Position 3: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  4. 4
    vegetable broth
  5. 5
    beef

    Real meat. Dense in protein and iron. Some dogs are sensitive to it, but for most it's an excellent base.

    Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.

  6. 6
    brown rice

    Whole grain that's easy to digest. Steady carb energy plus a little fiber.

    Position 6: supporting grain. Smaller contribution to the carb deck.

  7. 7
    carrots

    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.

  8. 8
    green peas

    Same as peas. Useful in small amounts. The concern is when pulses dominate the top of the ingredient list. See why →

    Position 8. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.

  9. 9
    potato

    Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.

    Position 9: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.

  10. 10
    natural flavor

    Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.

  11. 11
    dried egg product

    Whole eggs with the water removed. Same nutritional value as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

    Position 11: trace protein. Likely there for amino-acid diversity or label appeal more than nutritional weight.

  12. 12
    potato starch

    Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.

  13. 13
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  14. 14
    guar gum

    Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →

    Position 14: trace fiber inclusion.

  15. 15
    fruit juice color
  16. 16
    sodium phosphate

    Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.

  17. 17
    sunflower oil

    Common plant oil. Useful in moderation for omega-6, though too much skews the omega ratio against the dog's favor.

  18. 18
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  19. 19
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  20. 20
    zinc proteinate

    Zinc bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form of the mineral, versus zinc oxide which sits cheaper on the label.

  21. 21
    iron proteinate

    Iron bound to protein for better absorption. The premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.

  22. 22
    cobalt proteinate

    Cobalt bound to protein. Trace mineral needed for vitamin B12 synthesis, chelated form for better absorption.

  23. 23
    copper proteinate

    Copper bound to protein for better absorption. Common in better-formulated diets.

  24. 24
    manganese proteinate

    Manganese bound to protein for better absorption. The chelated form most premium brands use.

  25. 25
    sodium 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 →

Showing first 25 of 34. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.