Lil' Plates Grain-Free Small Breed Wet Dog Food Pint-Sized Puppy Plate, 3.5-oz tub, case of 12
Graded by The Sniff System
Merrick Lil' Plates Grain-Free Small Breed Wet Dog Food Pint-Sized Puppy Plate is a wet, grain-free food for puppies, primarily featuring deboned chicken, chicken liver, and turkey.
Deboned chicken is the first ingredient, providing a strong protein profile with high biological value. The formula also includes quality fat sources and marine oil, which is a good source of EPA and DHA. Organ meat like chicken liver and dried egg whites add diverse, highly bioavailable protein.
This food contains guar gum, an emulsifier. While there's emerging microbiome data on emulsifiers, there's no specific canine clinical evidence yet, so it's a minor watch item.
Good fit for small breed puppies. Less ideal if you prefer foods without emulsifiers like guar gum.
Summary written by The Sniff System from the data above. Same rubric, same drivers, expressed in English.
The FDA's 2019 investigation update on diet-associated DCM included 13 reported cases in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, making them one of the top 15 most frequently reported breeds at that time (FDA, 2019) . Strong fit for moderately active toy breeds like Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, and Shih Tzus navigating diet-associated DCM concerns. Deboned chicken anchors position 1, with one pulse (peas at position 9), plus chicken liver at position 4 (a natural taurine precursor).
Looking at this for puppy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels or Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 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 2 cited studies relevant to its profile. Each link opens the original source.
- FDA, 2022epidemiology · breed predisposition· cited in 4 claims
- FDA, 2019cardiac · diet composition· cited in 3 claims
Every claim on Sniff traces to a source. If you find a citation that's wrong, outdated, or misapplied, tell us.
At 66/100, this formula lands in solid B territory. The lift comes from protein quality, worth 20.5 points to the final number: Strong protein profile with deboned chicken as the primary ingredient, delivering high biological value. 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 A-tier is about 9 points; controversial-ingredient penalty is the structural lever.
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).
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..
- Top 3% for DMB protein in Merrick's lineup (47.2%)
- Top 10% for overall Sniff Score in grain-free wet foods (66/100)
- Top quartile for protein quality in grain-free wet foods (20.6/27)
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.
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 47%, 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.
- 4protein animalchicken liver
Organ meat. Dense in protein, iron, vitamin A, and the B vitamins. Among the most nutrient-rich ingredients a dog can eat.
Position 4. Named organ meat this high is a strong build choice. Concentrated source of taurine, glutamine, and B-vitamins.
- 5protein animalturkey
Real meat. Lean protein, good amino acid profile, often well-tolerated by dogs sensitive to chicken.
Position 5: significant protein contributor. Adds amino-acid diversity to the top of the deck.
- 6dried egg whites
Pure egg-white protein, no yolk. Very high amino acid quality.
Position 6: supporting protein. Modest contribution to total protein weight.
- 7potato starch
Refined potato. Pure carb energy, low on other nutrition. Often used as a binder in grain-free recipes.
- 8vegetablepotato
Standard white potato. Steady carb source, common starch in grain-free recipes.
Position 8: meaningful whole-food inclusion. Source of vitamins, antioxidants, or natural fiber.
- 9legumepeas
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 9. Moderate inclusion. Contributes carbohydrate and some plant protein.
- 10fruitapples
Real fruit, some fiber and antioxidants. The amount in kibble is too small to matter much.
Position 10: garnish-level inclusion. Marketing-prominent but minimal nutritional impact at this position.
- 11red peppers
- 12fiberguar gum
Thickener common in wet food. Emerging research on emulsifiers and the gut microbiome, but no smoking gun in dogs yet. See why →
Position 12: trace fiber inclusion.
- 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.
- 14fatsalmon oil
Pure omega-3s. The thing skin-and-coat formulas are usually built around.
Position 14. Trace marine oil. Contributes some omega-3 but well below the level that drives EPA/DHA totals.
- 15mineraltricalcium phosphate
Calcium and phosphorus source. Same role as dicalcium phosphate, slightly different ratio.
- 16sodium phosphate
Mineral source and preservative. Standard inclusion at small doses.
- 17mineralsalt
Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.
- 18othernatural flavor
Legal term for animal-derived flavoring, usually hydrolyzed liver or broth. Adds taste, says nothing about quality.
- 19mineralpotassium chloride
Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.
- 20zinc amino acid chelate
Zinc bound to amino acids for better absorption. Same idea as zinc proteinate, the premium form of the mineral.
- 21iron amino acid chelate
Iron bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus inorganic iron sulfate.
- 22copper amino acid chelate
Copper bound to amino acids for better absorption. Premium form versus copper sulfate.
- 23manganese amino acid chelate
Manganese bound to amino acids 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 →
- 25cobalt amino acid chelate
Cobalt bound to amino acids for better absorption. Trace mineral needed for B12 synthesis.
Showing first 25 of 44. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.
24 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.
This dog food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for growth and maintenance including the growth of large-size dogs (70 pounds or more as an adult). It is suitable for small-breed puppies and adult dogs.