Merrick Dog Food started in Hereford, Texas, in 1988, when the founder, Garth Merrick, began making home-cooked meals for his dog. He quickly found he had a knack for making healthy, nutritious foods pets loved, and his operation expanded from making single meals in his home kitchen to mass-producing food for dogs all over the world.
The company still uses fresh ingredients wherever possible, and gives back to animals by partnering with animal shelters and other charities. Their food isn’t cheap, but it’s created for owners who are willing to spend a bit more to give their dogs a healthy meal.
We’re big fans of Merrick, as their foods tend to be high in protein without also having problematic ingredients like grains. There’s just one issue we have with most of their foods that hold us back from recommending their foods as much as we could — read on to find out what that is.
There have been cases of DCM in dogs like Golden Retrievers, mutts, and Labrador Retrievers, as well as smaller dogs like the Bulldog and Cocker Spaniel, that the FDA believes could possibly be linked to diet.
The company added that taurine, an amino acid, has been thought to be helpful for dogs with DCM, so the company has “fortified” its grain-free recipes with taurine and L-Carnitine, another amino acid, “as prudent nutritional considerations.”
“This report does not provide any scientific findings linking nutrition and DCM,” the company said in a statement sent to CNBC. “Rather, FDA is simply attempting to gain more information as part of its evaluation process.”
Consumers were first warned last year by the FDA that there is a potential link between particular pet diets and dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM — which can weaken a dogs heart and lead to cardiac failure — after the agency started receiving reports of the disease in breeds that were not commonly associated with DCM.
Midwestern Pet Foods, which owns the Earthborn Holistic brand, said it has reviewed the FDAs recent update regarding grain-free pet foods and the potential link to DCM.
Merrick is High in Carbs and Fat
While we love the fact that most Merrick foods have quite a bit of protein in them, they’re also high in carbs and fat, as those make up about 75% of each calorie.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but it does mean that your dog will need to stay active to avoid packing on the pounds, as excess carbs and fat get stored as fatty tissue if your dog doesn’t burn them off promptly.
This makes Merrick a good food for dogs that get a ton of exercise, but couch potatoes and apartment dwellers might want something a little leaner.
Merrick Includes Many Important Vitamins and Minerals
Towards the end of the ingredient list on any bag of Merrick food you’ll see things like taurine, biotin, and more. These are essential nutrients that any dog needs to stay healthy, but many pups struggle to get enough from their food alone.
Thus, Merrick gives them an extra boost to make sure they meet their mark.
Not only that, but you’ll also see a variety of live probiotic cultures, which can help improve your dog’s digestive tract. This can keep them regular, improve their absorption of nutrients, boost their immune system, and best of all (for you, anyway), improve the quality and smell of their waste.
FAQ
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