148 Responses to Merrick

1. Trish94903 July 7, 2015 at 11:08 am #

   So we love Merrick and haven’t had any problems with the adult dogs…but then we rescued a (big mixed breed) pup….he came off his foster home’s puppy food — which he didn’t like — to Merrick dry puppy food, supplemented with canned food. He had horrible diahrrea so in his vet check, when I mentioned it, the vet said two things–we didn’t move him over to the Merrick slowly enough, and second, QUIT FEEDING HIM wet dog food and people food (chicken and meat from our table). Sure ’nuff — no wet food, no people food, and a few weeks later he has normal stools.
2. MIssBass June 18, 2015 at 11:54 am #

   I have been feeding Merrick Grain-Free to my dogs for over 5 years. I have 2 large breed rescues that are 7 and 8, 1 that is 5 and a new puppy. I switched the older dogs after 2 years on Solid Gold. NONE of my dogs have ever had any issues with any of the dry foods in the Merrick grain-free product line and I like that I can switch between all the various flavors with no stomach upset. I also feed Merrick treats – although they are expensive, I would not buy cheap treats to supplement an expensive food.
   When I recently rescued the puppy – his hair was terrible, falling out in areas and he was itchy. After ruling out any internal issues with a visit to the vet, I immediately put him on Merrick. His coat is full and shiny now – and the itching has stopped.
   One of my other dogs did have some itching during the summer – but it was determined NOT to be the grain free food I was feeding but it was an allergy to Kentucky Blue Grass growing in my yard and some common weeds in NC. So – when people say it’s always the food, I honestly know due to a $385 allergy test (and weekly allergy shots for 2 years) – that sometimes it’s not the food at all…but environmental issues instead.
   ALL of my dogs love Merrick – with NO stomach issues.
3. frenchiemom April 11, 2015 at 11:42 pm #

   Merrick’s “Pappy’s Pot Roast” canned food literally saved my frenchie’s life and also my sanity. He didn’t like ANYTHING.And was not interested in eating. He would back away from his dish. We struggled with his too-soft-poop all the time and his desire to eat OUR food. I had to start giving him real pot roast. Finally I found THIS and he went NUTS for it. Now I’m buying it by the case and it’s all he will eat. My only issue now and the reason I’m on this page is that the last couple of cans have had DIFFERENT GRAVY. Alot thicker, lighter in color, and although he is eating it, he has been sick today. Lethargic, stomach seems to hurt. He has never done well with soupy gravy. Can anyone at Merrick’s tell me why the recipe has changed? Because it’s NOT how it’s supposed to look. I bought the case on-line –or else I would take it back to the store and get a different one. I want the old recipe back with darker, thinner gravy.
4. Not a fan March 31, 2015 at 1:31 pm #

   I just purchased Merrick Grain-Free Lamb and Sweet Potato because it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find the Organix brand in my area. I started the gradual food transition and at 4am my GSP vomited twice. I’m just thankful he only had a small amount. I will be returning this food ASAP and looking for an alternative.
   • WA Pet lover April 12, 2015 at 10:56 pm #

     Organic is owned and manufactured by Merrick. Has been for years.
5. GSDCA Breeder March 28, 2015 at 11:28 pm #

   We are German Shepherd breeders and have been feeding Merrick Whole Earth Farms for almost 2 years. Recently my dogs have all experienced severe diarrhea. They have been checked at the Vet for all parasites and tested negative. I have decided to discontinue feeding Merrick, I think they must have changed something in their formulation.
   • ccorrine May 1, 2015 at 8:51 pm #

     I am seeing the same issue in several of these reviews, diarrea or very loose stools. I switched my dog’s food a few months ago and the condition has not improved, so I’m putting her back on her old food. I feel bad switching her food when she was doing well on it. She had firm, normal stools until I switched to this “better” food because it had no by products or grain. I found a website that listed some new questionable ingredients that are being put in some very expensive dog foods…most are in this canned food. It specifically listed yucca schidigera as causing loose stools. They give that to cows to control their poop odor but it is not good to put in dog food. I’m so tired of these so called healthy dog foods putting all these herbs and seasoning that dogs don’t and shouldn’t eat, sage? yucca, rosemary? Olive oil?. No wonder she has loose stools. I’m going back to her limited ingredient dog food -chicken and rice and I won’t ever change her food again. She’s already 14 and she’s a dog, she doesn’t need to eat health food with Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Lol.
   • ewalker May 14, 2015 at 9:08 am #

     I have fed Whole Earth Farms- Grain Free to my greyhounds. Recently I noticed bits of corn in the food. needless to say I am changing foods. If I wanted corn I would buy dog chow or ol’ roy. Another Greyhound owner was feeding this food and their dog had severe diarrhea, lost hair, lost weight. Also Rosemary is an ingredient, and can be a contributing factor in seizures in dogs.
     I will be looking for another quality food for now, but in the meantime be doing more research on a RAW food diet for them. Atleast that way I will know what my dogs are eating. I don’t believe that you can trust any of them to tell you what all the ingredients are.
6. Biblecode 2015 - 2016 February 20, 2015 at 2:50 pm #

   This finding a good healthy dog food has become a real living nightmare for all of us dog lovers all over the freaking planet. No matter what expensive brand we may buy these 4 legged adopted family members, it seems to always come with a heath risk that if contaminated ~?-?-? It could lead to mild or severe organ damage or in many cases, “Death!” Heck, we try to feed our two dogs a (Maltese and Shih Tzu) the best that money can buy, and 9 times out of 10 they will refuse to eat it without adding all kinds of stuff to it. Why, if the # (1) ingredient is “Chicken” (their favorite meat) why can’t they smell it? After all being dogs they do have a highly developed sense of smell. So why must I constantly add other ingredients like “Chicken to it?” Because, who else but an expert food taster would know if a crucial ingredient like that “Chicken” is either missing or has been changed (kangaroo meat?) a.k.a ( the motive! A profit margin increase no doubt for all concerned?). Sure, like most of you i too do that painstaking (find good dog food) research jazz, for I’m quite skeptical when it comes to choice of store-bought dog food. Truthfully, I don’t trust any of them any longer, for even the healthy wholesome food i purchased for myself comes with a heath risk now days too (aspartame in chewing gum?). Lastly, we’re dealing with a multi-billion-dollar industry, that likes to cut corners in both ~ quality control ~ and the ingredients aspect of the finished product as well……..
7. Jon M. February 1, 2015 at 10:50 am #

   We recently tried switching all four of our dogs from ProPlan to Merrick, upon a suggestion made by a renowned dog trainer in the area. We have taken it very, very slow as we have been slowly transitioning them for the last two months (they are finally on all Merrick dry, but still haven’t switched to the wet yet). The entire time that we have been switching them, all four have had explosive diarrhea. A couple of them have had vomiting fits. We have taken them to the vet, and there are no signs of parasites. We are finally at the point where we are going to give up and go back to Purina ProPlan. We realize that this isn’t a good brand, but we are tired of paying so much only for our babies to be sick the entire time. Again, I will emphasize, we have been switching them for about two months, and we have had awful results with Merrick. All four of our dogs are rescued mixes (not the same breed) and they all are having issues.
   • Melinda February 15, 2015 at 11:43 am #

     Thank you for posting this. My standard poodle has allergies so I slowly switched to Merrick grain free lamb/sweet potato and had these same issues. I thought he had caught something at the groomer. I’m switching back–used to do Purina Pro Plan for my other standards will try that again.
     • ccorrine May 1, 2015 at 8:57 pm #

       Yep, me too. I’m putting my dog back on Purina One, she had healthy, firm, non stinky stools on that food. Stick to limited ingredients.
8. oakhill3 January 31, 2015 at 8:25 pm #

   We used to feed our German Shepherd various Taste of the Wild dry foods, but he developed terrible skin issues. Our vet recommended we go with grain-free and avoid anything with beef, or beef ingredients of any kind. After researching all of the dog foods out there, we switched to Merrick Grain Free Duck and Sweet Potato. His coat is now glossy and soft, and his skin issues went away, including his constant desire to chew on his feet. Well, stupid me. I took advantage of a special sale on Nature’s Recipe Grain Free Chicken dog food a month ago. And his itching and paw gnawing behavior is back. I don’t know what’s in it that could be causing the problem, because the listed ingredients don’t seem to contain anything that should be causing the problem. We are switching back to Merrick Grain-Free!
9. Diane January 30, 2015 at 1:55 am #

   My dog had started having stomach problems after we were switching her food over to a new dog food (Merrick grain free brand). We started switching her in November and by January she was diagnosed by the vet with a large intestine infection. She has never had issues like this.

   It first started with the vomiting a couple of times, but kept her on the new food to old food mixture thinking she will adjust. Then she had the diarrhea and we put her on a bland diet along with antibiotics and probiotics as recommended by the vet. She got better for a week and didn’t have diarrhea (one vomit which may be due to the antibiotic side effects) but the moment I put her on the new food and old food mixture she threw up and that’s when I just gave up and put her back on her old food. Her old food is chicken and rice kirkland/costco brand.
10. Alex B. January 24, 2015 at 3:32 pm #

    One thing that people need to keep in mind is that not all dogs are compatible with different proteins, and sometimes the “best of the best” isn’t the best fit for your dog. I work in a feed store, and many people read reviews of bloat and gas issues and that detours them away from the Merrick brand. I can confirm that: but for the Beef formula. I have a Lab/Pittie mix and even with her ‘iron stomach’, she had trouble adjusting to the beef and I couldnt believe how gassy she got. I decided to try and chicken formula and now all of my dogs are abosolutely thriving on it! I have a senior dachshund, an allergy ridden poodle, and then the lab mix and they love it [the poodle is the only one on the grain free formula since the the other two are not as sensitive as him], but none have ever shown any sign of illness! Some dogs love the heavier meats, and many simply can’t handle it. Even on Orijen, I’ve seen dogs who are unable to cope with how rich of a food it is. I do recommend the Taste of the Wild brand and recommend it more often than not [especially since it’s cheaper], but I’m too happy with how content they are on the Merrick, so it’s worth it. If you’re moving your dog up to a food with more protein, such as Merrick, I recommend starting with the chicken if you can! Just keep in mind that every dog is different and sometimes it’s all just a trial and error situation. Good luck!
    • lrvenero May 31, 2015 at 11:36 am #

      Alex B., Thanks for your comments. I have a Lab-Pit mix with allergies. About a month ago, I started him on Acana-Wild Prairie. Just found out one of the ingredients is potato which he is allergic to. Not sure how I missed that since I thought I did a very detailed review before starting him on it. Now I am looking for other options. It becomes increasingly challenging because he is allergic to duck, pork, barley, corn & potatoes. Usually, what I find has at least one of those ingredients. Before he started on Acana, he was on Lamb & brown rice for about 3 years. Vet now believes he has become allergic to lamb.

      While reading about Merrick I was convinced until I came across all these reviews about gastrointestinal problems. Was about to give up until I read your review. I have not yet check their varieties, but will definitely start him on chicken, fish or salmon. Thanks again, for taking the time to share your knowledge with us.
11. anon January 11, 2015 at 5:22 pm #

    I’ve been feeding my 3 chis merrick for years. My one chi has a liver problem once I learnes of the issue I did A LOT of research on dog foodand tthat’s how I found merrick. I rotate between the classic flavors. I tried the grain free once, but they weren’t really a fan of it. Also the gtain free is more expensive so I switched back to the classic and they love it. I have never had issues with puking or diarrhea. My chi with the liver issues enzyme levels even went down after switching to merrick.
12. Junior January 2, 2015 at 12:27 am #

    Hello I’ve been giving merricks puppy classic to my English bulldog he is 6 & half months old his had this food since I had him witch was when he was 2 months so far so good you could tell in the quality of food it is because he looks great the coat looks nice and shiny has lots of energy and he loves it
13. Colechristopher December 27, 2014 at 11:50 am #

    I’ve been purhcasing Merricks grain-free dry 25lb bag now from Amazon for the last two years rotating between the four flavors. My american bullies never had any kinds of problems whatsoever. If they did have diarrhea, its because of something they ate in the yard they shouldn’t of. They live in a very clean and secure environment but from time to time will get into some plants or dig out the roots. This dog food is excellent in my opinion but recently went up in price from $44 to $56 for a 25 lb bag. As much as I want my dogs to stay with Merricks, I am now looking at Taste of the Wild on Amazon for $43 for a 30lb bag.
    • 2PupsMomma February 13, 2015 at 10:13 pm #

      25lb bag of Merrick went up from $53 to $63 here in NJ!!!
    • E. Leah April 7, 2015 at 2:16 pm #

      Whole Earth Farms!! It’s Merrick’s more affordable line. Made by them, in their plant, same ingredients – just slightly less protein. $39.99 for 25 lbs grain-free from PetCo. $34.99 for non grain-free
    • Dano May 4, 2015 at 1:58 am #

      Buy Merrick at Chewy.com. Much cheaper than Amazon. We buy Merrick Whole Earth Farms Adult formula, 30lb. bag for $107 shipped for 3 bags.
14. Kale November 24, 2014 at 5:10 pm #

    Just switched over from Performance brand since this seems to be a better food however even with a normal 1 month transition time for the new food he has been having vomiting and constipation issue since the switch and what’s more he has begun to refuse to eat. Took him to the vet 300$ later they ruled out parasites, among other illnesses and suggested it was the food. I think I’ll switch back to the “less superior” brand.
15. Jk November 23, 2014 at 12:00 pm #

    I’ve been looking for an alternative to Blue Buffalo, which we’ve used for years, also due to bad reviews lately and our dog rejecting it and vomiting and now high liver levels. Reading these reviews here and for some other brands, it almost seems like maybe in the last few months ALL of these companies are getting at least one of their products from a bad source. Too much of a coincidence. I’m sure at some point they all share a source of food from somewhere. I hope someone gets to the bottom of this. It’s so stressful figuring out what is safe to feed.
16. Jenna November 20, 2014 at 11:06 am #

    I just bought a 25 pound bag of the grain free duck & sweet potato kibble. My 7 & a half year old puggle used to eat Merrick canned food when he was younger, but I had since switched him over to Blue Buffalo when the vet told me his weight needed to be managed. Never had an issue with Blue Buffalo, but I had been reading some not-so-great things about the caramel coloring in the Blue Buffalo dry foods. I decided to switch him over to the Merrick grain free kibble because of my past success with the brand. This was last Thursday. He started vomiting on Monday morning and I had to take him to the emergency vet on Monday night. I thought he may have gotten into something he wasn’t supposed to since he was stopped up on the other end. $600 and an inconclusive x-ray later, my little Louie was still not improving, so I took him to our primary care vet and they recommended an ultrasound. I took him to yet another pet hospital (the third in 12 hours), where they performed the ultrasound and confirmed that he had a severe case of pancreatitis. He has been in the hospital for two days so far (current estimate for care is at $2400). For those of you who don’t know, pancreatitis is caused by too much fat in the diet. I know duck is a fatty food, but I did NOT think the fat content in this dry food would be so high as to put my dog in the hospital. Hoping he is discharged today – will definitely be talking to the ER vet about Merrick. The $60 bag of dog food will be getting returned, and I will be sending a letter including my $3000 worth of veterinary bills to Merrick.
    • T fxdxgirl March 10, 2015 at 1:26 pm #

      Jenna…the problem food is the blue buffalo not the merrick. Check out what over 900 pet owners are saying about BB…pancriatitus is a big problem with dogs that have been fed BB. Along with liver and kidney issues and diabities. Just to name a few
    • writersblock15 March 25, 2015 at 2:10 pm #

      I agree with the issue possibly being the Blue Buffalo. Our golden retriever has been eating BB for nearly two years and suddenly became listless and wouldn’t eat. When I switched his food, he immediately started improving. I just bought Merrick as an alternative and am trying it in small doses. Just saying, it could be the Blue Buffalo after all I’ve read about liver issues.
17. lori November 18, 2014 at 10:42 pm #

    my dog has been eating merrick for 2 years, I purchase all the different kinds and she loves them all. I also top with the wet food, I have to say the canned dog food smells wonderful (minus the tripe). her coat is shiny and soft and I am very happy with this product
18. kristen November 6, 2014 at 4:36 pm #

    Hello just out of curiousity if the food is this terrible how are the reviews so good? i tried giving it to my dog as she is a puggle and suffers from allergies so I was trying to see if it was grain. She liked the taste but she developed terrible diarrhea and went in the house which she never does. I am trying to find a good grain free food for my three year old puggle
    • carol c November 29, 2014 at 4:29 pm #

      This response is late but thought it worth to post for others or if you gave up trying to switch dog foods…….Dogs do not adjust to new ingredients AT ALL, you have to switch them over very, very slowly / gradually. I learned this the hard way myself, so the last time I switched my dog’s food, I did it very gradually only mixing in a teaspoon of the new wet food into her current brand once a week, 2nd week I added 2 teaspoons etc and increasing it each week until I switch out all the old portion with the new. It took about a month to slowly replace her old canned food with the new stuff, but it was worth being patient and doing it gradually because she didn’t get the loose stools or terrible gas this time. She didn’t show any symptoms of stomach upset and seemed to enjoy the taste of a better quality food. The last brand had too many carbs in it; potatoes, brown rice, white rice, etc etc she was putting on extrz weight so I switched her to a food that didnt have as many czrb ingredients.
19. Katie October 28, 2014 at 1:14 am #

    I got my lab mix when he was 3 months old, he is no 7 months, and this was the food he been eating at the shelter, chicken and pea classics recipe. I read a few reviews on-line that said it was one of the best and asked his vet who agreed it was high quality so I have kept him on it. I was given a small bag when I adopted him and then bought a large bag. I immediately noticed that the kibble looked nothing alike. Different size and color. When I compared the bag the ingredient lists and guaranteed analysis are not identical. Not a big enough change that it should be a big problem but still misleading to consumers. I switched back to the small bag just to be safe. However his stool is incredibly inconsistent and sometimes it’s complete diarrhea. I’ve taken him to the vet and had him checked for parasites and such more several times, also cut out anything else it could be attributed to. It doesn’t correspond to anything. Now in the past week his appetite has begun cutting out. Will not be using Merrick products anymore.
20. Debbie October 12, 2014 at 12:39 pm #

    Had used grain-free buffalo and sweet potato for at least a year now for my chow mix. Bag bought last month started him on a sick spell..gas, explosive diarrhea, eating grass etc. Stopped it after 5 days and went back to Taste of the Wild. Something is wrong with the latest batches.
    • Tina January 21, 2015 at 4:46 pm #

      I too have been feeding my Brittany Merrick for about six months, switching from Wellness because of the availablity in my area. I noticed that she had been getting ill over the past few months. She’s eight years old and, I thought she was just getting old, but wanted to feed her the best dog food I could find. I fed her Merrick, gradually introducing it to her by mixing it with Wellness for two weeks. She suddenly had a very large lump on her neck, three of her tits (she is spayed) were swelling and most recently she has had a cough, sort of like kennel cough and throwing up. Two weeks ago, she wasn’t able to have a bowel movement and when she did. it was bloody. I took her to my vet and she recommended to feed her rice and either boiled skinless chicken or boiled hamburger so I could skim the fat from the top of the water. I fed her that way for over a week and went back to feeding her Wellness chicken and brown rice. She now is back on track. The lumps are almost gone, no more coughing and vomiting and her bowel movements are normal. There is something wrong with Merrick dog food. I am convinced!
21. stephanie October 10, 2014 at 11:09 pm #

    Is anyone else noticing major skin issues with Merrick? I had my Great Dane on the grain free buffalo dry food and she was fine. Then I started mixing in the real beef + lamb + buffalo wet food and the first few cans I got from PETCO were fine. Then I started ordering her dry food AND her wet food from Wag.com and the dry food was fine but the wet food was considerably more watery than the few cans I bought at PETCO. Now she has spots all over where she’s missing fur, and she’s constantly biting herself and she’s just itchy. Now she has actual open sores on the top of both paws. It had all happened so suddenly. No diarrhea bit she did threw up once but that was mostly water. I just got my second shipment from wag.com and the wet food looks better in this batch but I’m still afraid to give it to her.
22. Amber October 10, 2014 at 10:52 pm #

    If your dog still has digestive or allergy issues, try one of the Merrick varieties that is poultry free as well as grain free. Lamb and Sweet Potato is one that is both grain free and poultry free.
23. Sharad October 10, 2014 at 9:48 pm #

    I just switched to Merrick from Blue Buffalo. I was told that Merrick is a better food, my dog has had nothing but issues ever since I switched him to the grain free Duck recipe. His stool goes back and forth from hard to loose and runny. He has been eating a lot of grass and plants ever since the switch. I guess I should have stayed with Blue. I bought three bags thinking this product was better than Blue. Hopefully I can return or exchange it.
    • Beca October 16, 2014 at 1:44 pm #

      Which Blue Buffalo formula was he on? If you did not transition him for 1-2 weeks through the switch it is common for dogs to have upset stomachs for a couple of weeks after the change as the bacteria in their intestinal tract changes to adjust to the new foods that need to be broken down.
      Most of the blue buffalo is chicken and rice, so switching to grain-free and duck could have been a big change for his digestive tract. I wouldn’t place one food over the other, but the Merrick is potentially richer so can have that affect. It may be better to try the Merrick Classics line, as rice is always good to settle stomachs. However, if you still want to switch back most stores have a good return policy as long as you kept the receipt.
24. Julie Hermsen.......juju October 8, 2014 at 7:17 pm #

    Have a little Yorkie just gave her a little bit of canned thanksgiving day dinner . Also they sold me a bag of Merrick Real Salmon & Sweet Potato recipe. She has a itching problem so they said to try this. Have trouble getting her to eat anything!!! She is 2yrs old and about 4lbs she is my baby did I do the right thing?
    • Beca October 16, 2014 at 1:52 pm #

      Small dogs tend to be very picky eaters. If she is itching a lot it usually either has to do with seasonal allergies or a food sensitivity, so trying a limited ingredient diet is the best thing to rule out potential food sensitivities. That being said, the most important thing is that she eats, and if she wont eat the Merrick salmon perhaps try another flavour of the Merrick LID varieties. If she still wont eat, I recommend trying some samples of other foods to see what food she will like. However, if the itching just started recently it is more likely a seasonal allergy and the itching can be combated by a variety of pet store allergy remedies until the season is over.
25. abby August 22, 2014 at 1:13 pm #

    I used to feed my dog Merrick brand dog food. He was on the Regular Chicken flavor and then we switched him to the Grain Free Chicken flavor. He was eating this brand food for over one year (from February 2013 – June 2014). It was in Febuary 2014 we changed to the grain free food (we weaned him with a mix of the old food and new), and for 2 months our dog was okay (he is at least 11-12 years old). Then beginning in April he began to get sick with some diarrhea and he began to eat a lot of grass. By the time May rolled around his diarrhea was becoming more frequent and he had occasional vomiting. In June, his diarrhea became almost constant and there was a couple bloody stools. I took him to the vet, and they ran tests for worms and other things like that as well as a stool sample. The test results came back and they said there was nothing wrong when it came to worms, but one of his white blood cell counts was high – that was probably due to an allergic reaction. The vet told us to keep him on a bland diet (chicken and rice) and to slowly ween him back onto his old food. We did that, and once he was back to his old food his sickness began to get even worse! Desperately we tried the grain free food again, and he was still sick but not as bad. Finally, we just stopped feeding him Merrick brand food in July and he has not been sick at all since we have stitched him to Blue Wilderness food. I contacted Merrick about this, because I was concerned because to us the only cause of his illness had to be the food. We monitor him very much, and he is very rarely left alone one of us is almost always home with him. There is nothing left out for him to get into continually and if he gets into something its a once in a blue moon thing. I wrote to the pet food company asking for reimbursement for the vet bill and the last bag of dog food that we could not return. They are refunding me for the 1 bag of dog food, but will not refund me for the vet bill – they basically told me there wasn’t enough proof that it was their food. So basically they wanted me to pay for more tests just to get refunded. I would stay away from the food – I saw what it did to my dog and wouldn’t wish that on any dog or owner. My dog has been extremely healthy, happy and playful since we have switched him to a new food.
26. Stephanie August 6, 2014 at 12:16 am #

    Where are you all now? I just bought a small bag tonight considering switching. Gave him a little and seemed okay.

    What to do?
27. tiff July 29, 2014 at 9:44 pm #

    My Siberian husky and lab corgi love this food. My Siberian she is a picky eater. I literally went threw so many foods that she would not eat. The first day I bought Merrick I opened the bag and she stuck her head in the bag and chowed down. I never have seen my dog so happy to see her kibble ever. Both of my dogs have done really well on this food. I love it since its healthy and is a reasonable price. I’ve been feeding both the chicken and pea recipe that isn’t grain free. Only because I haven’t decided on switching them to grain free yet. My dogs have never been sick on this food. If they ever do I surely will switch them to a different food. But I still will not buy anything from diamond dog food company or totw. My dog was sick on that stuff for over a week. They have too many recalls and I’d never trust their food again!
28. Andi July 15, 2014 at 5:48 pm #

    My dog used to be on the grain free duck formula and loved it. I bought a new bag in February and he stopped eating, started throwing up, and had diarrhea. I contacted Merrick, they told me to return the bag. I also heard from the petstore that Merrick is going to start using chicken fat instead of duck fat, so I decide to switch over to the grain free texas beef because my dog has a chicken allergy. He did just fine, but was scratching a lot. I then switched to the grain free lamb because it is poultry free…here is where more problems started. My dog started having really bad diarrhea again. I kept him on it for 2-3 weeks in case his body needed to adjust to the new food, but didn’t see any change. He would still poop essentially just brown water. I then noticed there was what appeared to be plastic in his kibble. I sat down and searched through his bowl and found that nearly every kibble had a little white strand sticking out of it. Again, I contacted Merrick and the apologized and asked for the food so they could research it. I had already thrown away the bag though. A lot of other people were also having trouble with the lamb flavor. I then decided to try my dog on the salmon formula. His stool went back to being normal, no more throwing up or weird behavior. I thought everything was fine until I decided to check the kibble again before feeding it to him and noticed that some of the kibble has this clear, thick strand sticking out of it. I am so frustrated and confused especially since this is a giant bag that will last me about 3 months. I don’t know if this string looking thing is supposed to be there since this is now the second bag I have found it in, but I don’t trust Merrick with my dogs health anymore.
    • cdp224TX July 19, 2014 at 3:17 pm #

      My dog has eaten Merrick for almost a year now and we’ve never had a problem until recently. My dog started vomiting and having diarrhea. We went to the vet and they said there were very low levels of bacteria in her fecal sample, but not enough to cause the level of diarrhea I was seeing from her. They gave me antibiotics anyway, just in case, and told me to feed her a bland diet for several days. After a couple of days of antibiotics and a bland diet, she was doing great. I started to phase her Merrick back in by adding less than 1/3 a cup to her bland food. Withhin a few hours, she was sick again. I went back to bland diet a few more days, she did great. This morning, I added just a few kibbles of Merrick to her bland diet and she just vomited it all up. I feel pretty certain her new bag of dog food is what is making her sick. After reading your comment, I’m even more suspicious.
29. bocelli July 15, 2014 at 4:35 pm #

    I have called marrick a bout the salty % they tell me they have not gotten the results back out yet! the food is new on the market for month and half, why would they not know the % of salt ? help does any one care about extra salt they don’t need much…
    thanks for all you dog lovers
30. BethT July 9, 2014 at 12:41 pm #

    Add me to this list of folks whose dogs are having issues with this new formula. Fed my pointer mix the old ‘version’ of Whole Earth Farms for several years – she thrived on it. Mixed a bag of new formula with old formula to transition- no problems. But now that we’re on straight-up new formula, she’s developed itchy, flaky skin and can’t wait to roll around on her back when we go outside to relieve the itchiness. Her stool has been loose as well. Also, I’ve noticed, as someone posted below, that the canned food looks very different as well – and not in a good way. I’m glad I’ve found these reviews – I’m going home and throwing out all the Merrick food we have and buying something else.
31. Melanie July 9, 2014 at 12:29 am #

    This is all very interesting. I’ve been feeding my 5 yr old lab Taste of the Wild High Prairie formula for 4 months now and he’s been thriving on it. I keep reading that it’s good to change foods from time to time so I tried Merricks buffalo and sweet potatoe. I mixed 1/2 a cup with his TOTW and he would only eat a very small amount then throw it up 1 hour later totally undigested . This happened 2 times during the night last night and twice today. I came home from work to see his food bowl full and tonight he has the worst gas and very soft stools. I got lucky when Protien For Pets feed store exchanged my 30lb bag of Merrick for a 30 lb bag of TOTW no questions asked. Hopefully they will let Merrick know there’s an issue especially after reading these posts.
32. Concerned July 8, 2014 at 10:38 pm #

    Just opened a brand new bag of Merrick’s Grain Free Real Buffalo + Sweet Potato Recipe three days ago and noticed that my dog was not eating the new food until very very late in the evening. Prior to this bag, we’ve been feeding her with this recipe from Merrick for the past year and half and had no problems. Yesterday she had diarreah and tonight she vomited so much!!! I’m definitely throwing this bag out and alerting the pet store where I bought it. Perhaps this was a bad batch but I’m not taking any chances so bye bye Merrick.
33. dee.britton July 8, 2014 at 10:20 pm #

    I have 2 rough collies: 12 yo and 4 yo. I’ve used Merrick canned as a topper for years….we’ve been using the buffalo and beef dry kibble for about a year. I purchased a bag right before our family came home for July 4th. Neither collie ate during the holiday and I attributed it to the chaos. However, when everyone left, I fed the dogs and realized that there was a horrid chemical/plastic smell from the dog food. I gave my dogs the food that we have for my daughter’s golden and they both ate as if they were starving.

    I almost threw the food away but I’m glad that I did not. After reading these posts, I have realized that there is something wrong with this food. How can I have this food tested?
34. mmrose July 7, 2014 at 8:42 am #

    My dog began vomiting about an hour after eating a variety of Merrick canned food over top of the dry Merrick about a week ago. Took her to the vet. She was put on a bland diet dog food and refused most of it. I then mixed in the Merrick canned and she vomited again after two days of bland diet only. She has always liked Merrick and I thought it seemed of high quality. Wondering if there is something wrong at the manufacturing plant, particularly in light of these recent posts. She is now eating the bland food only and not regurgitating.
    • nbrady July 7, 2014 at 3:45 pm #

      The same with my dog! We bought a new bag of Merrick Grain Free Chicken Dry food last week. I fed her from the new bag Tuesday night, at 1am she woke up and proceeded to vomit all night. I took her the vet the next day and they did all kinds of blood work and ultra scans and found nothing. She has been on a bland diet for 3 days. Last night i tried to mix back in her Merrick food and within 30 minutes, she vomited it up again. I am planning on switching to a different brand food. Please let me know if you hear any news of a recall on this.
      • Bruno's mom July 20, 2014 at 9:47 am #

        Our 16 month old lab has been on the buffalo and sweet potato dry kibble since he was 10 weeks old. He never had a problem. However now He has been having diarrhea on and off for two months. He’s been checked for parasites twice -both times negative. I put him on rice it clears up, we go back on the food and it starts up again.
        I’ve been attributing it to other causes, like swimming in the ocean, but one I think it is the food.
        • Bruno July 28, 2014 at 10:24 am #

          My 16 month old lab is in the same situation. he has been on Merrick’s buffalo and sweet potato since he was 10 weeks old, he began having GI issues in April. His stool has been checked. 3 times all negative and we have been on two rounds of medicine to help calm his intestines. I have been cooking him rice and every time I try giving him a little kibble with it theGI issues come back. I have been researching what brand and type to switch to however can’t seem to make a decision. so many factors to consider. I really think Merrick’s did something to their formula. it is too bad as he loved it and was very healthy up until now.
35. Nan Paulson Perkins June 28, 2014 at 12:59 pm #

    I just spent over $800 on my Min Pin for dehydration, and liver and kidney issues. She is only 8 yrs old and her blood work was fine in Feb. 2014 when checked. She started eating less, got a weird smell, and then I saw she’d vomited a bit. I cannot say why she suddenly got sick but I was feeding Merrick and just opened a new bag of the buffalo. I’ve very concerned!
36. dugan18643 June 21, 2014 at 8:28 am #

    anyone having problems with the no grain all natural beef barley & carrot dry food.. this is the 2nd bag that I will be returning the 30 pound bag it smells terrible and the dogs won’t touch it? I have used them for about a year but like I said the smell is so strong when you open it if fills the room, never was like that before. Any suggestions on what brand to try? i was checking out the internet and so many brands have had recalls for something or other. For the love i just feel like going back to the grocies store brand…. my husky is now on probyotics because of the diahrra and now I wonder if it has been the food all along! hep!
    • FLGIRL June 25, 2014 at 12:19 am #

      Yes! Wasn’t the grain free but strong smell when I opened the bag. My dogs wouldn’t eat the food, I mixed stuff in, they ate a little and vomited. After a couple days I went back and smelled the food and realized it was really awful! Switched food! Merrick claims nobody else has had issues. My poor dogs were so hungry when I finally fed them new food. I’m looking into a new food. Fromm has been recommended too me. Might try that.. Very disappointed in Merrick, especially at those prices!
    • JCK September 7, 2014 at 8:25 am #

      I just bought the beef barley and carrot for the first time for my dogs. We have the cutest chubby dachshund but it’s not healthy for her.

      I had been researching commercial brands that would help facilitate weight loss for her. Also we live in Japan and have to have our food shipped so when I order I get the biggest bag I can and that’s $$$ so thorough research is always a must for me.

      This brand came highly recommended from several sources for my purposes so I bought it.

      When I opened it the smell was awful I have to hold my breath when I am scooping but I thought well maybe this is because it’s a high protein formula and dogs sniff butts the smell might be nice to them.

      So long story longer. My other dog a mini schnauzer started having boughts of vomiting. The chubby dachshund ate it but it was obvious she didn’t like it, but she never got sick so I dismissed it. But after reading all this I am not taking a chance I am throwing it out!
37. Taylor June 19, 2014 at 12:35 am #

    I have two dachshunds that have been eating Merrick cowboy cookout canned food for the past three months. The can is usually filled with small cubes of beef, small amount of carrots and a couple of green beans maybe one or two blueberries. However, this last case I purchased was nothing like before. It was mostly thin liquid, lots of carrots and green beans and very little cubes of beef, with a very acidic smell. Very disappointed!
38. Taylor June 19, 2014 at 12:27 am #

    I have two dachshunds that have been eating Merrick cowboy cookout
    canned food for the past three months. The can is usually filled with
    small cubes of beef, small amount of carrots and a couple of green beans
    maybe one or two blueberries. However, this last case I purchased was
    nothing like before. It was mostly thin liquid, lots of carrots and
    green beans and very little cubes of beef, with a very acidic smell.
    Very disappointed!
39. Taylor June 15, 2014 at 11:26 pm #

    I have two dachshunds that have been eating Merrick cowboy cookout canned food for the past three months. The can is usually filled with small cubes of beef, small amount of carrots and a couple of green beans maybe one or two blueberries. However, this last case I purchased was nothing like before. It was mostly thin liquid, lots of carrots and green beans and very little cubes of beef, with a very acidic smell. Very disappointed!
40. Joe June 9, 2014 at 7:11 am #

    I’ve been giving our 2 labs buffalo and sweet potato brand for a month after switching back to merrick from another brand . Our dogs and we loved merrick until last few days, both dogs developed diarreah. Vet said to try rice to clean them out. Am very disappointed with merrick if food is the problem.Now what?
    • Bill June 14, 2014 at 4:01 pm #

      My two Havanese pups ( 4 months) were on Merrick puppy dry for two months and did very well. All of a sudden, Petco online, the local store, and Amazon were out of stock? Finally found a bag at Petflo online and they still did ok.

      Just got a new 15 pound bag from Amazon.
      Diarrhea from almost day one. Date and code on bag is unreadable. Wonder what happened to the supply chain and how they “cured” it.
      Switching to Fromm Gold puppy immediately at the advise of my local independant pet store owner.
    • Deenie June 18, 2014 at 9:40 pm #

      Same thing happened here. I wondered if the heat is bad for the food, like it got ruined in transport. The weather was hot for a bit, when I bought. Large bag, $58 dollars, plus.
      Four terriers, all with runny stools, some really bad.
    • cdp224TX July 19, 2014 at 3:28 pm #

      Same problem here! My dog has eaten Merrick for sometime and it has always been great. I just opened up a new bag of dog food and immediately she started having issues with vomiting and diarrhea. Took her to the vet and they found no real cause, but gave us antibiotics and recommended a bland diet. After several days, she was doing great, I gave her a tiny bit of Merrick mixed in with the bland food and the sickness started all over again. I thought maybe it was too soon and went back to bland food for several more days, she was doing great. This morning I added just a few kibbles to her bland food and she just threw up again. This all started when she started the new bag of food. I don’t pay over $60 for a bag of food to have it make my dog sick!
41. Lisa May 31, 2014 at 4:52 pm #

    I rescued a 5/6 yr. old German Shepard/Beagle mix (I know, strange combo…lol) in September of last year. Started with Wellness Core and Merrick which was fine, but she gained 10 lbs. I feed her a combo of 3/4 dry and 1/4 canned. She never liked the dry. I have recently slowly switched to all Merrick and she likes it much better. I have seen no difference in her energy level or health. She seems to be doing well on it and she likes it! BTW, I give her the chicken/sweet potato dry and many different varieties of the canned.
42. kmom May 25, 2014 at 11:07 pm #

    Notice label said “madein America, not the U.S.A. Mexico, maybe?
    • Beca October 16, 2014 at 1:15 pm #

      All of the Merrick food and treats are made in Texas, U.S.A. in their own manufacturing kitchens. Definitely not Mexico.
43. CK May 24, 2014 at 5:15 pm #

    I decided to check if Merrick had any recalls on its line of dog foods. We switched our black Lab (just turned two yrs. old) to Merrick in mid-April. Tried the duck and sweet potato; first couple of servings she ate, then didn’t want it any more. Just walked away. Got the Merrick Chicken flavor; if not for adding regular white rice, or a bit of real chicken to entice her, she’s been refusing to eat. With no warning, the diarrhea began, very gassy, and the food kibble did not smell good from the airtight container we use to keep the food. (used the container with our other Lab for 9 years so there’s no issue with ‘staleness’.) She did not eat for almost two full days. We are now trying Canidae, chicken and rice, hoping a milder diet will settle things down. She is not really liking that either, but with a little cooked rice mixed in, she’s cleaning her bowl. Today for the first time in a couple of weeks, her outdoor “chores” were “normal” and she has her usual spunk back. Until we gave her the Merrick, there had been no issues in her two years of a happy Lab life.
44. Michelle May 22, 2014 at 4:19 pm #

    I’ve been feeding my miniature poodle the grain free canned food (Turducken, Cowboy cookout) for a few months and recently its been giving my dog diarrhea and vomiting. I am not happy and will not be buying Merrick again.
    • Stephanie S. June 16, 2014 at 11:43 am #

      Hey Michelle. Can u email me? I have some questions for you about how it affected your dog? Please
      Chickiroo at telus.net
    • Stephanie S. June 19, 2014 at 12:36 am #

      Hey Michelle. Can u email me? I have some questions for you about how it affected your dog? Please Chickiroo at telus.net
45. dawn May 21, 2014 at 6:25 pm #

    got a small bag of whole earth farms beef and potato and my dogs loved it. got a 15 lb bag and they will not eat it. had to get something so I got Rachel ray beef and potato. not what i’d prefer but money was tight and at least they are eating. they smell the WEF and run. im throwing it out.
46. faek May 20, 2014 at 9:43 pm #

    We have been giving our Maltese Merrick’s
    dry formula mix. We have discovered a strong plastic
    smell when we open the bag. Often our dog won’t eat it. I have returned two bags to the retailer for exchange of fresh bags. Again, today, I opened the 4 pound bag of grain free real Texas beef and was faced with that same strong distasteful smell. I wonder if
    this product could be making our dog sick.
    • FLGIRL June 25, 2014 at 12:25 am #

      I have had the same problem. Will be switching brands. My poor dogs got sick, didn’t eat for days… Thank goodness I smelled the food and realized something was not quite right! Switched the chicken for now(which smelled fine). So hard to believe Merrick is unaware of all this. If you call them they will send you a voucher for free food and will pick up a sample of the bad food.
    • Beca October 16, 2014 at 1:23 pm #

      The Merrick Grain Free Texas Beef formula does have a strange smell, It is quite similar to a plastic scent. However, this is the only formula that has that particular scent. I can not say as to why that is, but it always smells that way, no matter what batch you buy. If you try any of their other formulas this is not the case. Hope that is helpful.
47. Boxer May 5, 2014 at 2:42 pm #

    Our 7yr Boxer has been on Merrick dry food for several months now, and all of a sudden developed gastrointestinal problems (sick, diarrhea, won’t eat, panting, etc.). At the vet’s advice ($200 worth), we have switched his food and put him on an antibiotic just in case. One day on the new food, and he’s still in favorable condition. If a change in the formula, or other over-site by Merrick is the cause, it will be frustrating to say the least!
    • Jodi May 22, 2014 at 1:43 pm #

      what food did u switch him to? my 4yr old boxer just started with similar issues after being on this food for over a year.. New Bag design.. new health issue!
      • Kris May 30, 2014 at 10:58 am #

        I switched to NutriSource Senior and he is doing fantastic. No GI problems at all!
      • Barbara Curtin May 31, 2014 at 2:14 pm #

        I agree! My 4 1/2yr old lab/beagle mix ate Whole Earth Adult food since he was old enough to do so. Since the new packaging design (and less food in bag) he started having problems. Now he has stopped eating it and is pretty sick. I suspected his good might be the problem but we were in the process of moving; too hard to tell. After reading a few of these reviews I am now certain.
48. Kris May 3, 2014 at 10:32 am #

    I recently switched my 13 year old mix to the senior food. He was doing OK (went through about 4 of the 5 pound bags) but was gassy and stools were soft. Just opened a new bag and the kibble is totally different (much bigger and different shade of brown). He developed bad diarrhea and vomited. Has the formula changed? The bag is identical.
49. frank April 6, 2014 at 2:33 pm #

    This is for the Whole Earth Farms adult dry dog food. They recently changed the formula, and it did not sit well with our boston terriers. More gas and both started vomiting daily. I don’t trust the Merrick brand now unfortunately.
50. Dina April 1, 2014 at 7:45 pm #

    Is something wrong with senior medley? After feeding my two
    Senior dogs this food, they both got sick. One threw up and had diarreah and next day other dog got diarreah. I have them on chicken and rice. I am afraid it is tainted and brought it back. Dogs on medication to stop diarreah. Anyone have issues with senior medley. I really need some feedback. They always did well on merrick till this week. Also had gas. Awful and I worry since they are older and can affect heart.
    • Lora April 6, 2014 at 10:57 am #

      Our dog is on buffalo. She has been on it for a while. Opened new bag dog has got sick. Been cooking chicke MN and rice and got better. Feed her again Friday night and Saturday and got sick and had diarria again. Not giving her anore ans going to return the food!
      • Brittany June 13, 2014 at 1:36 pm #

        I had the same problem! I’m not sure what happened, but the food suddenly made my poor pup VERY ill. She was doing find on the buffalo and sweet potato until Monday. We just went to the vet to check if it was something else, but it definitely is looking like it’s the food. Very disappointed.
      • Deenie June 18, 2014 at 9:38 pm #

        This same thing just happened to my 4 dogs. Did fine on the buffalo, then purchased a new bag. All 4 have stinky loose stools, my most delicate dog is losing hair. All are itchy too and want a scratch, constantly. Something is wrong with this batch?
51. Jennifer Dreher April 1, 2014 at 12:07 pm #

    I recently started with the grain free duck and sweet potato. We are trying to get her to lose weight. According to the feeding guide, we are to give her the same amount as a food with much less calories. What is the reason for this? Very confused.
52. Mary March 21, 2014 at 6:19 pm #

    My 11+ year old cockapoo has been on this food for about 2 years since she suddenly developed skin issues from the other high quality dog food. In the past couple weeks she has had horrible gas and then softer stools that seem to be difficult to pass this week and today she vomited twice. Nothing else is new, I noted that others are having the same thing, is it the bag?
53. Bianca March 4, 2014 at 2:22 pm #

    My cocker spaniel has been on merrick and we love it for him he’s really cleared up with his skin, ear, ect issues. He’s been on this food for a while now but all of the sudden has gotten so gasey it’s unbearable! Are we doing some thing wrong we went from the grain free real duck and sweet potato but petco ran out so we bought the grain free real buffalo and sweet potato. before i bought it I had asked an employee there if it would affect him they said he’d be fine. Should I have not of bought the different flavor. Please help his gas is literally suffocating me haha.
    • Mary March 21, 2014 at 6:22 pm #

      You could have written my post regarding my 11+ year old cockapoo. On it for a very long time, started because of skin issues with other food. Now is extremely gassy and the past few days has had issues with stooling, today has vomited twice. Intersted to find out what resolution you had?
54. Bill January 7, 2014 at 6:16 pm #

    Yogi my 12 week old German Shepherd has been on Merricks Puppy Plate since coming home. Eveywhere we go people comment on his size and how healthy he looks. a few people I know who got pup’s from the same breader, cannot believe the difference between Yogi and his siblings. I researched his food weeks before bringing him home, and with recalls and ingredients from China, Merricks was the only choice for me.
55. Glynda December 1, 2013 at 7:07 pm #

    My dog Rocky, has been on Merrick since I rescued him in 2005. The people I took him from said he was 2 years old at that time. Took him immediately to the vet that told me he was in bad shape but nothing a good dog food and loads of love and patience couldn’t cure.
    I have fed him on Merrick since then. Every vet and everyone I have met can’t believe that he is 10 and going on 11. He is perky, lively, and in great health. I have not had to worry about kidney failure due to eating TOP BRAND dog that is made in China..
    Thank You Merrick!
56. Marqita November 16, 2013 at 5:17 pm #

    I have two Daschund’s and one is VERY picky. It took about 3 or 4 different dog foods before i stumbled upon Merrick. Previously I had tried IAMS, ProPlan, Innova, and something else but he just would not eat much. When I tried Merrick, he instantly loved it. That was almost 8 years ago and I have always been so pleased. I was not happy when they changed their formula and got rid of the actual pea and potato pieces in their food but my dog hasn’t seemed to notice.
57. CoCo August 7, 2013 at 12:19 pm #

    I just recently switched my 16yr old Beagle to MERRICK SENIOR MEDLEY CANNED FOOD and I have found at least 2 APPLE SEEDS in every single can so far. I’m concerned about this as I thought APPLE SEEDS are TOXIC to dogs….
    Has anybody else had this problem????
    • Maria December 13, 2013 at 9:25 am #

      Yes Coco, I. As well have discovered apple seeds in the Merrick Puppy can food. Something else I discovered, I use to buy the puppy can from a retail store and found an online company charging much less, however the liquid color and texture is different. I’m not happy about that. Do I get less quality because I pay less?
58. jackson July 25, 2013 at 8:14 pm #

    bought beef grain free dog food this week for 85 pound border colley. he has had the worst diarrhea ever and pooed in the house 3x last night (he never does that)! he is laying around very sick. is anyone else having any issues?
    • ironhorseblues August 1, 2013 at 3:24 pm #

      @jackson did you transition your border collie from current food to the new Merrick food? If not you will cause stomach upset when going from one brand of dog food to a new brand without gradually introducing (about weeks time) the new food. 1st day 25% new food 75% previous food etc. Diarrhea will result from abrupt food changes.
    • Liz October 17, 2013 at 11:33 pm #

      Did you slowly switch his food, adding a little of the new food everyday? Any change in food will usually make a dog sick. Switching from a low quality to a high quality food takes a little time. Any time I change my dogs’ food, I change it over at least a week.
59. Vchard Liew July 24, 2013 at 1:36 pm #

    For siberian husky 7weeks old, which Merrick kibbles you would recommend? Currently eating Chicken Soup Large Breed Puppy.
60. Louise June 19, 2013 at 10:29 pm #

    Tried Real Texas Beef and Sweet Potatoe. Both Dogs love it!! Yorkie and Maltese. They also love Castor and Pollux and Blue. But they gobble the Texas Beef.
61. Melinda June 13, 2013 at 11:13 pm #

    I tried Merrick with my 3 German Shepherd mixes and the food gave all three very bad gas. Took the food back and got a refund.
    • Jay September 25, 2013 at 3:07 am #

      I have two german shepherds and after dealing with occasional vomiting, stomach aches, and gas when my dogs were eating Taste of the Wild, I switched to Merricks. My girls LOVE it! There coats are the healthiest I’ve ever seen them, the random vomiting, gas, etc. all gone! I am happy to pay a higher price for good quality, American made, holistic food:)
62. vivian June 13, 2013 at 1:28 am #

    I recently switch to Merrick last two weeks..and my maltipoo go poop like 3-4 times a day…does anyone else have the same problem with their dog?
    • Kelly C August 28, 2013 at 3:24 pm #

      When you change your dogs food you should always transition…slowly introducing the new food, especially when it is a high grade food. The gastrointestinal upset is normal until they are adjusted at which point you will see much less poop in your yard as the nutrients in the food are used rather than just passed through. Remember this is a nutrient rich food, not the ground corn as you get off of store shelves. Compare this food to Hills Science Diet…You will see that Science Diet can’t compare, not even close to Merrik. Their bodies just have to get used to real food.
63. Desi June 1, 2013 at 6:26 pm #

    We recently gave Merrick Lamb formula to our very pick 2.5 yr old greman shepard. this is the FIRST dog food she has eaten straight (without something to moisten or flavor it)
    No problems with diahrrea.
    Only thing I would like to see is a formula with glocosamine for large breeds.
    • Lisa June 12, 2013 at 10:36 am #

      The large breed formula has a lot of glucosamine and chondroitin in it. Just read the label
64. Lisa May 31, 2013 at 9:50 pm #

    I Just Found A Can That Was Missed, The Date Is April 2012, Should I Throw Away?
    • sandy d June 29, 2013 at 10:37 pm #

      PLEASE throw that old can away. You wouldn’t eat it ~ right??
      • jason tayolr August 19, 2013 at 9:58 pm #

        id eat that! send it here.
65. jane marshall May 24, 2013 at 8:03 pm #

    Please inform me when you have dry dog food coupons available.
66. Ray Wroblewski May 17, 2013 at 7:33 pm #

    We feed our 3 year old German Shepherd Merrick’s and one of the things we’ve noticed is that her coat is like velvet.
    • Bridgett June 9, 2013 at 6:48 pm #

      I use to feed Blue Buffalo but found bone fragments in the food, called their customer service line, and was shocked at how rude they were, so I decided to switch. I did some research and come upon Merrick, have been feeding it to my dogs now for over 9 months and what a change. Their coats are shiny , their stools are firm,another factor that I like about this food is that it is manufactured in the USA !
67. doggsie March 28, 2013 at 11:57 pm #

    Does anyone have a general idea of sodium content in the cowboy cookout canned variety?
68. doglover 294 March 13, 2013 at 2:31 pm #

    I have a comment about their canned food. I bought the new chicken wings and when I opened the can, it had 2 whole wings…bones and all. I couldn’t believe it. Who gives their dog chicken bones. Also it had lots of whole apple seeds in the mixture. I’m taking all fo the dog food back. My dog doesn’t even seem to like it very much and almost refuses to eat it. It’s sad because I thought it was going to be a healthy choice for him but after seeing the bones in the canned dog food, I’m not buying any of it anymore!
    • rdines March 31, 2013 at 8:04 pm #

      If you read the can, it explains the chicken is cooked in such a way the bones are safe for your dog to eat.
      • KPhelps April 12, 2013 at 8:56 pm #

        Bones are SAFE FOR YOUR DOG RAW. NOT COOKED.
    • Renee May 20, 2013 at 11:30 pm #

      The bones have been steamed, so they are soft. You can take your finger a push it and they crumble so its not harmful to your dog. It tells you on the can.
    • Sandi June 18, 2013 at 5:43 pm #

      It’s a shame their dog owner is incapable of reading the label of this “MADE IN THE USA” product!
    • Kevin July 2, 2013 at 5:56 pm #

      Chicken bones are completely safe when not cooked. Do a google search about raw diet. Be informed.
69. harrellgraham February 8, 2013 at 3:07 pm #

    Merrick dog food is yet another dog food that hides MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) under the words ‘natural’ on the ingredients label. “Natural Chicken Flavor” contains MSG, but neither Merrick—nor any other human or dog food company—has to admit it has MSG because:

    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only requires companies to admit MSG is there is 99% or more MSG in the additive. So, 98% MSG can be hidden under “natural flavors”. And remember: arsenic and human feces are ‘natural’ so the word ‘natural’ on any label should be a clue the manufacturer is hiding something. (A human food example is the word ‘broth’ on tuna fish cans: broth contains MSG).

    Everyone has heard about headaches as a result of ingesting MSG, but it turns out MSG is far more dangerous than just the occasional headache. Glutamate has a central role in obesity, heart disease, cancer, autism, neurodegenerative diseases, infertility, diabetes, depression and other mood & learning disorders—all of which have reached epidemic proportions.

    Disguised names for MSG include: Flavors, natural flavors, seasonings, broth, amino acids, glutamic acid, yeast extract, gelatin, Anything ‘hydrolyzed’, hydrolyzed protein, ‘anything’ protein (ex. tomato/pea/etc protein), Calcium caseinate, Sodium caseinate, yeast food, yeast nutrient , autolyzed yeast, spices, gelatin, barley malt, maltodextrin, textured protein, soy sauce, soy protein, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, whey protein, whey protein concentrate/isolate, stock, chicken flavoring, bouillon, broth, carageenan, tapioca starch extract, condensed milk, powdered milk, enzymes.

    Do you really want your dog eating something Merrick hides to trick your dog into eating more than they otherwise would (which is what MSG does), making your dog obese and sick?

    Write or call Merrick and tell them you are on to their tricks. And find another dog food brand to buy that doesn’t have any of the trick words above. Vote with your pocketbook. And protect yourself and your pets from this toxic stuff.
    • Barb February 19, 2013 at 7:33 am #

      What Dog food do you use or recommend?
      • Harry January 21, 2014 at 6:11 pm #

        My bird dog field trial pro uses Purina Pro Plan. The guys who insist that you have to feed $5 an ounce dog food may claim that Purina is low grade but this guy is the top pro in the Eastern US and if he didn’t win with Purina he’d switch in a heartbeat. His dogs look good, run good and win. Now, if your dog sleeps on the couch all day, I wouldn’t feed Pro Plan but if your dog is an active working dog, go for it.
    • Emily April 22, 2013 at 6:59 pm #

      The company told me directly that there products do not contain MSG.
70. L Gaines February 6, 2013 at 12:48 am #

    My 5 year old golden retriever had always eaten commercial dog food and was always suffering with severe digestive disorders and joint problems. My vet said to feed her venison because it is a very easy protein to digest. I now give her Nutro venison and brown rice in dry food and merrick holiday stew canned venison food. She loves the canned venison and has NO more stomach upsets. She also used to shed severely and now her coat is beautiful and shedding is minimal. She even showed signs of joint problems by limping a lot and she doesn’t limp anymore either. Merrick dog and cat foods are very good and no doubt will prolong the life and health of your pets. Just as people are what they eat, the same also goes for our pets.
71. BLESSED November 24, 2012 at 11:02 am #

    Merrick use to always have a Scripture from the BIBLE on their bags, I LOVED it when they did that, I saw the Scripture from the BIBLE has been removed , What Happened, Please put the Scripture from the BIBLE back on the Bag , I look forward to seeing the Scripture from the BIBLE back on the Bag, Thank you & have a BLESSED day, BLESSED
    • ericca April 12, 2013 at 8:30 pm #

      what on earth does that have to do with the quality of the food, if you’re buying food based on a quote on the bag you obviously have no idea what you’re doing, please rehome your dog to someone who isn’t a moron.
72. Faith September 22, 2012 at 10:22 pm #

    My 12 year old loves the Merrick, Gluten Free recipes. But, in two days, I have opened two seperate cans, finding complete thigh bone. Is this common? I have been checking for smaller bones. Nothing yet.
    • Shirlean September 26, 2012 at 3:56 pm #

      Yes and it’s Okay really you can mush the bone with your fingers! it is actually very healthy for your dog the problem with bones is when they are cooked like when we eat chicken and they are brittle breaking into sharp pieces. The bones are so soft in Merrick’s food they pose no danger and its a natural diet like people that feed raw uncooked chicken they don’t take the bones out. So don’t worry I mush up the bone before giving it to my dogs when I mix wet with dry that way everyone gets some!
    • Jennifer February 27, 2013 at 10:21 pm #

      Per Merrick’s Facebook page in response to chicken bones in the canned wet food:
      We want to reassure you the chicken bones you found are there on purpose. If you notice on the can, there is a note from the chef that states the purpose of the chicken bones: “Our slow cooked, whole chicken thighs/wings are marinated tender chicken cooked on a softened bone. This special cooking process makes the bone mushy and safe for your dog to enjoy. Feel free to serve whole, remove, or break apart the soft chicken bones for ease of pet consumption.” The bones also provide the full flavor your dog loves, along with calcium and nutrients. The food is pressure cooked inside the can and this process is what softens the bones. Veterinarian Chris Smith recently made a video with us about why he feeds his pups our recipes with bones: http://youtu.be/ETem8C6fGx8 Of course, we always advise using your discretion when feeding your pets, so if you are uncomfortable feeding chicken thighs/wings, we do offer plenty of other Merrick recipes that do not contain bones. Thanks!
    • McKenna March 11, 2013 at 4:32 am #

      I work at a pet supply store, and I feed my dogs the Merrick brand. They seem to like it a lot better than the other natural food they were on, and the rare proteins found in their grain-free food are fabulous for canines with allergies!I have a pitbull with extreme allergies, and she has done well on this brand.

      I was skeptical about the whole thighs and wings issue, so I bought a can and decided to try it out myself; as someone who recommends the food, I wanted to be sure it was healthy, and hazard free. I broke the bones up (with my fingers) and mushed it in with their food. The dogs loved it.

      My only point to the bones is to use caution when giving it to your dog at first- break it up into smaller pieces, and if you have a dog that gulps down his/her food, please grind it up thoroughly!
73. Eric July 13, 2012 at 8:18 pm #

    I recently got a little pug last month in June. I researched like crazy all the dog foods and I decided on Merrick Puppy Plate. I have to say that he absolutely loves it! His coat is so soft and smooth. The transition to Merrick didn’t take long at all. I even set up an account so that I will have it automatically shipped every 6 weeks. A great brand of dogfood.
74. Sue Smothers June 1, 2012 at 10:40 pm #

    Do you have an over the counter dog food recommended for a diabetic dog?
    Sue
    • karen May 10, 2013 at 6:04 pm #

      I have a diabetic dog and there is no over the counter food for them..I use the Hills w/d and if you go on their website you can download coupons from time to time..hope your dog is not insulin dependent as mine is! good luck to you!
75. Lolita's Mom May 26, 2012 at 12:31 pm #

    I’ve been feeding Wellness Core Reduced Fat Dry to my little Chiweenie for 2 years along with MERRICK 5-STAR CANNED FOOD as a topper…she is VERY healthy and everyone (including the vet) compliments her on her soft and shiny coat and bright eyes….she has no digestive or urinary problems whatsoever and her breath is so sweet, never stinky …I think this is the BEST food combination one can give their dogs.
76. kayakesva April 12, 2012 at 8:55 am #

    this is a food that i tried with my dogs and did not have very much success. while they loved the food, it caused very loose stools, diarrhea, and some vomiting. I transitioned to this food carefully so it was not a shock to their digestive systems. Previously they had done well on Blue Buffalo and Eagle Pack Holistic Select. I’m frequently looking for the absolute highest quality food as a companion to their raw diet, but this wasn’t it. Since then, they’ve done extremely well on Wellness Core, The Honest Kitchen, and Innova Prime so I’ll stick with those along with their raw diet.
    • VetTechJessie May 30, 2012 at 6:25 pm #

      Interesting that with feeding a BARF diet or raw diet, ones canine friend might vomit, or have diarrhea…. I wonder if this could be due to the likliness that all raw food has issues such as Salmonella, Bacteria, Protazoa etc etc. Regardless if it is “human grade” or not. Typically any raw diet for pets is considered A PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD…. because you can catch what many of these foods expose your pets to, and so can the public, and other neighborhood pets…. not to mention giving chunks of uncooked bone can risk your pet getting an obstruction or laceration to the GI tract. Raw diets go unchecked, and with little real regulations. Merrick foods are highly regulated and tested often. Contain no fillers or non organic materials, and are an affordable, trusted brand, excellent ingredients and designed with your pets best interest in mind. Hey who woulda thunk that dog food is dog food and barf diets are barf diets?
77. Kelly October 22, 2011 at 4:07 pm #

    Merrick is great for picky eaters! It really smells good enough to eat and after scouring the web I read that Merrick was reccomended for dogs that are picky about what they eat. My Boston loves Merrick in both the canned and the dry food especially, “Before Grain”. My dog breaks out in hot spots from grain allergies and none with this food. Before Grain is almost all meat which is what dogs should be eating not all the vegetables, soy and fillers.

    For the question on how much should you feed your dog this is what my vet said. Put the bowl of food down and pick it up after 5 minutes. This may not work for overeaters but my dog is satisfied by this point. She weighs 18 pounds which is perfect and her coat shines.
78. Mike P August 5, 2011 at 2:25 pm #

    I use the Before Grain Buffalo .My Boxer likes it and I am happy with the price . However the last bag I had to return, because it was dry and stale even though it’s use by date was Dec 2011 . Merricks has no coupons available unlike Wellness and Fromms do . I rotate between the three . I will try one more bag to see if the last one was a fluke . The previous bags of kibble were dark and fresh but the last one was light in color and stale . Going by the previous bags of food , I highly reccommend Merricks Before Grain …
79. Candace June 26, 2011 at 3:58 pm #

    Merrick is the only brand of pet food (both dog and cat) that none of my pets have ever refused. It seems to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters and contains better ingredients than what I feed myself! Even though it is a bit more expensive than other brands, it is well worth the price because not a crumb goes to waste.
80. Kit May 16, 2011 at 3:08 pm #

    The 5 Star Brand canned Merrick Dog Food is the BEST !!!! It doesn’t even look or smell like dog food…I would even eat it,myself, in a pinch if i had to. It’s THAT good. The ingredients are are top notch. My dog is so healthy, her coat is so soft and her eyes are so bright and shiny. This food is really like “people”food…like ‘table-scraps” or dinner left overs. Yes, in the WINGALING recipe and SMOTHERED COMFORT recipe, you will find true whole chicken bones, but they are cooked to be soft and mushy and your dog will LOVE them. The marrow inside is very healthy. I have turned many folks on to this food and they are forever thanking me for it. I recommend ALL of Merrick products, even though they are kinda “pricey” they are worth every penny.
81. Anjelyka March 12, 2011 at 4:30 pm #

    I actually like the fact that I found a chicken bone in my dogs wet food. It’s hard to find a food brand that uses real actual meat and to find the bone with chicken attach to it is amazing. I think it’s ridiculous to complain about the realness of the food. Instead of complaining that there was an actual claw, you should check the food before you feed it.
    • Jan July 29, 2012 at 1:27 pm #

      Are you kidding?? Cooked chicken bones can be deadly to a dog.
      • Bev September 16, 2012 at 1:27 pm #

        I think it depends how soft they are. If they were pressure cooked chances are they ended up with the consistany of salmon bones. I never bought this but at the pet store I talked to the owner and she said no sharp or hard bones and my mom pressure cooked everything when I grew up so I know this is possible. i have used other canned Merrick dog foods and never had a problem and my dog loved them and I felt it was really healthy food. No need to bash them unless u get a can and check it out because I know they wouldn’t be in there hard and sharp.
      • lucylu August 17, 2013 at 11:46 am #

        Read “Jennifer” post from Feb.27,2013
82. Delilah January 25, 2011 at 4:04 am #

    I was very surprised to find a 1 & ½ inch long crab/crawfish Claw, in my cat’s dish, after feeding her a can of Merrick Southern Delight. What a blessing that she didn’t eat it. I contacted Merrick directly and was very disappointed in the customer service. I was told that the food might contain shells. This was a claw with a sharp point on the end. I will no longer purchase or feed my pets Merrick products.
    • Jan July 29, 2012 at 1:29 pm #

      Thanks for this info – doesn’t sound like a company who has a good quality control program in place!
    • camille August 4, 2012 at 12:21 pm #

      I just opened a can of merrick. Brauts. N Lots and found a white piece. of plastic with sharp edges on it. Thank GOD I always inspect the food.
      • Sylvia March 27, 2014 at 1:09 am #

        Switched my Weimaraner to Merrick lamb and rice after California Natural had recalls. Once on Merrick, our dog began retaining water and losing weight. We almost lost her before the vet noticed what was going on and we switched to a more limited ingredient dog food. Can’t imagine what she was reacting to in this diet which appears to be so good. Any ideas?
83. Beca October 16, 2014 at 1:57 pm #

    I really like the Merrick food, but it is quite rich which is why I think some dogs have issues with the food. My dog and cat are both on the Merrick brand of dry foods, The dog gets a rotational feeding of the Merrick Classics, and my cat eats Merrick Perfect Bistro Chicken. Both of my pets have been on a variety of foods before this, but they do, by far, much better on the Merrick brand than any other before and they both really like the taste.