Merrick Healthy Grains Chicken & Brown Rice
Owners who want deboned meat first with grain-inclusive quality at a premium price
Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice
Owners who trust veterinary-backed nutrition and want excellent palatability
Score Comparison
Pricing & Features
Making Your Decision
When to Choose Merrick Healthy Grains Chicken & Brown Rice
Owners who want deboned meat first with grain-inclusive quality at a premium price
Merrick puts deboned chicken — not chicken meal — as the first ingredient, which is a meaningful quality distinction. No corn, wheat, soy, and made in the USA with solid transparency. The Nestlé Purina ownership is a consideration for brand-conscious buyers, but the formula quality remains strong.
Strengths
- Deboned chicken is the #1 ingredient — real meat, not meal
- No corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives/colors/flavors
- Made in the USA with locally sourced ingredients and clear labeling
Limitations
- Premium pricing at ~$1.50/day for the ingredient quality level
- Smaller 25 lb bag increases per-serving cost compared to larger formats
- Now owned by Nestlé Purina — corporate ownership may concern some buyers
When to Choose Purina Pro Plan Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice
Owners who trust veterinary-backed nutrition and want excellent palatability
Purina Pro Plan is the most veterinarian-recommended brand in this comparison, backed by decades of feeding trial data. The shredded blend texture is genuinely unique and dogs tend to love it. The trade-off is corn gluten meal and by-product meal in the formula — ingredients that premium brands avoid.
Strengths
- Backed by extensive feeding trials and veterinary research at Purina labs
- Unique shredded blend texture combines hard kibble with tender meaty pieces
- Live probiotics added for digestive health — one of few brands offering this
Limitations
- Contains corn gluten meal and poultry by-product meal in the ingredient list
- Dec 2022/Feb 2023 recalls of veterinary diet lines raise brand-level concerns
- Ingredient transparency is limited — vague sourcing information
