[Taz Monkey]

So I saw this while I was buying food yesterday. It's $36.99 for a 35 lb bag...which is wayyyyy affordable for me. While I don't think I could take my lab mix off of grain free, I think the golden and the beagle mix would do just fine, as neither of them have any skin issues, etc. What do you guys think of these ingredients? Not necessarily forever, but for a while until my finances straighten themselves out. Right now they're all on TOTW.

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (Not Less Than) 24.0%
Crude Fat (Not Less Than) 12.0%
Crude Fiber (Not More Than) 4.0%
Moisture (Not More Than) 11.0%

Calorie Content:
3495 kcal/kg (calculated) – One pound provides 1587 kcal of metabolizable energy (calculated). One cup (100 grams) provides 352 calories (Caloric content calculated using Modified Atwater Method)


Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Oat Meal, Pearled Barley, Ground Rice,Ground Millet, Ground Barley, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E)
Duck, Buffalo, White Fish, Natural Chicken Liver Flavor, Salmon Oil (a natural source of Omega-3, Docosahexaenoic Acid-DHA)*, Organic Alfalfa Sun-cured ground, Yeast Culture, Tomato Pomace Dried , Dried Egg,Organic Sunflower Seed Ground, Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride,
Choline Chloride, Lysine, Blueberry Dried, Cranberry Dried, Yucca Schidigera Extract,Inulin (from Chicory Root), Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Cinnamon, Marigold Dried, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei,Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex,
Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement,
Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3, Niacin, Lecithin, Riboflavin, Supplement, Biotin, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride,
Cobalt Amino Acid Complex, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite.

 

[sammydog]

What is the name of the new food?

I think that the ingredients look good, and I have heard great things about Merrick's in general, so I would say go for it!

 

[MyBentley]

Seems like they might do fine on it. Another option at a great price is Healthwise by the Natura Company (California Natural, Innova, EVO, Healthwise). My DD and her husband feed it to their dogs with great success. In our area it costs $36.50 for a 35 lb. bag. Plus, at 453 kcal/cup, you can feed less of it than some brands. It's sold in West Virginia, but I'm not sure if anyplace near you.

HealthWise Chicken Meal & Oatmeal Formula Adult Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages.

Extra Information:
Calories 1705 Kcal/lb
Calories 3650 Kcal/Kg
Calories 453 KCals/Cup


Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a Natural Source of Vitamin E), Pea Fiber, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Salt, Herring Oil, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Betaine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Beta Carotene, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Folic Acid), Minerals (Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate), Lecithin, Rosemary Extract

Guaranteed Analysis %:
Protein 25
Fat 15
Moisture 10

 

[fostermom]

I prefer a higher protein and fat content and more calories, but that's just my own preference for my dogs. The ingredients list looks pretty good. I feed Merrick's Puppy Plate to my foster puppies and they do really well on it.

The Healthwise food that MyBentley posted is more in line with what I like to feed my personal dogs. I have a local distributor that delivers food to my home and I pay about $1 per pound when I buy 70 lbs or more. Which only lasts me about 6 weeks or so. It's not the Healthwise food, but somewhat similar in GA and ingredients.

 

[Taz Monkey]

Ca Natural, Innova and Evo are readily available to me, but none of the other Natura products are. I wish they were. And I have access to TONS of other pet foods, but good lord dog food is expensive. When I was thinking about going and seeing that cockapoo, I had to sit back and realize that I was going to actually have to feed it when it got home so I declined.
I like more protein too, but for the time being do you think it would be ok?

 

[Bock]

The Merrick ingredients look good, but I would also like higher protein/fat percentages. I am currently feeding Healthwise (they have a chicken and lamb formula).

 

[Bock]

Ca Natural, Innova and Evo are readily available to me, but none of the other Natura products are. I wish they were. And I have access to TONS of other pet foods, but good lord dog food is expensive. When I was thinking about going and seeing that cockapoo, I had to sit back and realize that I was going to actually have to feed it when it got home so I declined.
I like more protein too, but for the time being do you think it would be ok?

If the other Nature products are available to you, I'm sure they would be happy to special order the Healthwise for you at no additional charge - you should ask. Many of the stores around here will do it.

 

[MurphyTeller]

I couldn't feed it - way too much chicken for my guys, but it looks like a decent food at a good price. What are the source of their ingredients, where is it manufactured and who manufactures it? If the answers to those questions were answers you felt comfortable with, by all means give it a try.
Erica

 

[Riley's Mom]

Riley has been eating the new Merrick food for a few weeks now. He seems to be doing fine on it. I can get it at my local pet store for $30 a bag. He was on Solid Gold for awhile because I could get that for the same price when it was on sale. It doesn't seem to go on sale anymore so I switched to this food. The name is Whole Earth something. I threw away the bag :doh:. It's not on Merricks website it has it's own site but of course since I threw away the bag I don't have that either.
I figure I will try a couple bags and see what happens.

 

[Taz Monkey]

Well Riley looks beautiful from your avatar picture! Let me know how he does on it because I'd really like to be able to save a few bucks without compromising quality.

 

[paula bedard]

Ike was on Merrick's Wilderness Blend for over a year due to food allergies. It was much more expensive than this formula you posted. [email protected] $60 a bag. I'm using Innova Red Meat now, but it's equally as expensive as the MWB. Seems that when I get away from soy, chicken, and corn the prices go way up.

Ike did very well on the Merrick Food\ we only switched because he's a finicky eater. I'm sure I'll feed the Merrick again, when he tires of the Innova.

 

[fostermom]

Give it a try! You'll know in about 6-8 weeks if everything works. One thing I would say to look at is the calorie content of the food you are currently feeding. You won't be saving money if you have to feed more food because they are losing weight. Just a thought.

 

[mylissyk]

Whole Earth Farms by Merrick, and it's on their website you just have to look hard for the link.

 

[Taz Monkey]

Taste of the Wild has 370 a cup and the Whole Earth Farms has 352, so not a huge difference. Although I have fed California Natural, Innova, Evo, Canidae, and now TOTW, and I have never strayed from the 2 cups a day feeding for Sage and Taz, and I was just looking at the vet records (my vet just introduced an awesome new thing on their website where we can log in and look at everything on our pets records and get email updates on who's due for shots and exams and stuff)) and neither Sage or Taz have had more than a 3 lb variance in weight in the last 3 years (for Taz), and 5 years (for Sage). So I think I'll be ok. I still have a whole bag of TOTW, but I think I want to try it next time and see what happens. At least with Sydney and Taz, I don't think I'll be able to take Sage off grain free.

 

[T&T]

List of company responses regarding the use of ethoxyquin as preservative ... FYI




http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/ar...ents-Not-Listed-on-Pet-Food-Labels/Page1.html


http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/articles/441/1/More-Pet-Food-Replies-to-Ethoxyquin-in-Fish-Meal-Question/Page1.html

 

[Taz Monkey]

Merrick Pet Foods
“Fish meal preserved with mixed tocopherols.”

And the TOTW they eat now is preserved with ethoxyquin. So its better in that respect I suppose. Even though Sage will continue eating the TOTW.

 

[Clhoie]

So I saw this while I was buying food yesterday. It's $36.99 for a 35 lb bag...which is wayyyyy affordable for me. .

Dang didnt take long for the price to go up on that online... its now 50$ a 30lb bag! i wonder why they raised the price by 15$

 

[Taz Monkey]

Well I never tried it, and didn't look at it last time I was getting food. Hopefully it didn't go up at the place I get my food.

 

[Bob Dylan]

My crew has been on Merrick for 3 years now. I switched because Dylan was having problems with allergies and Merrick wilderness was recommended and it helped, so I put the others on Merrick Cowboy Cookout.
I just found a site Doggiefood.com and for a 30lb bag I paid 40.00, if you spend 150.00 shipping is free.

 

[msdogs1976]

My crew has been on Merrick for 3 years now. I switched because Dylan was having problems with allergies and Merrick wilderness was recommended and it helped, so I put the others on Merrick Cowboy Cookout.
I just found a site Doggiefood.com and for a 30lb bag I paid 40.00, if you spend 150.00 shipping is free.

You would need several dogs to justify that. It would take 4 bags to get a free shipping order.