🐾 Merrick vs. Wellness vs. Fresh Dog Foods: What’s the Best Choice for Your Pup? 🐾

Navigating the dog food aisle (or website) can be overwhelming, with so many options boasting different benefits. Merrick, Wellness, and Fresh Dog Foods like The Farmer’s Dog have all made their mark in the dog food world, but which is the best choice for your dog? Whether you’re focused on optimal nutrition, managing allergies, or simply finding a palatable option for picky eaters, this comprehensive guide will break down the key differences, strengths, and potential drawbacks of each brand.

Key Takeaways: Quick Answers to Merrick, Wellness, and Fresh Dog Food Questions 🐶

• Which is best for allergies? Fresh dog foods often provide the best solution, with fully customizable ingredients tailored to your dog’s sensitivities.
• Which is more affordable? Wellness is typically more budget-friendly than Merrick or fresh dog food, especially for long-term feeding.
• Is fresh food better for my dog? Fresh dog foods provide superior nutrition due to minimally processed, whole ingredients, but they come at a higher cost.
• Which is best for weight management? Fresh foods and Merrick’s Grain-Free Healthy Weight formula are ideal for keeping your dog at a healthy weight.
• Which is better for active dogs? Merrick’s Backcountry line and Wellness’ Core formulas are high in protein and ideal for active dogs.

🦴 Which is Best for Dogs with Food Allergies or Sensitivities?

Fresh dog foods, like those offered by The Farmer’s Dog, Nom Nom, or Ollie, stand out when it comes to catering to dogs with food allergies. These meals are typically custom-prepared and use simple, high-quality ingredients like real meat and vegetables, allowing you to avoid any allergens. Fresh foods are completely free from artificial preservatives, fillers, and grains, and many companies allow you to select proteins your dog can tolerate, which makes them perfect for dogs with severe food sensitivities.

Merrick offers an impressive range of limited-ingredient formulas, particularly in their Grain-Free and Limited Ingredient Diet (LID) lines. These recipes avoid common allergens such as grains, soy, and gluten, focusing on novel proteins like lamb and salmon, combined with simple carbohydrates like sweet potatoes. Merrick’s LID formulas are great for dogs with mild to moderate allergies.

Wellness also has a line dedicated to dogs with food sensitivities: the Simple Limited Ingredient Diet. These formulas feature just a few select ingredients to minimize the risk of allergic reactions. Wellness tends to use single animal proteins, such as lamb or duck, making it a solid choice for dogs with sensitivities to common proteins like chicken.

💡 Pro Tip: Fresh food allows you to customize your dog’s meals completely. If your dog has multiple allergies, fresh food provides the safest, cleanest option.

🍽️ Which Option is More Budget-Friendly for Daily Feeding?

For pet owners on a budget, both Merrick and Wellness offer solid options without sacrificing quality. Wellness tends to be more affordable than Merrick, especially in their Complete Health line, which balances nutrition with cost. Wellness products are widely available, making them a convenient and cost-effective choice for long-term feeding.

Merrick, while a bit pricier, uses premium proteins and whole food ingredients, particularly in its Backcountry and Grain-Free lines. These recipes focus on high-quality, deboned meats and minimal fillers, which come at a slightly higher price point but offer more specialized nutrition. Merrick’s Healthy Grains line is more affordable than its grain-free options and still provides a nutritious meal for your dog.

Fresh dog foods, while offering the best in nutrition, are generally the most expensive option. Companies like The Farmer’s Dog charge a premium for their human-grade, freshly prepared meals, which are customized for your dog’s specific caloric needs. For large dogs or multi-pet households, the cost can add up quickly, but the benefits in terms of nutrient quality are unmatched.

💡 Pro Tip: Consider using fresh food as a topper to kibble. This gives your dog the benefits of fresh, whole ingredients without the full cost of a fresh food diet.

🐕‍🦺 Is Fresh Dog Food Really Better for My Dog’s Health?

When it comes to overall health, fresh dog food leads the pack. Fresh foods from brands like The Farmer’s Dog are made with whole, unprocessed ingredients, which means the nutrients are more bioavailable and easier for your dog to digest. These meals are made with human-grade meat, vegetables, and essential supplements, ensuring a nutritionally balanced meal that supports your dog’s skin, coat, digestion, and overall wellness.

Merrick also offers high-quality ingredients, particularly in their Backcountry line, which features real deboned meat and freeze-dried raw components. These formulas are high in protein and provide a more ancestral diet that promotes strong muscle development, ideal for active or working dogs.

Wellness focuses on balanced nutrition with its Core line, which is protein-rich and grain-free, making it a great option for dogs that need higher energy levels but might not require the extra premium that fresh food provides. Wellness also adds superfoods like blueberries and spinach, which contribute to overall health and vitality.

While fresh dog food is nutritionally superior, Merrick and Wellness offer excellent alternatives for pet owners seeking quality without the higher cost or logistics of fresh food.

💡 Pro Tip: Dogs with sensitive stomachs or food intolerances often thrive on fresh food due to its lack of fillers, artificial ingredients, and preservatives.

🏋️ Which Option is Best for Active or Working Dogs?

Active and working dogs require more protein and fat to fuel their energy needs. Merrick’s Backcountry line is one of the best options for high-energy dogs, offering a high-protein, grain-free formula that features real meat like beef, salmon, and turkey. It also includes freeze-dried raw bits, which enhance flavor and offer additional nutrients for dogs that burn a lot of calories.

Wellness Core is another excellent choice for active dogs. This formula is grain-free and rich in animal proteins, with a focus on deboned turkey, chicken, and fish. Core also includes omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, and probiotics to support digestion, which is important for dogs expending a lot of energy.

For maximum nutrition, fresh dog food can’t be beaten. Fresh meals are high in bioavailable proteins and contain no fillers, meaning your active dog will get pure nutrition with every bite. The customization aspect allows you to ensure that your dog is receiving exactly the right balance of protein, fats, and carbs to fuel their high activity level.

💡 Pro Tip: Active dogs benefit from diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation and keep their joints and muscles strong. Both fresh foods and high-quality kibble like Merrick’s Backcountry line provide these essential nutrients.

📊 Merrick vs. Wellness vs. Fresh Dog Foods: A Comprehensive Comparison

🐾 Which Option is Best for Your Dog?

Choosing between Merrick, Wellness, and fresh dog foods depends on your dog’s specific needs, your budget, and the level of nutrition you’re aiming to provide. Fresh dog foods offer unparalleled nutrition and customization, making them the best choice for dogs with allergies or specific health needs, but they come at a higher cost. Merrick provides excellent high-protein, grain-free options for active dogs, while Wellness offers affordable, balanced nutrition that caters to a wide range of dietary needs.

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re hesitant to fully switch to fresh food, try using it as a topper with Merrick or Wellness kibble to boost nutrition without stretching your budget too far. 🐾

🐾 Comment: “How does Merrick’s grain-free formula compare to Wellness Core for dogs with food sensitivities?”

Merrick and Wellness both offer excellent grain-free formulas tailored for dogs with food sensitivities, but there are some key differences between the two. Merrick’s Grain-Free line is well-known for its focus on high-quality animal proteins, using real deboned meats like chicken, beef, and lamb, paired with nutrient-rich vegetables like sweet potatoes. This combination provides an easily digestible meal that avoids common allergens like grains, soy, and gluten. Merrick also incorporates glucosamine and chondroitin in many of its formulas, which is particularly helpful for supporting joint health in sensitive or aging dogs.

Wellness Core is similarly grain-free but has a stronger emphasis on being protein-dense while avoiding fillers like corn, soy, and wheat. Wellness often includes prebiotics and probiotics in its Core line to promote gut health, which is essential for dogs with digestive sensitivities. Wellness also focuses on using omega-rich ingredients like salmon oil and flaxseed, which support skin and coat health, a common concern for dogs with allergies.

Both formulas avoid grains and other common allergens, but Merrick may be a better fit for dogs needing joint support in addition to a grain-free diet, while Wellness Core offers enhanced digestive benefits due to its emphasis on gut health.

💡 Pro Tip: If your dog has chronic food sensitivities, it’s important to check whether they have issues with specific proteins as well. Both brands offer novel proteins like lamb or duck, which can be easier for sensitive dogs to digest.

🐕 Comment: “Is fresh dog food really worth the extra cost, or are Merrick and Wellness good enough?”

While fresh dog food offers top-tier quality and customizability, whether it’s “worth it” depends on your dog’s specific needs and your budget. Fresh dog food is typically made from whole, human-grade ingredients, with no processing that could degrade nutrient levels. Brands like The Farmer’s Dog and Ollie provide meals tailored to your dog’s caloric needs, health conditions, and allergies, ensuring the most personalized nutrition possible. For dogs with severe allergies, digestive issues, or specific dietary requirements, fresh food can be particularly beneficial because of its high bioavailability, meaning nutrients are more easily absorbed.

However, both Merrick and Wellness are considered high-quality kibbles, providing balanced nutrition through premium ingredients without the hefty price tag of fresh food. Merrick’s Backcountry and Grain-Free lines offer protein-rich, low-carb formulas that can support everything from muscle maintenance to digestive health. Wellness Core also delivers a high-protein, nutrient-dense formula that focuses on balanced fat and protein content to support overall wellness.

If your dog is thriving on Merrick or Wellness kibble, fresh food may not be necessary. However, for dogs with specific health needs or owners looking to provide the most wholesome, natural diet, fresh food stands out as a premium option.

💡 Pro Tip: You can combine fresh food with kibble as a topper to get the best of both worlds—offering the nutrition of fresh food without fully committing to its cost.

🐕‍🦺 Comment: “Which brand provides the best weight management formula: Merrick, Wellness, or fresh dog food?”

All three options—Merrick, Wellness, and fresh dog foods—offer formulas tailored to weight management, but each approaches it slightly differently. Merrick’s Grain-Free Healthy Weight formula focuses on lean proteins like deboned chicken and incorporates low-calorie, high-fiber vegetables like peas and sweet potatoes. This combination helps dogs feel full while consuming fewer calories, making it easier to manage weight without sacrificing nutrition.

Wellness Core Reduced Fat is another excellent option for dogs needing to shed a few pounds. This formula has 25% less fat than standard Wellness Core recipes but still includes high-quality proteins and healthy fats like flaxseed and salmon oil. The high fiber content from ingredients like lentils and peas helps support healthy digestion, which is crucial for weight management.

Fresh dog food offers perhaps the best weight management solution because it can be fully customized to meet your dog’s caloric needs. Many fresh dog food brands, like The Farmer’s Dog, create meal plans based on your dog’s weight, age, breed, and activity level, ensuring they get exactly the right number of calories to support healthy weight loss or maintenance. Because fresh food is typically lower in carbohydrates and uses whole ingredients, it can provide more effective weight control compared to traditional kibble.

💡 Pro Tip: If your dog struggles with weight, fresh food allows you to better control portion sizes and nutrient density, but for a more budget-friendly option, both Merrick and Wellness offer solid weight management formulas with lean proteins and high fiber.

🐩 Comment: “How does the protein quality in fresh dog foods compare to Merrick or Wellness?”

Protein quality is essential for maintaining your dog’s muscle health, energy levels, and overall vitality, and all three—fresh dog foods, Merrick, and Wellness—offer high-quality sources, but with some differences. Fresh dog food, such as The Farmer’s Dog, uses human-grade, whole proteins like real beef, chicken, turkey, or salmon. Because these proteins are minimally processed, they retain more of their natural amino acids, which support muscle development, skin health, and immune function. Fresh food also often includes organ meats like liver or heart, which are rich in vitamins and minerals that contribute to overall health.

Merrick focuses on using real deboned meat as the first ingredient in all of their recipes, especially in their Backcountry and Grain-Free lines. These recipes offer a high-protein content with ingredients like chicken, beef, and salmon, as well as freeze-dried raw components in some formulas, which provide a closer-to-raw protein source. Merrick’s protein sources are of excellent quality, but the processing involved in kibble means some nutrient loss occurs during production.

Wellness Core is another high-protein option, using deboned meats and fish meal to create a formula that supports lean muscle development. Wellness also adds omega-3 fatty acids from salmon oil and flaxseed, which enhances the overall protein quality by promoting joint health and reducing inflammation.

Fresh food stands out for its minimal processing, allowing the proteins to maintain their natural nutrient profile, but both Merrick and Wellness offer premium, protein-dense formulas for dogs that thrive on a high-protein diet.

💡 Pro Tip: If your dog is highly active or a working breed, you may see the best results with fresh food or Merrick’s Backcountry line, which provides protein in a form that’s more easily digested and utilized by the body.

🐶 Comment: “Which brand offers the best formulas for senior dogs?”

Senior dogs have specific dietary needs, especially when it comes to supporting joint health, digestion, and cognitive function. Merrick offers a Grain-Free Senior formula that includes glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support, along with L-carnitine, which helps support a healthy metabolism as your dog ages. The formula is designed to be lower in fat and calories to accommodate older dogs who may be less active but still need a balanced, nutritious diet.

Wellness Complete Health Senior is another excellent choice, focusing on probiotics for digestive health, along with added antioxidants like vitamin E and beta-carotene to support immune health and vision. This formula also includes glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, making it a well-rounded option for aging dogs that need joint and cognitive support.

Fresh dog food offers a unique advantage for seniors because it can be fully customized to address specific aging concerns, whether your dog needs fewer calories, more joint support, or ingredients that promote cognitive health. Many fresh food brands allow you to adjust portion sizes and ingredients based on your dog’s changing needs, providing fresh, easily digestible nutrition that can help seniors maintain their vitality.

💡 Pro Tip: For senior dogs, fresh food can be an excellent option, particularly because it’s easier to chew and digest. However, if you’re looking for a high-quality kibble, Merrick’s Grain-Free Senior and Wellness’s Senior formulas are also strong choices that cater specifically to aging dogs’ needs.

🐾 Comment: “Is Merrick or Wellness better for dogs with sensitive skin?”

When it comes to dogs with sensitive skin, both Merrick and Wellness offer tailored formulas that can significantly help, but they approach the issue with slightly different strategies. Merrick’s Limited Ingredient Diet (LID) line is particularly beneficial for dogs with sensitive skin. By focusing on single-source proteins like lamb, turkey, or salmon, paired with simple carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, Merrick reduces the likelihood of food-related triggers that could contribute to skin irritation or allergies. The high omega-3 content from salmon and flaxseed also helps to promote a shiny, healthy coat and reduce skin inflammation.

Wellness, on the other hand, addresses skin sensitivities with its Simple Limited Ingredient Diet and Core RawRev formulas. Wellness emphasizes using whole proteins and healthy fats, particularly from sources like flaxseed and salmon oil, which are rich in omega fatty acids that support skin health. The Wellness Core RawRev line, which includes freeze-dried raw meat alongside kibble, provides a diet closer to what a dog might naturally eat, boosting the skin’s health from the inside out by reducing inflammation and providing natural oils.

Ultimately, both brands are excellent choices for dogs with sensitive skin, but Merrick may have the edge with its Limited Ingredient Diet if your dog needs an even more simplified ingredient list. Wellness Core is an excellent option for dogs needing additional protein and fat to maintain coat health.

💡 Pro Tip: Look for dog foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can significantly improve dry, irritated skin. Both Merrick and Wellness include these essential nutrients, but adding a fish oil supplement can further enhance the benefits.

🐕 Comment: “How does the palatability of fresh food compare to Merrick and Wellness?”

When it comes to palatability, fresh dog foods like those from The Farmer’s Dog or Ollie tend to outshine both Merrick and Wellness, particularly for picky eaters. Fresh food is made with whole, unprocessed ingredients, which means the texture, aroma, and flavor of real meat and vegetables are more pronounced, making it more appealing to dogs. The higher moisture content in fresh food also contributes to its palatability, as it enhances the natural taste and makes each meal more satisfying for dogs that may turn their nose up at dry kibble.

That said, Merrick and Wellness are also known for producing highly palatable kibble, particularly because they both focus on using real deboned meats as the primary ingredient. Merrick, in particular, includes freeze-dried raw pieces in some of its formulas (like the Backcountry line), which add an extra element of flavor and texture. The raw bits appeal to dogs that enjoy a more meaty, rich flavor. Wellness Core RawRev similarly incorporates freeze-dried raw meat, elevating the meal’s appeal to even the pickiest dogs.

If your dog is notoriously finicky, fresh dog food is likely to be more enticing. However, both Merrick and Wellness offer great options for kibble lovers, especially with their freeze-dried raw inclusions.

💡 Pro Tip: For picky eaters, consider mixing fresh food with their regular kibble to boost flavor and introduce more variety without fully transitioning away from kibble.

🐕‍🦺 Comment: “Is there a major nutritional difference between Merrick’s raw-infused formulas and fresh food?”

The primary difference between Merrick’s raw-infused formulas and fresh dog food lies in the processing methods and the freshness of ingredients. Merrick’s Backcountry Raw-Infused line features high-protein kibble combined with freeze-dried raw pieces. These raw pieces provide a nutritional boost, as raw foods contain natural enzymes and nutrients that are often lost in the high-heat processing of kibble. This is a great compromise for pet parents who want to add raw elements to their dog’s diet without fully switching to raw feeding.

However, fresh dog food takes it a step further by offering meals that are not processed in the same way kibble is. Fresh food, like The Farmer’s Dog, uses human-grade ingredients that are gently cooked at low temperatures, preserving the natural nutrient profile of the food. The result is a meal with higher bioavailability—meaning the nutrients are easier for your dog’s body to absorb—leading to improved digestion, healthier coats, and more energy. The lack of preservatives, additives, and fillers in fresh food further distinguishes it from raw-infused kibble.

While Merrick’s raw-infused formulas certainly offer benefits in terms of adding raw nutrition to a kibble-based diet, fresh food offers the advantage of using minimally processed, whole ingredients that are nutritionally closer to what a dog would naturally consume.

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re interested in adding raw components to your dog’s diet but don’t want to fully commit to raw or fresh feeding, Merrick’s Backcountry line provides a balanced, high-protein option that blends the convenience of kibble with the benefits of raw.

🐶 Comment: “Which brand offers better support for digestive health, Merrick or Wellness?”

Both Merrick and Wellness have crafted formulas to support digestive health, but they approach it with slightly different ingredients and focuses. Merrick’s Limited Ingredient Diet (LID) and Grain-Free lines are excellent for dogs with sensitive stomachs, as they feature easily digestible proteins like turkey and salmon, along with simple carbohydrates like sweet potatoes. Merrick also includes probiotics in their formulas, which helps promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria and reduces the risk of digestive issues like gas, bloating, or diarrhea.

Wellness, however, takes digestion a step further with its Core and Simple Limited Ingredient lines. Wellness is known for adding probiotics and prebiotics to its recipes, which significantly enhances gut health by promoting good bacteria growth and improving nutrient absorption. In addition, Wellness uses high-fiber ingredients like peas, lentils, and flaxseed to help regulate digestion and keep stool firm.

While both brands offer support for digestive health, Wellness may have the upper hand with its added focus on gut-friendly ingredients and higher fiber content, which is beneficial for dogs with chronic digestive issues.

💡 Pro Tip: If your dog suffers from frequent digestive upsets, adding a probiotic supplement to their diet—alongside either Merrick or Wellness—can help improve digestion and prevent gastrointestinal issues.

🐩 Comment: “Can fresh food improve my dog’s coat and skin health more effectively than Merrick or Wellness?”

Yes, fresh dog food has the potential to improve your dog’s coat and skin health more effectively than traditional kibble because of the use of whole, unprocessed ingredients that retain their natural nutrients. Fresh dog food brands, like The Farmer’s Dog, are rich in high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which directly support skin hydration and coat shine. The minimal processing ensures that these essential nutrients are more bioavailable, meaning they’re more easily absorbed by your dog’s body and put to use in maintaining a healthy coat.

While both Merrick and Wellness incorporate omega-rich ingredients like salmon oil, flaxseed, and chia seeds into their kibble, the cooking process involved in making kibble can degrade the quality of these fats, reducing their overall efficacy. That being said, Merrick’s Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato formula and Wellness Core Ocean formula are both excellent kibble options for supporting coat and skin health, with an emphasis on using high-quality fish proteins and oils that promote healthy skin.

If your dog is struggling with dry skin, excessive shedding, or dull coat, switching to fresh dog food can often yield faster and more noticeable results because of the higher fat content and preserved nutrient quality.

💡 Pro Tip: Dogs with severe skin issues may also benefit from a fish oil supplement, which can provide concentrated omega-3s to help reduce skin inflammation and promote a glossy coat.

🐾 Comment: “Which brand provides better joint support for older dogs: Merrick, Wellness, or fresh food?”

For older dogs, joint support is critical in maintaining their mobility and quality of life. Both Merrick and Wellness include key ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin in their senior formulas, which help to protect and repair cartilage, reducing the risk of arthritis and joint degeneration.

Merrick’s Grain-Free Senior Recipe is designed with high levels of glucosamine and chondroitin, making it an excellent choice for older dogs who may already be showing signs of joint discomfort or stiffness. Additionally, Merrick uses deboned chicken as the first ingredient, ensuring a protein-rich formula that helps maintain lean muscle mass, which is essential for supporting joints.

Wellness Complete Health Senior is another fantastic option for senior dogs. It focuses on balanced nutrition and includes high levels of omega fatty acids from sources like salmon oil and flaxseed, which not only help with joint health but also reduce inflammation that can exacerbate joint pain. Wellness also adds probiotics and fiber to promote digestive health, which can be particularly beneficial for seniors dealing with slowed digestion.

When it comes to fresh dog food, the benefits for joint health come from the use of whole, minimally processed ingredients. Fresh meals often incorporate high-quality proteins like beef or turkey and include natural sources of collagen and omega-3 fatty acids, which are incredibly beneficial for supporting joint lubrication and reducing inflammation. While fresh food doesn’t typically include synthetic glucosamine and chondroitin like some kibble, the natural nutrients in fresh meat and bones can support overall joint health in a more holistic manner.

💡 Pro Tip: For senior dogs, combining a glucosamine supplement with either fresh food or high-quality kibble like Merrick or Wellness can provide the most comprehensive joint support, ensuring your dog remains active and comfortable in their later years.

🐕 Comment: “Is it safe to rotate between fresh food, Merrick, and Wellness? Will it upset my dog’s digestion?”

Yes, it is generally safe to rotate between fresh food, Merrick, and Wellness, but the key is to do so gradually to avoid causing digestive upset. Dogs’ digestive systems can be sensitive to sudden changes in diet, particularly when transitioning between the higher moisture content of fresh food and the denser texture of kibble.

If you plan to rotate between these types of food, it’s best to follow a slow transition schedule. Start by mixing a small portion of the new food (about 25%) with your dog’s current food, gradually increasing the ratio of the new food over 7 to 10 days. This allows your dog’s gut flora to adjust and reduces the risk of diarrhea, vomiting, or other digestive issues.

Many dogs benefit from a rotational diet, as it introduces a variety of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, providing a more balanced nutrient profile over time. Fresh food adds a high moisture content and unprocessed ingredients, while kibble like Merrick and Wellness provides convenience and probiotics for gut health.

💡 Pro Tip: If your dog has a sensitive stomach, consider starting with a blend of fresh food and kibble before transitioning entirely to one or the other. This can help smooth the process and keep their digestion stable.

🐕‍🦺 Comment: “Does Wellness or Merrick have better options for dogs with high energy needs compared to fresh dog food?”

Both Wellness and Merrick offer fantastic options for high-energy dogs, but they take slightly different approaches compared to fresh dog food. For dogs that need extra fuel for activities like agility training, hiking, or other endurance sports, the protein and fat content of their food is critical.

Merrick Backcountry stands out for its high-protein, grain-free formulas that feature freeze-dried raw pieces mixed in with high-quality kibble. This combination provides a boost of digestible protein and healthy fats from real meats like deboned beef, chicken, and salmon. The raw pieces in the Backcountry formula mimic a dog’s ancestral diet, providing extra energy and muscle support for dogs that need it.

Wellness Core RawRev is another excellent choice for high-energy dogs. Like Merrick, it includes freeze-dried raw meat along with kibble, delivering a rich, protein-heavy diet that supports muscle development and sustained energy. The omega-3 fatty acids from fish also help maintain joint and muscle health, which is especially important for dogs engaged in high-impact activities.

Fresh dog food offers a more bioavailable source of nutrients, which can be easier for a dog’s body to absorb and use efficiently. Brands like The Farmer’s Dog create customized meal plans that are tailored to your dog’s specific energy requirements, ensuring they get exactly the right balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. For very active dogs, fresh food provides superior digestibility, meaning more of the nutrients are absorbed and used for muscle repair and energy production.

💡 Pro Tip: For very active dogs, you can combine fresh food with high-protein kibble like Merrick Backcountry to ensure they’re getting the energy and muscle support they need for strenuous activities.

🐶 Comment: “What’s the best food for dogs prone to obesity: Merrick, Wellness, or fresh dog food?”

For dogs prone to obesity, the key is a diet that offers high-quality protein without excess calories, along with enough fiber to help them feel full between meals. Both Merrick and Wellness offer formulas designed for weight management, and fresh dog food can also be a great option for controlling weight.

Merrick’s Grain-Free Healthy Weight formula is specifically crafted for dogs that need to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. This recipe is made with deboned beef and includes L-carnitine, which helps to boost metabolism and burn fat. It’s also high in fiber from vegetables like sweet potatoes, which help your dog feel full while keeping calories low.

Wellness Core Reduced Fat is another excellent choice. This formula is made with 25% less fat than the standard Wellness Core recipes but still provides plenty of protein to maintain muscle mass. The inclusion of high-fiber ingredients like peas and lentils ensures that your dog stays satisfied between meals, helping to curb over-eating.

Fresh dog food is also highly effective for weight management because it can be customized to your dog’s specific caloric needs. Fresh food typically has a high moisture content and includes real, unprocessed ingredients, making it easy to control your dog’s portions while ensuring they receive balanced nutrition. Since fresh food uses only whole ingredients, it’s often lower in calories and free from fillers, which can contribute to weight gain in some kibble formulas.

💡 Pro Tip: If your dog is struggling with weight, consider splitting their daily food intake into smaller, more frequent meals. This can help maintain a stable metabolism and prevent begging or overeating.

🐩 Comment: “Are there any downsides to feeding fresh food compared to kibble?”

While fresh food offers many benefits—such as higher nutrient absorption, better digestibility, and customized meal plans—there are a few potential downsides to consider compared to kibble like Merrick or Wellness. One of the most significant challenges is the cost. Fresh food, particularly from premium brands like The Farmer’s Dog or Ollie, tends to be more expensive than kibble, which can be a concern for owners feeding large dogs or multiple pets.

Another factor is convenience. Fresh food requires refrigeration or freezing, and you need to serve it within a specific timeframe to ensure it stays fresh. Kibble, on the other hand, is shelf-stable and far more convenient for pet owners who need a quick, easy feeding option. Fresh food also tends to have a shorter shelf life, so you’ll need to order it more frequently.

However, the nutritional benefits of fresh food—such as improved coat health, more energy, and fewer digestive issues—can outweigh these downsides, especially for dogs with specific dietary needs.

💡 Pro Tip: If the cost or storage of fresh food is a concern, you can use it as a topper with Merrick or Wellness kibble, giving your dog the benefits of fresh food while keeping feeding more affordable and convenient.