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Alpo vs Merrick

Alpo vs. Merrick

In this comparison article for Alpo vs Merrick, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Alpo and Merrick, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.

Throughout this Merrick vs Alpo comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Alpo Review Page or Merrick Review Page.

Guaranteed Analysis: Merrick vs. Alpo

According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.

All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.

Alpo Dog Food vs. Merrick Dog Food

Dry Dog FoodAlpoMerrick
Crude Protein20.5%35.9%
Crude Fat9.7%17.2%
Crude Fiber6.5%4.2%
Wet/Canned Dog FoodAlpoMerrick
Crude Protein46.5%43.9%
Crude Fat13.9%21.1%
Crude Fiber8.3%8.3%

Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food

Protein is an extremely important part of your dog's diet. Without sufficient protein, dogs can develop a wide-range of serious health problems.

When you look at the average percentages of crude protein for dry dog food, it's clear that Merrick provides significantly more protein. On average, Merrick guarantees about 15.41% more protein than Alpo. For wet dog foods, Alpo typically provides a little more protein (about 2.60% more).


Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food

Fats are an absolutely vital component of a balanced canine diet. Not only do fats provide energy, but they also serve important roles in the normal development and function of your dog's body. For example, fats help dogs produce prostaglandins, which reduce inflammation among many other significant functions.

Our analysis shows that Merrick guarantees 7.52% more fat than Alpo dry dog food recipes. In addition, Merrick wet dog foods also provide more fat than Alpo wet foods.


According to our data, Alpo guarantees 2.31% more fiber than Merrick. Although this difference is relatively small, it's still a notable difference. For wet dog foods, Alpo and Merrick provide roughly the same amount of fiber.

Alpo Pet Food Ingredients vs. Merrick Pet Food Ingredients

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Alpo.

Liver
Poultry
Meat Meal
Ground Wheat
Wheat Gluten
Animal Digest
Garlic Powder
Soybean Flour
Corn Germ Meal
Corn Gluten Meal
Meat By-Products
Ground Yellow Corn
Chicken By-Product Meal
Hydrogenated Corn Syrup

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Merrick.

Garlic
Canola Oil
Pea Protein
Caramel Color
Meaty Femur Bone
Powdered Cellulose
Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)

We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.

Alpo and Merrick both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Alpo.

Bha
Bht
Red 3
Blue 1
Blue 2
Red 40
Yellow 5
Yellow 6
Added Color
Red 40 Lake
Yellow 5 Lake
Yellow 6 Lake
Bacon Fat (Preserved With Bha And Citric Acid)

Product Safety: Recall History of Alpo & Merrick?

According to our records, Alpo has never been recalled.

Merrick has been recalled 6 times.

  • Jan. 28, 2011: Salmonella
  • Aug. 8, 2011: Salmonella
  • July 2, 2010: Salmonella
  • Aug. 3, 2010: Salmonella
  • Aug. 13, 2010: Salmonella
  • May 23, 2018: elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone

Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?

Wet Dog FoodAlpoMerrick
Per Pound$4.38$5.97
Per Calorie$0.0116$0.0126

The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.

If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Alpo or Merrick, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.

Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Alpo or Merrick will depend on your shopping habits.

Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Alpo and Merrick. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.


Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!

Where To Buy Alpo Pet Foods

You can purchase Alpo pet foods from the following stores:


2 Recipes In-Stock Today

10 Recipes In-Stock Today

Where To Buy Merrick Pet Foods

You can purchase Merrick pet food products from these retailers:


136 Recipes In-Stock Today

107 Recipes In-Stock Today

104 Recipes In-Stock Today

17 Recipes In-Stock Today

Type Of Pet Foods Available

ProductAlpoMerrick
Dry Dog Food2 Recipes53 Recipes
Wet Dog Food8 Recipes58 Recipes
Dog Treats9 Treats35 Treats
Dry Cat FoodNone18 Recipes
Wet Cat FoodNone50 Recipes
Cat TreatsNoneNone

Top Rated Alpo Recipes

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Top Rated Merrick Recipes

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Purrfect Bistro Salmon Pate
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