Kibble — a dog bowl staple since 1956. Dry kibble makes a distinctive sound as it falls into your dog’s bowl and chances are the sound sends your dog running at you. There’s nothing like the magical tinkle of kibble, as least far as your dog is concerned.

Kibble specifically refers to food that has been commercially produced via extrusion or other heating methods. However, dehydrated dog food is also hard and dry. It is similar to kibble in that it often comes in small pellet shapes. There are various types of dehydrated or freeze dried products on the market as well — these products are also dry, but not as hard as dehydrated or kibble.

No matter what type of dry food is in your dog’s bowl, maybe you’ve noticed your dog hesitating over breakfast, or not diving in as fast as it used to.

There can be a few reasons for that: your dog isn’t feeling well, your dog is having a dental issue making it hard to chew, or the food is unappetizing. While you should rule out any health concerns with your vet, there are a couple of easy things you can try to make kibble easier and possibly even more delicious to eat.

If you’re in a hurry and want to see if your dog is rejecting the food based on texture, not taste, pour some warm water over the food and let it sit until it’s soft and mushy before giving it to your dog.

Otherwise, try some easy tactics to soften the dry food, add nutrition, and make it taste better.