Hard dog food provides several benefits to you and your dog. Kibble helps clean a dog’s teeth and can be stored easily. It also promotes firm stools, and is quite less expensive compared to soft dog food. Switching your dog’s food from soft to hard kibble should be done gradually.

Start by placing 2/3 of your dog’s soft meal in his food bowl. Read the label of the hard dog food and determine how much he should be given for one meal. Measure a quarter of the recommended amount of dry dog food, and mix it with the soft food. Give this mixture to your pet at this ratio for at least six days.

Once you start giving this diet, make sure to watch your pet for signs of digestive upset including diarrhea, vomiting, or constipation.

You should also go on a “poop patrol” to see if there are any effects on his feces. If he exhibits any abnormal signs, maintain his meals on the same mixed percentage, until the symptoms subside. You are now ready to move to the next food ratio.

For the next four days, feed your dog a ration composed of half soft food and half kibble.

After four days, change to a ratio of 25 percent soft dog food and 75 percent kibble for the next four days. On day 13, your dog’s ration should all be composed of kibble.

Know more about your dog's nutritional needs by visiting a Cedar Rapids veterinary clinic. Check out this link.