Paw pads are skin, and skin cracks when it is worked hard and dried out. Winter grit and salt do it, hot summer pavement does it, and so does a long run over rough ground. Most owners notice after the fact, when the pads have gone from smooth and slightly tacky to pale and rough around the edges. A balm is the boring, effective answer, and it works best used before the cracking rather than after.

This is a 30g tin, applied by massaging a thin layer into clean, dry pads. The massaging matters more than the quantity: it works the balm into the ridges instead of leaving it sitting on top, and it buys you a minute to feel between the toes for splits, grass seeds and trapped grit you would otherwise miss entirely. It absorbs without leaving a slick, and it suits dry noses and elbows too.

• 30g tin
• Massage into clean, dry paw pads
• Absorbs without a greasy residue
• Also suitable for dry noses and elbows
• Use before and after walks in salt, snow or heat

Two things worth knowing. A balm soothes dryness and leaves a light barrier. It does not treat a wound, a burn or an infection, and a pad that is bleeding, swollen, or that your dog will not put weight on, needs a vet rather than a tin. Dogs also lick their paws, so give it a couple of minutes to sink in and distract your dog while it does.

Who it's for: Owners whose dog's pads roughen up through winter or summer, and anyone wanting a simple, cheap after-walk routine.