Plucking hair from inside a dog's ear canal is a job groomers still do by hand, because clippers cannot safely reach where the hair actually grows on breeds that don't shed it naturally. The problem is mechanical rather than medical: wet, oily ear hair slips between the fingers, and a slipping grip means more pulls to finish the job.

Hatchwells' answer is a powder rather than a tool. Dusted onto the hair before plucking, it takes up the moisture and oil on the strands so fingers or forceps can get a proper hold, which in turn means fewer, cleaner pulls rather than repeated tugging at the same patch.

• 90g tub
• Grooming powder, formulated specifically for grip when plucking
• Used before plucking, not as a treatment for the ear itself
• Made by Hatchwell
• Sold under DOG&CAT H&H, so intended for both

What the label does not say. Hatchwells haven't published what the powder is made from or how much to use per ear, so this listing can only tell you what it's for, not its ingredients or a dose. It is a grip aid, not a treatment — if the ear itself looks sore, red or smells before you start, that's a reason to stop and see a vet rather than carry on plucking.

Who it's for: owners and groomers who pluck ear hair by hand on breeds that grow it inside the ear canal, and want better purchase on the hair than fingers alone give.