The failure that puts people off training pads is not absorbency, it is the puddle that tracks out from under the edge and across the floor while the pad itself looks dry. That happens when a thin core saturates in one spot and stops drawing sideways. A thicker core spreads liquid outwards through the pad before it reaches capacity, which is the difference between a clean lift-and-bin and ten minutes with a mop.

These use a heavier absorbent layer than a standard pad, drawing moisture down away from the surface and holding it as gel so the top stays dry and paws do not carry it through the house. A deodorising layer works on the ammonia smell that builds between changes, which is what makes an indoor toilet corner tolerable in a flat. They lie flat on hard floors, sit in a pad tray or line a crate, and five sizes cover anything from a utility corner to a puppy pen.

• Thickened absorbent core holds more than standard pads
• Moisture locked away from the surface to prevent tracking
• Deodorising layer for the smell between changes
• Five sizes: XS, S, M, L and XL
• Use flat, in a tray, in a crate or by the door
• Disposable, for training, recovery, travel and old age

On sizing and habits. Worth knowing too: a puppy trained onto pads has learned that going indoors is allowed, and that takes unpicking later. If you have garden access, pads are best kept for nights and emergencies rather than as the main plan.

Who it's for: Anyone house-training a puppy in a flat, nursing a dog through crate rest, or managing an older dog who can no longer wait.