Tails and Tones41: How Does Your Dog Eat? The Full Story Behind Élevé
TL;DR Five words at Piper's first physio session changed everything: "How does your dog eat?" In this solo episode, Mariska Nell tells the full story of Élevé, the modular elevated food and water system built around her French Bulldog Piper, from cardboard prototypes and an honest look at the research to a trip to the factory in Shenzhen and what it will take to launch on Kickstarter in January. Host Bio: Mariska Nell is the founder of Tails & Tones and host of the Tails and Tones podcast. She is a designer based in Dubai who has spent more than a year designing Élevé alongside vets, canine physiotherapists and more than 30 tester dogs. Her French Bulldog Piper, a rescue born with a cleft palate who has had more surgeries than any dog should, is the brand's Chief Paw-duct Tester and the reason Élevé exists. Takeaways: Dogs are very good at hiding pain. Piper wasn't limping or crying, but she flinched when a new vet examined her shoulders. It took almost a year of vet visits, acupuncture, physio and red light therapy, and more than $2,500, to get her into less pain. How your dog eats is worth watching. Piper ate off the floor, bending all the way down for every piece. Over an average 12-year life, that is around 8,000 meals of the same movement. The research on bowl height is thin, and a lot of what you read online is written by people selling elevated bowls. The studies linking raised bowls to bloat looked at large and giant deep-chested breeds, so owners of big dogs should talk to their vet first. Flat-faced dogs work hard to eat and breathe at the same time. A 2018 study from a UK referral hospital found French Bulldogs, Bulldogs and Pugs had 3.77 times the risk of aspiration pneumonia compared with other breeds. None of the experts said higher is better, or that every dog needs an elevated bowl. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Ellie Lederer (Ep 36), Amanda Smith (Ep 33) and Dr. Laurie McCauley (Ep 29) all point to the same thing: find the posture that is kind to your dog's body. Élevé was shaped by Piper, who picks up her food one piece at a time and eats calmly when it is spread out. Prototypes were 3D printed and tested with more than 30 dogs, filmed meal by meal, to choose the first five inserts, including a fork-function insert called The Piper. Tails & Tones is starting its own study with a veterinary expert, measuring how dogs carry weight between their front and back legs while eating from different setups. The first round, with about 20 dogs, is due by the end of the year. Élevé is modular: a base layer, a double layer with two stainless steel bowls, a single layer for the inserts, and one-inch extenders, so the height changes with your dog instead of the bowl. It is designed for small and medium dogs, especially flat-faced breeds. At the factory in Shenzhen, Mariska turned down a protective coating that many pet products use, because it wears off over time into the dog's food. Stain testing with turmeric and spirulina is underway, and if the Cloud Dancer colour stains, followers will vote on a slightly darker option. Élevé launches on Kickstarter in January at $129 (retail $199). The campaign needs 1,550 backers to reach its $200,000 goal, and production takes around 90 working days after funding. A fully refundable $1 deposit reserves the Kickstarter price now. Relevant links mentioned in the episode: Reserve Élevé for $1 and lock in the $129 Kickstarter price here Episodes mentioned: Episode 27 dog feeding posture Episode 29 with Dr. Laurie McCauley Episode 33 with Amanda Smith Episode 36 with Dr. Ellie Lederer Sign up to our Tails and Tones waiting list for our first product, Élevé (Elevated Food and water System) here Find Tails and Tones on our socials: Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / LinkedIn / Website Review the podcast on Podchaser Timestamps to relevant points within the episode: [00:00] Intro: "How does your dog eat?" [02:06] Piper's story and the twitch at a routine vet check [03:56] Dr. Ellie Lederer: dogs show pain differently [05:06] The physio question and 8,000 meals [07:27] Mealtime frustrations from 100+ dog parents [11:09] What the research says (and doesn't) about elevated bowls and bloat [12:37] Flat-faced breeds and aspiration pneumonia [13:51] What the experts told me: Dr. Ellie, Amanda Smith and Dr. Laurie [16:23] Testing with cardboard, books, the windowsill and Daisy [18:07] Testing with 30+ dogs and choosing the first five inserts [18:46] Our weight-distribution study [19:38] A vet physio's honest review [19:59] What makes Élevé different: the shape and modular height [23:57] Who Élevé is designed for, and big dogs [25:47] The inserts, including The Piper [29:51] "$129 for a bowl? Are you mad?" [32:27] The $2,500 year, and why mealtime matters [33:20] How Élevé compares with other elevated bowls [35:16] "Dogs ate off the floor for thousands of years" [36:00] Visiting the factory in Shenzhen [38:02] Why we didn't choose the cheapest factory [38:57] First look at the prototype: magnets, base and inserts [41:08] Saying no to a protective coating [42:48] Testing the double-bowl layer [43:33] The moulds, and the most expensive dog bowl in the world [45:57] The honest bit: $200,000, 1,550 backers and Kickstarter [48:11] What is Kickstarter? [48:53] Three ways to help, and why $1 [51:19] "Can't you make it cheaper?" The highs and lows [53:51] Outro: watch your dog eat tonight FAQ Does every dog need an elevated bowl? No. None of the experts Mariska has interviewed said every dog needs one, or that higher is better. The goal is a posture that is kind to your dog's body: your dog should be able to walk up to the bowl, put their head down, and reach the food without stretching down or up. If your dog has a health condition, ask your vet first. Do elevated dog bowls cause bloat? The studies that linked raised bowls to bloat (GDV) were done on large and giant deep-chested breeds such as Great Danes. If you have a large dog, check with your vet before raising their bowl. Élevé is designed for small and medium dogs. Why do flat-faced dogs struggle at mealtime? Brachycephalic breeds such as French Bulldogs, Pugs and Bulldogs work hard to eat and breathe at the same time, and deep, curved bowls make it harder to reach their food. A 2018 study from a UK referral hospital found these three breeds had 3.77 times the risk of aspiration pneumonia compared with other breeds. What makes Élevé different from other elevated dog bowls? Most elevated bowls come at one fixed height with one bowl and perhaps a slow-feeder option. Élevé's height adjusts with stackable layers and one-inch extenders, its shape is wider and shallower so dogs don't dip deep to reach their food, and its inserts are swapped to match your dog's eating style as it changes. Why does Élevé cost $129? Each layer needs its own large steel mould, every piece is finished and checked by hand, and the materials are premium: food-grade silicone, stainless steel and non-porous glass. Over a small dog's 8,000 lifetime meals, $129 works out to under two cents a meal. What is the $1 reservation, and is it refundable? A $1 deposit at presale.tailsandtones.com locks in the $129 Kickstarter price (retail will be $199) and gives you access to the VIP Facebook group and the Ultimate Dog Sitter Pack. It is fully refundable. When will Élevé ship? Élevé launches on Kickstarter in January. If the campaign reaches 1,550 backers, production takes around 90 working days from funding, so roughly four months. About the Author: Mariska Nell Mariska is the founder of Tails and Tones, a design-led, sustainable dog product brand. She's also the host of the Tails and Tones podcast, where she explores dog health, product design, and intentional pet parenting with experts, veterinarians, and fellow dog parents. Background: Mariska holds a Master's degree in Sustainable Design, a Bachelor's in Interior Design, and a Postgraduate qualification in Environmental Science. She's spent over 10 years working as a sustainability designer and strategist across the UAE, Australia, South Africa, the UK, and India. Her previous work includes collaborations with brands like Nespresso, Costa Coffee, and Dubai Airport, and she founded Design By Mariska, known for trash-to-treasure art exhibited at Dubai International Airport. She's also the host and founder of Mama Earth Talk, a sustainability podcast with 200+ episodes on zero waste and climate action, featuring guests including Dr. Sylvia Earle and the late Dr. Jane Goodall. She created the free Living Lighter course for practical sustainable living. Piper: Mariska shares her life and work with Piper, her French Bulldog rescue dog. Piper joined the family in 2021 at 5 months old and has been the Chief Paw-duct Tester for everything Tails and Tones creates. Piper's journey, including cleft palate repair, luxating patella, arthritis risk, and recent mobility challenges, directly shaped the founding mission of Elevé (Tails and Tones' first product: a modular, height-adaptive feeding system). Mission: We are on a mission to help modern dog parents simplify everyday care and elevate life with their pets, without sacrificing style or sustainability. Tails and Tones exists to build products that show up for dog parents, beautiful, sustainable, and robust enough to support you on the worst days. Not just the easy ones. You can find Mariska at @tailsandtones on Instagram, or visit tailsandtones.com to learn more about Elevé and the Tails and Tones mission.