About Uptown Pup
Welcome to Uptown Pup! We use the latest and best in canine science to create the happiest, healthiest home-away-from-home for dogs in Indianapolis. Our Dog Boarding Resort & Dog Grooming Salon use proven Adaptil Dog Appeasing Pheromones (DAP) to promote calm and reduce stress. In addition, Resort guests enjoy Through a Dog’s Ear music and enriching activities for all personalities. And our Dog Daycare program offers lots of social play, doggie games, and boredom-busting challenges. Lastly, our Dog Training Team is Karen Pryor Academy certified and adhere to proven positive-reinforcement methods.
But our strongest asset is our staff. The Uptown Pup team has extensive animal care experience and a passion for dogs. In addition, our owners and management team are Fear–Free certified and Pet Tech Canine CPR & First Aid-certified. And our entire staff is trained through the renowned Dog Gurus system.
The Uptown Pup Team
Owners
Mandy Stetzel, Owner
Mandy has loved dogs for as long as she could talk. (One of her first words was “dog” — you can ask her parents.) After a lifetime of owning dogs, she began studying them and working in the animal welfare field. Knowing dogs bring so much joy to our species, she created Uptown Pup to offer dogs as much joy in return. Mandy is Canine CPR & First-Aid certified and Fear-Free Boarding certified. Most importantly, she’s the proud owner of three rescue dogs (and a rescue kitten who grew up at Uptown).
Kathleen Schonsheck, Owner
Kathleen is a lifelong dog lover with 10+ years experience in the daycare, grooming, and shelter worlds. In addition, she has a background in human rehabilitation and personal training. She founded Uptown Pup with a mission to create a wonderful place for dogs and their owners. After becoming a Certified Canine Fitness Trainer in 2018, she now enjoys helping dogs live longer, healthier lives.
Uptown Pup Managers
Katie Spruill, General Manager
Katie is a graduate of Karen Pryor Academy and a Fear-Free certified dog trainer. As a result, she has an incredible gift for understanding canine psychology. And her years as a trainer allowed her to improve the life of every pup she meets. With her incredible skills in dog training, it came as no surprise that she’s equally adept at managing humans. She transitioned to our General Manager in 2022. Our staff knows Katie as the human equivalent of a ray of sunshine. She’s the proud owner of dogs Havoc and Gypsy, and her goal is to empty animal shelters everywhere.
Brooke Neace, Assistant Manager
Brooke began working with dogs in 2016, when she found her passion for positive-reinforcement training. After running our Day School and Boarding School programs, she transitioned to Assistant Manager of Uptown Pup. As with Katie, Brooke’s ability to teach, train, and manage wasn’t limited to one species, so skills and strengths make our facility stronger and better in every possible way. She’s the proud mom of dogs Koda and Shoo, and welcomed son Cass to the world in 2024.
Jimmy Maxwell, Lead Trainer
Jimmy began his life as a dog trainer in 2010, when he and his lab Lambeau became a search-and-rescue team. He quickly learned the power of positive-reinforcement training, and he used those skills in search-and-rescue & service-dog training throughout the country. With 9 years experience working with youth, Jimmy has a heart for dogs and people. He is a graduate of Karen Pryor Academy and charter member of Hoosier State Search and Rescue. He lives in Speedway with his wife Kelli, daughter Ellie, and their pups Kodi and Copper.
Uptown Pup Front Desk
Bree Reeves, Front Desk, Event Coordinator, Daycare, Resort
Bree has a B.S. in Exercise Science from U of Indy and is working toward her Masters in Special Education. Her experience working with children in ABA Therapy and as a nanny, plus her amazing personality, make her her an asset to our team. While she works in daycare, resort, and as event coordinator, she’s best known for her bubbly Front Desk presence. Bree is Fear Free certified and owns her own pet-sitting business, SitBarkSleep. And she’s working on adding dog training to her skillset. She’s the proud mom of Bruno, a gorgeous boxer/pitbull/chow mix, and Whiskey and Tequila, tortoiseshell siblings.
Resort Team
Josiah Cox, Resort Lead
Josiah started in the veterinary assistant field, and we happily recruited him to our team. His calming presence and genuine compassion help in even the toughest situations. In addition, his skill-set and experience make him incredible at what he does. He loves working with dogs because they’re unconditionally loving. And he finds it especially rewarding to work with the shy and nervous pups. He knows under that anxious shell, there are tail wags and love waiting to emerge. As dad to a spoiled pittie mix and drooling cat who thinks he’s a dog, Josiah is a gift to every animal!
Hannah Kern, Resort
Hannah has an eternal passion for animals and desire to learn more about them. She started working with dogs in 2018 and fell in love with watching them learn and grow. Her favorite part of this job is giving them all the comfort and happiness they deserve. And she especially enjoys helping nervous and stressed dogs come out of their shells. Her ultimate goals are to become a dog trainer and open her own boarding and training facility. She’s the mom to a 3-year-old pittie mix, Bruno, who loves bubbles, balls, and snuggling with his kitten sister.
Daycare Team
Bekah Worpel, Daycare
Hello! My name is Bekah, and I relocated to Indy in 2023. I have a lifelong background with dogs, having begun my involvement in training service dogs for Leader Dogs in 2011. My decision to work with dogs stems from a deep love and passion for animals. Working with dogs is one of my favorite things because they are so loving, loyal, and goofy. I know I’m always going to be smiling while I’m with them. My long-term goal is to become a service dog trainer. I’m the proud owner of family dogs Princess and Ziva.
Olly Day, Daycare
Olly was 8 when his family adopted their first rescue pup, and the love for dogs was ignited. The pup could be spicy and required patience, which Olly understood and grew to love and bond with him. Then in 2021, he began working with dogs and loves watching them grow from puppies to awkward teens to confident adults. Olly is currently studying psychology and working toward a Masters in social work. And he hopes to incorporate therapy dog work into his profession. He’s the owner of Juno, a Dane mix who does no wrong, and Toby, a dachshund who brings eternal chaos.
Shep Burke, Daycare
After walking dogs and volunteering at his animal shelter in high school, Shep began working in a dog hotel in 2021. He quickly fell in love with every breed there. To put it lightly, he adores everything about working with dogs (minus the poop-scooping, of course). His goal is to be a service dog trainer and help those in need. He’s the proud owner of Panda, who received angel wings in 2024, Jean-Luc, a pittie with a head full of “rocks and love,” and Bambi, the sweetest husky mix ever.
Multitaskers
Caitlin Golder, Training, Daycare
After reading Karen Pryor’s Don’t Shoot the Dog, Caitlin focused her desire to work with animals on training and behavior. She earned her Karen Pryor dog training certification, and we’re so lucky to have her on our team! Caitlin brings broad experience with her, including years working at zoos, aquariums, and 13 years of dog experience. The list of species she’s skilled with include sea turtles, sea lions, seals, dolphins, otters, wolves, foxes, parrots, horses, and crows. Her favorite part of the job is helping owners achieve the “aha!” moment when dogs show us how smart they are. She is the proud mama of her dog, Calypso.
Blythe Mongeau, Front Desk, Resort, Daycare
Blythe joined Uptown Pup because she wanted to work with people who truly prioritize the well-being of pets. She’s worked with dogs in shelters, rescues, training, grooming, and even other daycares, so her superpower is understanding dog language! With her passion for helping fearful and reactive dogs, she’d like to become a veterinary behaviorist and help dogs heal from trauma. She and her husband have 6 children and 3 standard poodles: Caesar, Titan, and Apollo. Her ultimate goal is to make the world a better place and be the light that reflects Jesus in the world.
Enrichment Team
Meg Owens, Enrichment, Tummy Rub Club
Meg was one of the original motivators behind launching Uptown Pup, so we wouldn’t be here today without her. She works with our Enrichment, Resort, Little Dog Daycare, and Tummy Rub Club guests. She never stops providing our dogs with love, attention, and positivity. Her long history with dogs began as a toddler, when she helped care for her first family dog. From there, she adopted her dogs Wynnie, Mokey, Rolo, and now Piper, the most perfect cocker spaniel ever.
Abigail Wooten, Resort
Her long-time dream of working at a dog daycare came to fruition when Abigail joined Uptown Pup in 2024. Growing up with pets ignited her interest in animals. And her ultimate goal is to study business in college and open her own dog daycare and grooming facility. Abigail’s favorite part of the job is spending one-on-one time with the dogs. She’s exceptional at giving unconditional love and attention to them. While she’s the only deaf member of her family, Abigail’s entire family speaks ASL. And she’s inspired multiple members of our staff to learn it! And she’s the proud owner of one dog (Katy) and two cats (Foley and McKenzie).