Uptown Pup: A Pampered Puppy Getaway

Writer & Photographer / Jessica Lollino

Tucked away in Broad Ripple is the cutest little getaway for your pet — Uptown Pup.

An eco-friendly doggie daycare, resort and spa, Uptown Pup has made caring for your four-legged friend a holistic experience. Walking into Uptown Pup, you immediately feel the intimate, resort feel. Lots of light and natural colors and fibers greet you as the staff welcomes you and your pup warmly. It doesn’t feel overcrowded or loud, in fact, all of the dogs seem quite calm, though happily excited by your visit.

What makes Uptown Pup different from other pup-franchises in the area may be their owners, Amanda Stetzel and Kathleen Schonsheck.

Their team is made up of dog advocates who understand that dogs need a little extra TLC when their owners are away.

“We use pheromone therapy, sound therapy, aroma therapy, anything that has science behind it to make dogs happy and calm,” Stetzel says. “We use it in our grooming room and we use it in our hotel. We use music in our hotel that is designed especially for dogs. So, we make sure their boarding experience is really relaxed and calm and their daycare experience is engaging and fun and interactive and social. In our grooming room, we use top-of-the-line grooming equipment. We use low noise, low heat grooming equipment so the puppies aren’t stressed. We just love on them as much as possible.”

Once you visit, you see their honest love of dogs is what motivates every part of their doggie oasis.

Some of the apparent differences you’ll notice are in their daycare. The staff at Uptown Pup keep the big dogs and the little dogs separate during daycare because they play differently. This is just one of the many ways Uptown Pup understands the needs of their tail-wagging clients.

They also make sure that the pups are always engaged and playing in a group or have task-oriented games and toys at their disposal. They have bubble time so they can chase flavored (and completely safe) bubbles to their hearts content as well as play and tumble on agility equipment. Always guided by staff, play groups stay small to maximize attention and safety. They even have special canine grass in their outdoor space to keep pups both happy and healthy.

If you are planning a little getaway, why not give your pup the same at their own resort? All the Uptown Pup suites have raised beds, scientifically-backed aromatherapy and sound therapy to keep doggies happy and calm and use only eco-friendly and dog-friendly cleaning supplies. You can add on daycare or the Tummy Rub Club (one-on-one play sessions with staff) for an extra charge, among other amenities.

If you are missing your snuggle-buddy, you can even schedule Skype sessions to see and chat with your favorite furball. Doggies’ families can also stay together in the suites.

Uptown Pup also partners with other Indiana animal welfare agencies to temporarily foster some dogs, like a sweet pup named Shirley, that have a stressful time being in shelters while waiting for their forever home. You can adopt these fostered dogs at Uptown Pup.


Both the owners and staff members all have some sort of animal welfare background.

“It’s everything we do,” Stetzel says. “We never want to stop reading about dogs, we never want to stop learning, we never want to stop working with the rescues out there. It’s who we are, and it’s what we do.”

It’s more than a commitment to their business but a commitment to community and animal welfare as well.

Cat-lovers will have to stay tuned. While there is a plan for a kitty community, it’s a little further down the road.

You can contact Uptown Pup at 317-757-8509 or through their website uptownpupindy.com. Remember to book as early as you can for their services. Your sweet pup doesn’t want to miss out on this specialized and lovable dog resort.

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