From jail to world competitor, dog groomer ‘a cut above’

Austin had spent much of his childhood homeless, raised by a mother who struggled with addiction. And several years after he had to give away the pit bull, he found himself serving six months in jail due to a gang-related altercation. Barely 18, Austin said the experience forced him to re-evaluate his life.

“It was a complete nightmare. I was an 18-year-old and going and spending six months in Santa Rita [Jail] was not a vibe,” he said. “It scared me straight.”

Soon after his release, Austin secured an entry-level dog grooming job at PetSmart and, for the first time, got excited about a potential career path.

“I still had the young troublemaker look to me, but the dogs didn’t judge me,” he said. “That was a big deal to me. The dog industry is full of people that have had a hard time or trauma because they heal people.”

It’s also where he met his now-wife Katie.

“I didn’t even have a dog growing up, but I was always finding ways to be around them,” she said.

Fast forward nearly 20 years later and both Austins have racked up countless national and international awards and travel the world to conduct trainings and compete in events such as World Groom, considered the Olympics of dog grooming.

A couple weeks ago, the Austins opened a second location of their grooming salon, A Cut Above Grooming, in San Mateo. The location is also frequented by their two dogs, a standard Poodle named Helios, and Karma, a Scottish terrier, both of whom compete in grooming events.

While grooming services are typically available in national pet chain stores, Katie Austin said she was surprised at how few options were available in the area for dogs with specialized grooming needs and those who need grooming for competitive purposes. The Austins have made a point to employ those who either have a national master certification or are in the process of completing one.

Nathan Austin has also amassed an impressive social media following from posting grooming tips and tricks, especially useful for owners who may not understand their dogs’ unique needs. While some view it as a cosmetic expense, he said it’s actually critical for their overall health and well-being.

Nathan Austin said he tries to approach apprehensive or reactive dogs the same way that he was treated when he first started grooming — with patience and without judgment.

“You get to build these relationships with these dogs, and I get to make them pretty and see them at their best,” he said. “They’re just so healing.”