A name can say a lot about a business, and A Cut Above Pet Grooming & Boarding hopes to prove that is the case.

The business specializes in pet grooming and officially opened on June 6 at its location at 201 6th Street S. in Clanton.

Nicole Cannon is the owner and groomer of A Cut Above. She has been grooming for eight years and always knew that she wanted to work with animals ever since she volunteered at the Montgomery Zoo as a 12-year-old.

“I wanted to have a place where the dogs like to come to get a groom,” Cannon said. “We try and make it where it’s fun and not a scary thing.”

The inside of the building includes a playroom, grooming area, as well as rows of suites in the boarding portion.

“It’s always hard to leave your dogs somewhere, so we wanted everyone to feel comfortable,” Cannon said. “If I wouldn’t do it to my dog, I won’t do it to anyone else.”

A Cut Above offers cage free boarding with “suites” that are built to provide extra room and comfort.

“They have their own space with enough room for a bed and a toy,” Cannon said. “It’s not so stressful.”

There are suites for dogs of every size in addition to two “big daddy” suites

“They (big daddy suites) are like a day at the Hilton,” Cannon said. “With senior dogs or dogs who may have a little more anxiety, it is really nice.”

Dogs and cats are both welcome to be boarded, with a special room designed solely for cats.

According to Cannon, she is in the process of putting soundproof doors on the room so that the cats are not disturbed by the sound of dogs barking.

Cat trees, scratching posts and hideaways provide options for a cat to spend its time without the worry of dogs.

Cannon is in the process of fencing in a yard at the back of the building that will eventually include pools and room for the dogs run.

“We’re growing as we go,” Cannon said.

Another addition in the works is the plan to install webcams, so that pet owners can check in and view their pet in their suite or the common area at all hours of the day.

The wiring has already begun and looks to be completed within the next 30 days.

“It will cut down on the worry and hopefully give a piece of mind,” Cannon said.

The future projects and additions seem endless, which makes it easy to forget that A Cut Above has only been open just over a month.

“At the end of the day, even if I’m stressed out at the end of the day, I can always just grab a poodle and cuddle,” Cannon said. “There’s always that little escape and you remember that’s why you do it.”