Meet the Owner - Steve Kugler
Founder of Paws and Polish
101st Airborne Division · Infantryman Paratrooper · Certified Flight Instructor · Mobile Pet Groomer serving Dallas–Fort Worth
U.S. Army
101st Airborne Division — Infantryman Paratrooper
Liberty University
Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics
Certified Flight Instructor
FAA-certified CFI & commercial pilot
Licensed & Insured
Fully licensed mobile pet grooming business in Texas
From Fort Campbell to DFW Driveways
Steve Kugler served as an Infantryman Paratrooper with the storied 101st Airborne Division — the Screaming Eagles — where he learned that showing up on time, doing the job right, and never cutting corners are not optional. Those values did not stay at Fort Campbell. They came home with him, and they are built into every appointment at Paws and Polish.
After his military service, Steve earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from Liberty University and went on to become a certified flight instructor and commercial pilot. The same precision required to fly and teach others to fly — attention to detail, calm under pressure, methodical execution — is exactly what he brings to every dog he grooms.
Paws and Polish is not a franchise or a corporate chain. It is a veteran-owned small business built from the ground up by someone who has served, studied, and earned every credential the hard way. It started as a in-home service and is expanding to a premiere Mobile Pet Grooming service with professional grade equipment and certified groomers.
Background & Experience
U.S. Army — 101st Airborne Division
Infantryman Paratrooper
Served with the 101st Airborne Division, one of the most decorated units in U.S. military history. As an Infantryman Paratrooper, Steve completed airborne training and served in a role that demands physical toughness, split-second decision-making, and absolute reliability under pressure.
Liberty University
Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics
After his service, Steve pursued a rigorous academic program in aeronautics at Liberty University — one of the top aviation programs in the country. The degree combined flight training, aviation science, and the kind of disciplined study that military life prepares you for.
FAA Certified
Certified Flight Instructor & Commercial Pilot
Steve earned his FAA certifications as both a commercial pilot and a certified flight instructor (CFI). Teaching others to fly demands patience, precision, and the ability to stay calm when things do not go as planned — skills that translate directly into working with dogs of every temperament.
Paws and Polish Mobile Pet Grooming
Owner & Lead Groomer — Dallas–Fort Worth, TX
Steve launched Paws and Polish to bring the same standard of excellence he held in uniform and in the cockpit to pet care in DFW. Cage-free, one-on-one, mobile grooming that comes directly to your door — built on the belief that your dog deserves the same level of professionalism you would expect from any other service.
What Military Service Builds
Punctuality Is Non-Negotiable
In the 101st Airborne, being late is not an option. That standard carries into every appointment. When Steve says he will be at your door at 9 AM, he will be at your door at 9 AM.
Precision From the Cockpit
Flying an aircraft and instructing others to fly demands a level of attention to detail that most professions never require. Every groom reflects that same precision — nothing is rushed, nothing is overlooked.
Calm With Every Dog
Paratroopers and flight instructors both train to stay calm when the situation is stressful. Anxious dogs, first-time groomers, senior pets — Steve has the patience and composure to handle them all.
Accountability, Always
If something is not right, Steve makes it right. No excuses, no runaround. The same accountability that military service demands is the standard he holds himself to with every client.
Serving Veterans and Families Across DFW
Serving communities throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, including:
Book with a Veteran You Can Trust
Cage-free, one-on-one mobile grooming that comes directly to your door. Serving all of Dallas–Fort Worth.