Meet the Team

Brian Ponder

Owner & Professional Dog Trainer in Fort Worth, TX

Brian was born and raised in Fort Worth. Some of his fondest memories growing up was spending time with his family pets. He had a German Shepherd that would walk him to the bus stop and go home when he got on. (and would be waiting for him when he got back!). For Brian, there always seemed to be a deep connection between him and dogs. In his free time, he would train his dogs to do different tricks that would impress family and friends.

Brian graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Columbia Southern University in Alabama. After years of working as a stock broker and day trader, Brian realized he was ready to pursue a new career in an area that he found more rewarding. Since he had always enjoyed teaching and talking to people about dog behavior, it seemed like a natural progression to become a professional dog trainer. Brian enrolled in the Training and Behavior Specialist program at the prestigious Starmark Academy in Hutto, TX. He was immersed in a world of dogs with hands-on training in everything, from obedience and behavior modification to nose work and agility. Brian has trained many dogs for the Canine Good Citizen certification including his own. He is working on being a CGC instructor and enjoys doing service dog work, as well as agility with his own dogs.

Brian decided to join the trainers at Canine Trade Group for additional support and to create a business partnership with a nationally recognized training network. Brian graduated the rigorous trainer’s course that Canine Trade Group offered, and he became certified to at Heart of Texas Dog Training. Brian continues to expand his dog training education, working with other professional trainers, veterinarians, and behaviorists through Canine Trade Group.

Kristen Flora

Head Trainer & Manager

Kristen was born and raised in New Jersey. From a young age Kristen loved animals. Her family always knew she would grow up to be involved with animals in some way. She was always rescuing and caring for all sorts of different pets.  Kristen has always had a passion for all animals and has spent her life dedicated to them. While Kristen has owned everything from rats to horses, dogs have always been her favorite. Her first dog, Frankie, is a Pug that was rescued from a pet store.  Since then her canine family has included 4 other dogs; Layla, Hera, Jaxx and Theo.  

She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Animal Biotechnology and Conservation.  She also has an Associates degree as a Veterinary Technician and has worked as a Vet Tech for ten years. Kristen recently became involved in dog rescue in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.  She has saved, fostered, and found forever homes for 5 dogs in the past year. 

Kristen’s training career started when she began working with and training primates. Since then animal behavior has become a huge passion for her which led her to Heart of Texas Dog Training and Canine Trade Group.  Through Canine Trade Group Kristen was able to complete a professional dog trainers course in Washington D.C. where she trained a rescue puppy named Ryker, and several other dogs.  She is certified to help address all behavioral issues, including aggression. She is very excited to start this new journey in her life. 

Animals, behavior, and training have always been her passions and through Heart of Texas Dog Training and Canine Trade Group she will now be able to share it with the world. 

Julio Nater

Professional Dog Trainer in Dallas, TX

Cat Petrus

Professional Dog Trainer in Fort Worth, TX

Cat is from North Louisiana and has been handling dogs all of her life. She has worked in shelters, boarding facilities, and animal hospitals. Caring for animals has always been a part of her life and career. Five years ago she started training dogs full time and hasn’t looked back. It has always been her true passion to help dogs and their owners reach their training goals.

Cat owns 4 dogs, a Catahoula, a chiuhuha, a mini dachshund and a doberman mix. When she isn’t seeing clients she love spending time playing with and training them.

David Burnett

Professional Dog Trainer in Houston, TX

David’s passion for dog training began at an early age while growing up in Western Kentucky. Raised around working dogs, he gained hands-on experience training Beagles and Labrador Retrievers for hunting and Great Pyrenees for livestock protection. Those early experiences laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to understanding canine behavior.

After moving to Houston in 2018, David entered the professional dog training industry at just 18 years old and has since helped countless owners build better relationships with their dogs. He specializes in working with reactive, fearful, insecure, and aggressive dogs, using balanced behavior modification techniques to create lasting, real-world results.

David believes successful dog training is about more than changing a dog’s behavior—it’s about teaching owners how to communicate clearly and confidently with their dogs. Every program focuses on educating clients, giving them the knowledge and skills needed to maintain their dog’s progress long after training is complete.

Whether he’s helping a family with a new puppy or rehabilitating serious behavioral issues, David is dedicated to creating reliable, confident dogs and empowered owners throughout the Houston area.

Montreal Lewis

Professional Dog Trainer in Houston, TX

Montreal Lewis is a professional dog trainer with years of hands-on experience helping dogs and their owners build lasting relationships through clear communication, structure, and consistent training. Since beginning his professional training career in 2019, he has worked with puppies, family companions, and working breeds, creating customized training programs that deliver reliable, real-world results.

Montreal is passionate about helping every dog reach its full potential. From basic obedience and puppy development to resolving challenging behavior problems, he believes every dog deserves the opportunity to become a calm, confident, and well-mannered companion. His training approach combines balanced methods with individualized instruction, ensuring each program is tailored to the dog’s temperament, learning style, and the owner’s goals.

For Montreal, successful training goes beyond teaching commands, it creates lasting communication and trust between dogs and their owners. His goal is to give families the knowledge and confidence to maintain their dog’s progress long after the training program is complete, resulting in happier, more enjoyable lives together.