story by MANDY HOWARD | photos courtesy of SHOWTIME CANINES unless otherwise noted
Banshee is on the sidelines, waiting patiently for her cue. Ears cocked and tail wagging, it’s almost time for her to dazzle the crowd. The applause, the attention and, yes, the treats, are all fantastic rewards for her acrobatic prowess, but at this moment, all she can think about is how far she’s come since she was left for dead.
One of the stars of Showtime Canines, Banshee is now part of a team filled with brothers and sisters who were rescued from similar situations. Once starved, abused, and left with a broken tail, Banshee now embodies the very definition of second chance that Showtime Canines is all about. Because, while on the surface Showtime Canines is a high-flying, action-packed spectacle for dog lovers, the organization is about something much deeper. It’s about resilience, courage, and never leaving a man (or dog) behind.
Founded by Army veteran and lifelong canine enthusiast Alyssa Grubbs, who works hands-on with the performers in the show, Showtime Canines has quickly gained recognition for promoting advocacy through entertainment. The performances are fast-paced and family-friendly, featuring Frisbee catches, agility runs, acrobatics, and trick routines that keep audiences cheering. But woven throughout every performance is the message Grubbs has spent her entire life trying to share: rescue dogs are capable of extraordinary things.
“We’re all about high-energy entertainment with heart,” she says. “I wanted a show that was not just entertaining, but also carried a message about rescue dogs, second chances, and what dogs can do when someone believes in them.”
A Leash-Led Journey
For Grubbs, the work is deeply personal. Originally from Pennsylvania, she began volunteering at shelters at just eight years old and was studying dog-training methods by 13, aiming to challenge stereotypes surrounding rescue animals. She adopted her first dog as a teenager, and only months later the pair qualified for a world championship competition.
“I really wanted a way to show people that not all rescue dogs are bad,” she explains. “Most of the time they end up in shelters through no fault of their own.”
Grubbs’ path eventually led her into the Army, where she hoped to become a dog handler. Fate had other plans and she spent six years serving as a medic. After leaving the military, she began performing with canine entertainment companies across the country before eventually creating Showtime Canines.
While traveling and working, Grubbs and her husband Daniel, also an Army veteran, looked for their ideal forever home. What better place than this dog-adoring area of North Carolina? The couple recently relocated to the Triangle after purchasing what Grubbs calls their “dream property” for the dogs. Along with running Showtime Canines, they have also taken ownership of Next Level Pet Resort in Henderson and Lickskillet Pet Resort in Warrenton, where they hope to create enriching spaces for dogs and their owners alike.
For the Grubbs family, dogs are at the heart of everything they do, and they extend that same care and love to each pet that enters their care, no matter how long they stay.
Showtime Canines dazzles crowds with high-octane performances. Owner Alyssa Grubbs appears in select images as their human counterpart, guiding the action. BELOW: Stryker, Echo, and Banshee at the “Good Morning America” studios, playing it cool before their national TV moment.
Turning Struggle Into Stage Presence
Unlike many professional canine stunt teams that primarily feature highly specialized breeds like border collies, Showtime Canines intentionally embraces variety. From terrier and German shepherd mixes to doodles, dachshund mixes, and countless combinations in between, the team is made up of dogs of all kinds. Each dog brings a different personality and background, something Grubbs says makes the performances special.
“[What makes Showtime Canines unique] is our deep passion for rescue and our wide variety of dogs,” she says. “I truly believe that with love and guidance, most dogs can learn to do tricks and develop the confidence to perform.”
That philosophy extends into the training style at Showtime Canines where Grubbs focuses on building trust and making training feel like play.
Her unconventional approach even changes how she introduces new dogs to training. While many trainers start with basic commands like “sit,” Grubbs often teaches “spin” first because it helps dogs learn how to follow lures and engage positively with the process. The result is a team of dogs that genuinely enjoy performing because it feels like a continuation of games they play with “mom” all the time.
That was certainly true for Banshee.
When Grubbs first met her, the cattle dog mix was terrified. Severely malnourished and traumatized from abuse, Banshee struggled to trust humans. Rebuilding her confidence required time, consistency, and endless compassion.
Now, Banshee is one of the stars of the show. “She is unstoppable and one of the MVPs of our team.” Other dogs have presented different challenges. Whiplash, a McNab/Aussie/border collie mix, tested Grubbs’ patience in an entirely different way. “He has so much trouble focusing and controlling his impulses. I just never gave up.”
Today, Whiplash serves as a demonstration dog during training sessions at their kennel business, proof that difficult beginnings do not determine outcomes. When asked what advice she’d give to people nervous about adopting a rescue dog—whether their nerves are based on anxiety about the dog’s background or the inability to train older dogs—Grubbs’ reply is simple. “I tell them to come see my show,” she says with a smile.
Showtime Canines regularly performs at fairs, festivals, schools, libraries, halftime events, and community gatherings across the country. They have even been featured on “Good Morning America” and in Rachael Ray In Season magazine.
The Heart of a Pawfect Match
For families considering adoption, Grubbs hopes the performances help challenge the assumptions many people hold about shelter dogs.
“I think it’s really important to pick a dog that matches your lifestyle,” she says. “Many behavior problems come from an unfulfilled dog.” For example, she continues, if a family is not very active, they should not choose a dog that is bouncing around in the kennel.
She encourages fostering as a way for families to find the right fit. “If you can, I highly recommend fostering dogs and when you find the right match, you can just ‘foster fail’ and keep it.”
Her broader message is simple: rescue dogs are not “broken.” Some may need patience.
Some may need their confidence rebuilt. But many simply need someone willing to believe in them. That belief has transformed not only the dogs, but Grubbs herself.
“Working with dogs has taught me that patience, consistency, and kindness go a long way with people too,” she says. “Dogs don’t learn through frustration, and honestly, people don’t either.”
It is a philosophy audiences can feel when they watch the shows. The dogs are not performing out of fear or obligation. They are running, jumping, spinning, and flying through the air because they are having fun alongside the humans they trust most.
Perhaps that is why the performances resonate so deeply. Beneath the excitement and spectacle is something profoundly hopeful: a reminder that healing is possible.
A dog once abandoned and abused can become a star. A frightened animal can learn confidence again. A rescue dog dismissed by others can inspire entire crowds.
As the music swells and Banshee finally sprints into the spotlight, the crowd sees an athlete soaring with joy and confidence. Grubbs just hopes people remember that dogs like Banshee are everywhere, waiting to be welcomed into loving homes.
Catch Showtime Canines at the Spay & Neuter Music Festival in Warrenton on September 26. For additional performances and a closer look at each of the dogs, visit showtimecanines.com.
Featured image of the entire cast, powered by applause and paid in treats, is courtesy of Susan Madrigal Photography
