Guiding Eyes for the Blind joined CBS Mornings live from the show’s New York City studio, on Wednesday September 2, 2026, to highlight the life-changing impact of guide dogs and the volunteers who help prepare them for success.
During the segment, Guiding Eyes graduate and Vice President of Philanthropy Rebekah Cross, accompanied by her guide dog Kokomo, shared how guide dogs empower people with vision loss to live with greater confidence and independence. She also emphasized the need for volunteer puppy raisers, who provide future guide dogs with the love, socialization, manners, and foundational training they need before entering formal guide dog training.
The segment also featured three black Labrador Retrievers who made their television debut as puppies on CBS Mornings during National Dog Day 2025. Appropriately named Gayle, Tony, and Nate, after hosts Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil, and Nate Burleson, the pups returned to the studio one year later, now bigger, more mature, and progressing on their journeys with dreams of becoming guide dogs.
Their stories began with familiar names and big dreams, but their continued success is made possible by the dedication of volunteer puppy raisers who help shape the future of every potential guide dog.
Hosts Gayle and Nate spoke with the puppy raisers gaining insight into the important role these volunteers play in preparing future guide dogs for success. Joining pup Gayle were puppy raisers Loring Holden and Becca Hunsicker from the Rhode Island region. Pup Nate was accompanied by Joan Kastenholz from the Westchester, New York, region, while pup Tony was joined by Brenda Anderson from the Southern Connecticut region.
As these future guide dogs continue their training, we are reminded that every life-changing partnership begins with a compassionate volunteer willing to give a puppy the best possible foundation.
Segment 1: Rebekah and Kokomo
Segment 2: Pups and Raisers with hosts
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Become a volunteer puppy raiser and help a future guide dog take the first steps toward changing someone’s life. Learn more about joining our puppy raising community today. For those unable to volunteer, please consider making a gift to support our mission.
