Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog (2004) on Netflix

Plot summary

Quill begins life in Tokyo as one of five puppies in a yellow Labrador litter, marked by a bird-shaped patch on his left side. A communication test selects him for guide dog work, and he is flown to Kyoto, where Isamu and Mitsuko Nii are puppy walkers who raise him for a year. At one he returns to trainer Satoru Tawada for guide dog training, where the basic skills come slowly but he proves excellent at waiting. Tawada then introduces him to Mitsuru Watanabe, a blind journalist who lost his eyesight and travels with a white cane, doubtful that a dog can help. After a first walk with Quill, Watanabe sees that he moves faster and more safely, and he starts training with English commands so the Japanese spoken around them does not confuse Quill.