Wanting a walk, Hope waits for her collar and leash.

Hope, our Amish puppy mill girl, has been free of the mill for two years, after having spent five years in it. Recently, she gave me more anticipation of her becoming a normal dog.

Hope loves to go for walks and gets excited when you ask her if she wants to have one.

After I asked her if she wanted to go for a walk, I started putting on shoes. Jake and Windy, my dachshunds, came up to me. Hope joined them. All were excited. I petted Jake and Windy. I put my hand out, palm up, to Hope. She sniffed and nibbled my fingers. What a breakthrough!

Nibbling fingers may not seem like much to most folks, but when we brought Hope home in September 2009 she would not come out of a crate. At one point to get her out I had to unscrew the top off of the crate.

I doubt she will become a snuggle bunny like Jake and Windy, but slowly her trust issues are fading.