Speaking of Silence

Have you ever been in a relationship where even the silence is a way of communicating with the other person? When Sonya and I are walking we actually don't have very much verbal communication. In fact, the only time I say anything to her is to remind her to be good as we pass other dogs so she can get a treat. I have been trying to improve her doggy manners by rewarding her for good behavior. In the past she has always skipped over the sniffing and gone right to tackling and chasing other dogs. She is very playful, but not every dog we meet wants to play, and not every dog walker wants to be at the end of a tangled leash - myself included. Which brings me to the way Sonya and I really communicate on our walks - via the leash.
Sonya's leash is red and has a matching collar. The collar is three-quaters nylon weave and one quarter choke chain. Her leash is six feet long and made of the same nylon material that the collar is made from. There are hooks at both ends of the leash. One hooks onto Sonya's collar at the chain. The other hook is on the loop end that I sometimes hold and sometimes attach to my belt loop. This frees up my hands for other tasks that require plastic bags.
It is amazing how much information passes through six feet of nylon mesh. Without a sound she knows when I want her to stop for traffic, and I know when she wants to stop and smell the daily news. I can pull back slightly to make her slow down or I can turn her in one direction or another. We each determine, in some part, the direction the walk will take. Sonya starts off the walk in whichever direction catches her fancy and about half way I turn and head us for home. I know when she is happiest as she is far ahead of me and my arm is stretched out with the leash taught in front of me. When we are getting near home and the end of the walk the leash suddenly drags on the ground and she slows to a casual stroll alongside of me.
Eventually for some relationships, the silence is just that, silent. On my walks with Sonya the silence gives me time to think through my day, or plan for the future, or listen to music. There is no need for words when we are walking. As long as we have the leash the line of communication is always open between us.