Your dog is showing you that she doesn't understand what her life is all about. You need to show her exactly what makes you happy and, from what you have said, she will be more than happy to make you happy.

This is an odd age for dogs. At six months she is a baby, but, she is also far too old to take advantage of the early "key" stages of development. You need to be very clear on what your objectives are at this stage. You have to be fair to the puppy and treat it in an age appropriate way.

Training classes at this stage are a waste of time and money.

(Again, I know this will be a statement of debate!

I know there are many out there who have gained results from classes. I have advised them myself... I am talking on the information given in this specific case. I am not putting classes down. On an individual level, and only on an idividual level, is how this advice is meant to be taken.)


On a case by case level not every dog and not every owner are the same.
If started in puppy class you wouldn't have these problems now. Your dog is now too immature and lacks the basic training to cope with a full blown class. To take this particular dog to a class is too much for the dog to cope with at the moment. It is expecting too much of the dog, the owner and the trainer.

The basics of dog training are to teach the dog what you want it to do in response to commands from you.
When you are sure, and I mean 100% sure (this is where most training fails), that your dog understands what it is supposed to do then the correction phase MUST come into being.
As the dog gets better at doing this you introduce different environments where you expect the dog to comply. In a perfect world you end up with a dog that will do whatever you say, as long as it has been taught properly. This is the distraction phase.

To take a pup that has no initial teaching phase into a VERY high distraction environment is, to me, unfair on both you and the dog. You will be discouraged with, what sounds like, a very willing and intelligent dog. Your dog is going to go hyper as she doesn't have the self control or experience to know who to listen to (this is the "respect" issue) and...
"Wow! You brought me to a place where there are loads of other dogs to play with, this is great!
Who should I talk to first?
That one?
No, that one is closer!
Oh - look I reaaaallly need to make contact over there!!
Are you still here?
Did you say something?
I can't decide!!!!"
Your dog is learning nothing other than life is frustrating and that nobody is making it better (i.e. - taking control).
My final advice on this is...don't go and buy a book.
Go to the library and read at least three or four - more if you read quickly. Order them if you have to.
You cannot find a quick answer and we don't all say the same thing.
(NO, REALLY????)
You have to find a way that you understand the principles behind, that you can follow on a day to day basis and that you can be consistent with. This may be a merging of several ideas - you may choose to follow one idea for barking, another for pulling on the lead, another for her biting you - that's fine. But to make a choice you must be informed and the only way to do this is to research.
At the end of the day you sound like a really nice person with a REALLY nice dog (unless you are not telling us something!!!). You have a smart dog and it is up to you what happens next.

One thing I didn't say is.....try talking to your class trainer. If they see that you know you have problems they may be willing to help you.

Please let us know what you decide to do and how it goes.
Good luck - she sounds like a doll - let us know how it goes, please.