[dantevalentino]

about a year ago i adopted a 1 year old, neutured, toy rat terrier.
he had been living in a small apartment, with an owner who was working 50 hours a week.
this means he pretty much had free rein of the place. he peed and pooped all over the house all the time.

he was doing really well here with me for about the last 9 months.
but for the last 3 months something has swayed him, and he will spend 3 hours outside holding it,
and then come inside and pee and poop EVERYWHERE.
i am patient with him. my husband is NOT.
so far i have tried:

crate training him
following him outside and rewarding outside potties
puppy training floor pads
spray bottle squirts when i catch him in the act

NOTHING has worked, and i am feeling helpless, and very frusturated..
does anyone have any advice or ideas for me! please!

[Buttercup]

Can you tell us how the things you've tried so far have failed? For example, what happened when you tried to crate train him? How did it not work out?

[skelaki]

"The Five Things You Must do to Housebreak Any Dog In A Hurry
Every professional dog trainer knows that there are five keys to succesfully housebreaking your dog. Ignore any of these five keys and you'll be dooming yourself to many extra months of housebreaking misery.
1.) Correct the dog any time he has an accident in the house if you catch him in the act. Keep him confined to either a crate, or a dog run outside when you can't supervise him.

2.) Praise the dog anytime he eliminates outside.

3.) Establish a specific spot, and a command you repeat (such as "Get busy!") while you're waiting for him to eliminate outside.

4.) Set up a rigorous feeding and watering schedule, and take him out immediately after he does both.

5.) Use an odor neutralizer, such as a product called "Nature's Miracle" (you can buy this at your local pet store, or through a mail order catalog.) You'll need to make sure that whatever product you're using is an enzymatic cleaner, meaning that it actually 'breaks down' the urine or fecal mater on a microscopic level, rather than just masking the scent."

If you haven't done so take him to the vet and make sure there's no medical problems such as a UTI or kidney infection.

Decide on one method, either outside or on peepads and stick to it.

[dantevalentino]

it seems to me that no matter what i try, nothing phases him.
with crate training he is eager to go outside in the morning when i let him out,
sometimes he potties, sometimes he doesnt, no matter how long i leave him out.
at night before bed he always goes pee.
i feed him twice a day. he always has water.
i am usually home to let him out 4, 5, 6 times a day.
when im gone he stays in his crate.
it is very routine.

but he still goes potty in the house..
so i started throwing in variations.
for the first month i treated him each time after he pottied outside.
he still came in and pottied in the house.

the next month i tried regular routine, treats, and spraying him with a water bottle when i caught him in the act.

the month after that i have incorporated in the puppy pads with all of the above.

he stttttill potties on the floor.

[skelaki]

Don't let him out. Take him out.

Take away all house freedom. He's either crated or tethered to you except when closely supervised.

After he does his business, praise him, have a short play period, and then take him back to the potty area. Some dogs seem to do their business in shifts.

Take him to the vet and have him checked for a UTI, kidney infection, or diabetis. Probably not, but it's always good to eliminate medical possibilities.

Read and follow the 5 steps. It will take time but as long as you eliminate or correct any medical conditions, he will get re-trained if you are consistent.

[Dogstar]

Are you just putting him outside and not going out with him? That's the first change I wuold make, and I"d only make one more- and that would be that if he's not being directly supervised, he'd be in a crate.)