Problems with new puppy.

Question
I am very frustrated!  I know that's probably a bad way to start but it's the truth.  I am trying to train my puppy but I am beginning to become confused by all the contradicting material out there.  Do you train with treats and "good girls" or do you learn dog behavior and train with dog queues.  I am so confused and I think Penny (5 month old Boston Terrier) is becoming fearful of me.  

1.  Walking.  when I take Penny for a walk she pulls.  I try to stop and make her sit but she won't listen, she just keep looking all over the place.  I know that she must walk beside me, but I just end up pull my arm all the way back so when she pulls she's right next to me pulling.  Everything I read says I should have a calm in control walk.  But then they say I should correct when she does something that unacceptable.  The problem is that I can't look forward and watch her at the same time?  How do I know to correct if I can see her misbehaving?

2.  Potty training.  Up until about a week ago she has been doing great on potty training.  Wasn't peeing or pooping in her crate.  She'd have a few accidents peeing inside but it was maybe one or at most twice a day.  But now she's back to pooping in the house and even worse she eats it.  She'll do this within minutes of bringing her in from being outside.  She's also started peeing in her crate again.  Should there be strict feeding and watering times along with going outside times?  We've been trying to give her food when we finish eating but our eating schedule is not consistant.  sometimes we eat at 6, sometimes at 8.

3.  Discipline.  One of the things I read everywhere is that you're supposed to correct a bad behavior before it escalates.  The problem we have is by the time we see the bad behavior, it's already escalated.  We try to keep her in her crate when we don't have time to "deal" with her; work, making dinner, alone time for us, but it seem the more time we have her in her crate the more energy (bad behavior and escalation to really bad behavior) she has when we do let her out.

I try to walk her every evening when I get home from work and weekend mornings (probably 5 times a week.)  But still it seems like she's jolted up on speed or caffeine.   

I try to correct the behavior by saying "AH", then poking her firmly (no hurting her) in the neck, and then dropping her to a submissive state while holding her neck.  The problem is that I am getting the idea that I'm saying, "It's ok to rough play... sometimes because mommy (my girlfriend) doesn't want to deal with you now."  For instance, she'll get out of control running around the house.  My girlfriend will get frustrated with it.  then because my girlfriend is afraid she's going to hurt the dog I have to discipline her.  Problem with that is that I have no clue what I am disciplining her for.   Then I put her in her crate, because I have to get work done not deal with the girlfriend getting frustrated, when I let Penny back out she's twice as bad and the whole cycle starts again.

Am I just over reacting here?  I keep telling myself, she's only a puppy, puppies are hyper.  But then I start thinking, am I harming her training but not correcting her when she's hyper?

If you could please give me some direction I would greatly appreciate it.

Answer
Training takes time.  You can't expect a five month old puppy to 'sit' and 'stay' outdoors.  One must begin in a controlled environment where there are little distractions, train in short intervals each day, and expect at least three weeks for a conditioned response (immediate response to command.)  One then takes the puppy to the outdoors, knowing that the pup may fail, so one must take the dog to lightly populated areas or at a time of day when few distractions will be around.  You didn't learn how to drive a car by just picking up the car keys, did you?

Your dog is most likely eating her poop because she knows the poop angers you, she has NO IDEA why.  Peeing in her crate (WHY is she crated?) is most likely an anxiety provoked behavior.  The way to house train a dog is to consistently REWARD with praise and small food treat every time the dog eliminates outdoors, and to allow the dog out (and go out with her, although by this point your dog might be terrified to eliminate in front of you) at fair, regular intervals.  Dogs must be fed twice a day and fresh water available at all times.  Keeping the dog on a long, lightweight house leash (house tab) so she can't get into trouble eliminating (when you are at home) and then confining her to an area where urine won't soil rugs (like the kitchen) is ideal.  Your dog is going backward from FEAR and anxiety.

Keeping a dog in a crate is INHUMANE.  if you don't have to time to 'deal' with her WHY DID YOU GET HER?  Your dog is being unfairly, inhumanely and cruelly treated by you.  Pinning a five month old puppy to the floor (after POKING HER IN THE NECK) is abusive. It's amazing to me that you abuse and neglect this animal and then expect a professional in the field of animal behavior to correct your stupidity in this venue.  This isn't a stuffed animal, it's a LIVING BEING with the right to secure, loving and consistent ownership.  If the conditions under which this unfortunate dog are forced to live were observed by a humane officer, she would be removed from your home. My advice is to find another home for that dog IMMEDIATELY before you turn her into a raving, aggressive basket case, something she is no doubt (from your description of her reaction to your asinine alpha behavior) already becoming.