potty training a 4 month old bulldog

Question
reviewed your answers to many questions and I am kind of discouraged.  We have a 4 month old english bulldog (female).  From almost the day she came home she has defacated in her cage and will lay in it.  She never barks to go outside and still defacates in the house.  We use a wire crate and have sectioned part of it off to make it smaller; didn't work.  We use the praise and treat method; she likes the treats but she doesn't seem to be making the connection.  
She eats dinner before 6pm and we take up the water by 7pm.  Many mornings we will wake up to a mess in her cage. My husband comes home for lunch to let her out and I am home 4-5 hours later.  Sometimes it is wet, sometimes it is dry.  My husband wants to get rid of the dog, I do not.  She has some dominance issues that I am trying to work on.  But I think if we could get the potty training under control, the other training will fal into place and be much easier.
We have tried taking her outside, praising her for going potty, treats, etc, and then putting her back in her cage.  Then taking her back out again later.  But this hasn't seemed to work.  Isn't it abnormal for the dog to lay in their own feces?  Please help because I am at the end of my rope and I have had several dogs, none as difficult to potty train as this one!


Answer
Welcome to raising a Bulldog!

It is very unusual for a puppy to lie in it's own excrement. If puppies are kept clean when they're little, they like it that way. I'm wondering if she was kept in a dirty environment before you got her.

Regardless, she's very much still a baby. Four months is nothing when it comes to house breaking a Bulldog. I've had them go as long as 10-11 months before they stop soiling their crate. I have one here now that is 2 yrs. old and will poop in her crate if it even looks damp outside.

You're doing all the right things except she's left for longer periods of time that I would expect a puppy to hold it at this time. 4-5 hours is a long time for a puppy believe it or not.  If you're putting anything besides paper in her crate, stop it. None of my girls will keep a crate clean if there's a towel or blanket in it. They'll pee on it every time.

My best advice is don't give up. I know it's discouraging but one day the light will come on and she'll get it.