Dog toilet training

Question
I took possession of a three yearold male chihuahua recently and it went as it was supposed to on doggy pads at first but now it pees on the pads but poops in certain places on the floors in the house .
Is this a territorial behavior or could it be showing it's displeasure at not having it's favorite family member at home ? Thanks in advance .

Answer
That is hard to say.  I would neuter him if not already and obedience train him.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm