help with potty training!

Question
Hi! I just recently rescued a mini american eskimo from a dog shelter, and she's had an abusive past. she is very sweet, but very submissive and since ive taken her home, she has done a lot of submissive peeing. i know not to punish her for it, seeing as how most dogs who do that dont really understand they are doing it, and i have tried various techniques such as crate training her and ignoring her the first few minutes i get home to let her calm down, getting down on the ground with her before i pet her, putting her outside before i take her on a walk. they all seemed to work great until recently a male roommate moved in, and all of a sudden she reverted back to the way she was before i got her...all of my training gone down the toilet, my roommate does nothing to her, he keeps to himself most of the time, but im fairly certain that in her past home she was abused by a male just by watching her attitude change between the male and female friends i have over. i know it is a sudden change, and i am being very patient, but nothing seems to be working at all anymore. i think the main question i need help with as soon as possible is how do i get her to not pee in the house as i hook her up on her leash to go outside and go potty..it defeats the purpose of me walking her if shes going to pee right before i take her out. lately ive been trying to hook her up outside on the patio so that she doesnt pee in the house, but i wish i could just stop the behavior all together. any advice?

Answer
Many dogs eventually outgrow it, but you can reduce it by building the dog's confidence up. Start with obedience training. 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/ As you praise the dog for following your commands, it will build its confidence.

Play tug of war with the dog and lose. However at the end of the game, take the rope or toy and put it up, less the dog becomes confused about who is top dog. Ropes from the pets' store quickly turn to hazardous shreds. Ones I made lasted much better. Go to a hardware or home center that sells rope by the foot. Buy 2' of 3/4" poly rope. Melt the ends, and tie knots in it. Get them as tight as possible, put it in a vise and pound it with a hammer. Watch carefully, and be ready to discard when it comes apart.

Finally, make sure it has a den to live in. If you are not using a crate, buy one. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

The problem with men maybe less a matter of abuse than a lack of early exposure to them, before 12 weeks.  Try having your roomate give her more attention, giving her treats and positive attention.  also find other men to do the same.