RE-house training your dog

Question
Hi, I have a 19 month old cocker spaniel/jack russell mix breed and he is an inside dog.  He was housetrained as a puppy, but regretfully I did not crate-train him.  He was doing great with using the bathroom outside until about 6-7 months ago.  Now, he never urinates in the house, but when it comes to defecation...that is another story!  He found a place in our living room, a specific spot where he goes every single time.  I will take him out in the mornings before I go to work and he will urinate and never poops (even when I make sure I stay longer periods of time).  Sometimes I will even take him out twice before I leave and he still won't go.  When I leave and sometimes immediately after I do.... he does his business in his little spot.  Even worse, sometimes he will do it when I am in the shower and if I confine him to one area while I am in the shower then he will go there.  It is like he is waiting for a moment when he knows I can not see him, to do it.  As soon as I do see the mess he has made, he hides or tucks his tail and ears because he knows he was wrong for doing it but still continues to do it, every day now.  I have tried taking it outside to show him where to go, I have tried sprays, I have tried confining him to one room (but he will go there), and I am out of ideas.  Hope that you might be able to give me some suggestions, because I am starting to feel like he thinks I am punishing him for poop being in the house when I get home, instead of him knowing that pooping in the house in general is wrong (because it is really hard to catch him in the act!)  Thank you for your time and I would greatly appreciate any advice you have to offer. Thanks a bunch!


Answer
Well it is not to late to use a crate now,and what you do is keep him there all the time,except to go outside,to play,to go on walks,to be fed ect for about three weeks,then slowly let him out more,and if he soils again,back in the crate he goes for about 10 days

Also try to think of anything that may have changed since he started doing this,even a small change such as changing feeding times,getting a new pet,having a new person move in ect As sometimes dogs will do this for attention,even if it is bad attention