dog going to the bathroom in new home

Question
hi, i have two rotties, one is almost 5 years old and the other will be three in july (sammy).  we got sammy almost a year ago.  he had a rough upbringing.  his first owner beat him in the head with a shovel, the second owner had to get rid of him because he ate the neighbors chickens, the third owner got rid of him because her older dog got sick.  he has a great personality, although he licks alot and is clinging.  we just moved into a new home and he will not stop peeing in the house.  the previous owners of the home had an older male lab.  our other dog does not pee in the house.  we can not yell at sammy because we have not caught him in the act, although we know its him.  please give us some ways of stopping this behavior  thanks. we love him to death but can not tolerate this behavior, so anything you can suggest would be great.

Answer
Throughally cleaning the house with a carpet steamer using a pet odor enzyme additive might help.  Use a rental unit or have a professional do it.  

When you are around you need to keep a close eye on the dog.  Use closed doors or gates to keep it in the same room as you are, and perhaps as I do, a short chain fastened to the computer desk.  If you catch it in the act, give it a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and take it out.  When you can't watch it, crate it.

It is only natural that a puppy resists its crate at first.  What the puppy wants more than anything else is to be others, you, anyone else in the household, and any other pets.  In our modern society, even if we are home, other things distract us from the attention an uncrated puppy must have.   The only real solution is to crate the dog when you aren't around.  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.

Leave it some toys.  Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter.  Don't leave anything in the crate the dog might chew up.  It will do fine without even any bedding.  You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, may take some work. Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate.  Praise it for going in.  Feed it in the crate.  This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding time for more than one dog.

It is quite possible once all trace of the old dog is gone, and he has claimed the house, he will quit.