Im having a hard time potty training my 6 month old dog

Question
Hi!  I have a 6 month old cockapoo that I got from the pet store.  He was at the store until he was almost 4 months old.  He only eats Nutro Max and no table food.  We live in an apartment on the third floor and I just found out that there were dogs living here before we moved in.  We started by taking him outside ever 45 minutes when we first got him and he was starting to get really good with going outside.  We even are working on training him to ring a bell to go outside.  For the last 3 weeks he has started going back to his old ways.  He is peeing on the floor at least twice a day and poops on the floor maybe three times a week.  We my fiance or I take him outside he will refuse to come in after being out there for 30 minutes and won't go pee until he comes back inside.  He is also starting to ring the bell to just go outside to play.  I love my dog but my fiance is at his wits end and keeps saying that if this doesn't get better he is going to give my dog away.  What can I do?  I really need some help.  Thanks!

Answer
I would recommend that you have the dog neutered first, Amy. His regression *could* be due to his entering sexual maturity and wanting to 'mark' his territory. He is a mixed breed, so he should not be bred anyway. Neutering will be best for him in the long run.

Start all over with him as if he had never been housebroken before. Crate him or confine him to an area he will not soil whenever you cannot watch him. Take him out on leash, and do not allow him to run around and play or anything until AFTER he's pottied. If he doesn't potty within 10 minutes or so, bring him back in and ignore him, but keep him tied to you so you can quickly get him back outside if he starts showing signs of needing to go. After he potties outside, praise him and THEN play with him! This will teach him that playtime only comes after potty time, and he should at least try to potty every time you take him out.

If the dog is yours, your fiancee has no business doing ANYTHING with the dog as far as giving him away or selling him. I realize that what you're going through is stressful, but I would really think about the type of man my fiancee is if he's threatening to get rid of a dog that belongs to YOU, simply because of a little housetraining relapse.