general training issue

Question
I have an 8 month old male half Pekingese and half Chihuahua.  He is not potty trained.  I go outside with him, we have a schedule but he will still potty in the house.  I think one of the problems is that he is a bit fearful of outside so I am trying to make outside as positive as possible.  He will "hold it" until we are back inside and then will wait until he thinks I am busy then go potty.  I have started to confine him to the kitchen so I can watch him and know when he is going to go but he gives no sign.  The minute I leave the room he sneaks into a bathroom (if I leave the door open) and does it quickly.  I am just about at my wits end.  Is this enough info or do you need more?

Answer
Have you been scolding him for accidents in the house, or might a previous owner have done that?  If so, what the dog might have learned, instead of realizing that the house is not the toilet, is that is very scary to urinate or defecate in front of you because you get angry.  Sometimes, you don't even have to scold - some dogs are even fearful if they get startled.  What I would suggest is tethering him to you so that he cannot hide, take him out more often than you think he needs to go, and when he does finally go outside, reward him with a tiny bit of freeze dried liver, or other scrumptious treat, immediately after he is done.  I go so far as to tell my dogs, "good pee" or "good poop" so that they learn the names of the functions.  Later, I use it to ask them to "go pee" or "go poop" hence I am not standing around waiting when it's 10 below zero out, because my dogs have learned what I want them to do, and they do it on cue (so long as they do have to go).  If he does begin to have an accident in the house, simply ask "Outside?" and gently take him out.  Clean it up later with an enzymatic cleaner (Petastic, Simple Solution, etc.) so that the smell is completely removed.  Hope that helps.