Housebreaking a 14 month old beagle

Question
We recently acquired a 14 month old research beagle.  The company doing the study went under and the study was halted so she became available for adoption.  She seems to have been very well treated.  She lived in a 12x12 cage with clean straw and four other beagles.  They were playful and bounding when we visited them to choose her.  She is very trusting of people and is quickly bonding with our family with three boys 8-12.  We've just had her a couple of days.
She is curious about people and loves to be patted and makes almost no noise or fuss (except when she sees her own image in the mirror.)  She's perfect in every way except - she's not housebroken.  Can you give us any tips for how we might approach this?  We've taken her for lots a lots of walks.  But she has not once piddled while outside - seeming to be used to and preferring to pee (and poop) inside only.  So far all we've done is taken the poop outside and put it in some dirt and had her snif that to give her the idea that's where she should go.  Could use you advice.  Thank-you!

Answer
Congratulations sounds like you have a very nice dog.  I would recommend using a crate to potty train her.
Here's how I explained it to another person:
You need to learn to use the process of crate training properly. You stated your dog stays in the crate overnight without soiling so you know it needs to go in the morning.  Remove the dog from the crate in the morning taking it outside to the spot you would like it to go.  Having it on a lead would be good also for control to keep it in the area you want it to potty in.  Put the dog down in this spot and begin giving it a command to "potty", "clean out" or whatever you want to use. Continue to repeat the command until the dog goes potty.  Immediately when it begins to potty praise it.  Give the dog only 5 minutes to go.  If the dog does not go then return it to the crate for 15 minutes.  Then repeat the process.  Usually by the second or third time out it will go.  Once it goes outside then reward it by giving it free time in the house.  Limit the free time to an hour or so then return to crate for an hour or so and repeat the process.  It won't always go potty when you go out after the first time but that's ok.  Gradually increase the free time in the house and continue the potty routine until the dog is going quickly whenever taken to the spot.  Eventually it will run to the spot on its own.  By using a command the dog will become conditioned to go potty when it hears the command.  This becomes very useful when traveling and stopping at rest areas so you can get the dog to go quickly.  This is how you use a crate to potty train your dog.  I have had two dogs that become so well trained to potty on command that they will squat and attempt to go even when they don't have to if I gave the command.  One would potty anywhere she happened to be when I gave the command even my friends patio when he didn't believe the dog went on command!!!
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