housebreaking an older beagle

Question
I just got a 4 year old beagle from the pound.  He is very well-behaved in many ways, but continues to pee in the house.  He is neutered.  He does not go in the same place each time.  We have a very good cleaning solution from a pet store to clean the soiled area.  He is crated when we are not home.  We can walk him for 30-60 minutes and then very soon he may pee inside again.  I want to keep the dog, but it seems as though all I do is walk the dog.  I praise him extremely when he goes to the door.  I praise him extremely when he pees outside.  Yet he'll come right back inside and pee again!

Answer
Judy,
I'm not sure how long you've had your beagle, but it generally takes up to 30 days for them to fully adjust to a new routine.  Also, if he was recently neutered, it can take up to 30 days as well for the hormones to go away.

Until this is resolved, I suggest that you crate him more than you are doing so now.   They key to housebreaking a dog is to completely eliminate the opportunity for accidents. It takes hard work and persistence on your part, but the results are definitely worth it.   The best way to do this is to keep them crated 100% of the time that you can't watch him.  You may even have to keep him on a leash when in the house so you have more control.  That way if he starts to lift his leg, you can give him a gentle tug on the leash and run outside.  If you can keep this up for several weeks, you should see an improvement.  Of course, continue with what you are doing, the regular walks and high praise for going outside.