+1 on the crate training. Dogs are natural den animals, and, if you do it properly, Buddy will learn that the crate is his special place. A lot of people who crate train do it wrong and just throw the dog in there when they want to leave the house, or when they've been bad. This is the WORST thing you can do. You must introduce the crate slowly to him, and let him associate it with good.
Don't ever strike your dog.
Young dogs are like children. Did you ever do anything wrong at home when your parents were gone? Why did you do it? Because it was FUN! Dogs act in the same manner. He knows he's not allowed the play with the legal pad, but the temptation is too great if there's nobody there to keep an eye on him. Bottom line: dogs get bored just like kids do. If you teach him to be in a crate while nobody's home he can't get into any trouble.
As far as the poo goes, I think it's just more comfy for him to go there. Who wants to go ouitside in the heat when he has nice plush carpet to drop a deuce on??Dogs don't mark their territory with poo, so I don't think it has anything to do with the Beanie Babies. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. Even if you've cleaned up a previous poo, Buddy can smell it. That smell is a signal for him that says, "Hey, it's ok for me to poo here!"

 

Voodoo, I saw this today on TED. Its a very nice talk on dog psychology: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/i..._training.html

From the page: About this talk: Speaking at the 2007 EG conference, trainer Ian Dunbar asks us to see the world through the eyes of our beloved dogs. By knowing our pets' perspective, we can build their love and trust.

Hope this helps!

 

Voo Doo you don't have a problem... look at what my dog does when we go tothe park...

http://www.break.com/index/frisky-do...e-in-park.html

 

I have nothin to add except i love dogs, always had one or two. Never hit them.

 

cesar milan

 

LOL kike, at the end he got the other girl too, well trained dog (animal tv makes too many noises though, kinda just like "shutup, im trying to watch, not listen to your lame jokes or stupid sound effects")

 

Maybe he just reached puberty and anxious... you know what I mean... lol j/k

 

I'm just posting to reach 300 before I go to bed
jk, dogs are lucky, if we did that we'd be sued....but this gives me doggy cam ideas

 

I love dogs! NEVER hit your dog. It makes me mad when I see or hear about it. You're just a f**cker if you do. Hitting somebody else that is pretty much defenseless... I agree with Pacemaker. Verbal is all you need as an act of positive/negative reinforcement.

Your dog is bored, doodoo. Dogs need attention. Do you take him out for walks? Let him do his business outside.