When I first got Buddy I tried the schedule, but he just wouldn't eat when I put the food down (he was always busy wondering what we were doing). Now I just leave the food down all day. He rarely eats when he is home alone, and will eat until he is full if we are sitting at the table or if I am cooking or cleaning in the kitchen.
The pooping is something I had to work on with Buddy, too. When we first got him, I didn't want him home alone so I brought him to my mom's every day. He would go straight into the back yard and pee on every one of my mom's 15 small trees (I know by the 8th tree he probably had nothing left in him..lol), but he wouldn't poop outside. I started "overpraising" him when he finally pooped outside on accident. He liked the extra love and high praise so he started pooping outside but would still poop inside the house. After a while he just grew out of it. Well almost, if I leave the kitchen open at night he will poop on the linoleum.
Hope that Helps!